TOUR DE RIDGES POST RACE NEWSLETTER
1. Thank you to all participants and helpers in Sunday’s Tour de Ridges. It was particularly pleasing seeing those who dressed up and had a lot of fun. This was the 20th annual edition. It originally started on 20 December 1998 as the 20km Tour de Mountain from the Mawson shopping centre and included Mt Taylor, Farrer Ridge, Mt Wanniassa and Isaacs Ridge. The theme was a fun long run on the Sunday before Christmas with lots of barrel draw prizes with Christmas chocolates and wine. Early finishers were able to go to the coffee shop at the start while waiting for the barrel draws. The inaugural winners were Colin Neave, Chris Cook and David Osmond tied for 1st in 1.24.32 and Fiona Jorgensen 1st female in 1.33.27, top class times by today’s standards. That first race of 55 (http://www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au/index.php?module=Results&action=Report.DetailView&id=98) included the following runners from Sunday’s field: Males: 7th Peter Clarke, 8th Hugh Jorgensen, 26th Jim White, 31st Ewen Thompson. Females: 2nd Allison Jones, 10th Maria White.
The original course crossed 4 major roads but this became too dangerous after about 10 years so the course was re-designed to take out Mt Taylor because of no safe access and use under-passes, avoid dangerous downhills in Isaacs pine forest, and move to the Mawson sports fields as the shopping centre precinct was developed. When the Centennial Trail was built, further refining was done to follow the trail between Wanniassa Hills reserve and the Long Gully Road underpass.
Last year another major advance was made with the introduction of FlyerUltra electronic timing and live internet results.
2. Full results for Sunday are at http://www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au/index.php?module=News&action=ShowNews&id=573
3 The photo album is at https://hardingjohn.smugmug.com/Sports/Mountain-running/17-Dec-2017-Tour-de-Ridges/
4 There were 20 helpers doing the various jobs to get the runs and walks operating smoothly. Please consider volunteering for one of the other events later in the year because without the volunteers the events can’t be conducted. Many thanks to all the helpers: John Harding, Martin Fryer, Paul Mahoney, Richard and Jenny Nethersole, Diane Arthur, Steven Hanley, Barbara McKay, Jackie Luethi, Tamara Duncan, Mark Kethro, Paul Archer, Tony Britton, James Swann, Thomas Banks, Louise Sharp, Stuart Doyle, Michael Thompson, Mandy Smyth, Mike Corrigan, Mick Corlis
5 Online registration is open for the Kowen January Trail Runs on Saturday 20 January and entries close on Wednesday 17 January. Half-marathon, 12 km run and 1.5 km kids run. Enjoy the trails of Kowen. Run or walk through native forest and on groomed forestry trails, the courses take in spectacular views of the forest out to Canberra and surrounds. Support the local Wamboin community; take in the local Wamboin produce market; proceeds from the event will go to the Wamboin Community Fire Brigade. See event info and online registration at https://www.registernow.com.au/secure/Register.aspx?E=28235
6 Facebook:
Australian Mountain Running and Trail Running Canberra are the Facebook pages to go to for regular updates on events, training, tech issues and other things you want to know. Kowen Trail Run has a FB page devoted just to the Kowen events.
7 Other events in 2018:
Every month in Canberra – free events:
1st Tuesday Mt Ainslie Run Up and Power Walk , 2.3 km, 12.45pm Treloar Cres, Campbell
3rd Tuesday Black Mountain Run Up and Power Walk , 2.6 km, 12.45pm Clunies Ross St, Acton (200m east of Botanic Gardens entrance).
6-13 January: YMCA of Canberra Runners Club Fun and Fitness Week, Thredbo. http://canberra.ymca.org.au/what-we-do/activey/runnersclub/thredbo-fun-fitness-week/
Includes Crackenback and Kosciuszko races.
Subject to confirmation:
Date TBA. Mt Tennent 6km and 11 km Challenge (incorporating ACT Mountain Running Championships) Coming soon.
Sunday 25 March: Great Volcanic Challenge 11 km, Mt Canobolas, Orange NSW, incorporating the Australian Masters Mountain Running Championships.
Sunday 8 April: Australian Senior Men’s and Women’s Mountain Running Championships (10km) and Junior Men’s and Women’s Championships (5.6km), Mt Wellington, Hobart
Sat and Sun 28 and 29 July: Bush Capital Bush Marathon Festival
Sunday 21 October: Mt Majura Vineyard One Peak and Two Peaks, 12km and 20 km runs and walks over Mt Majura and Mt Ainslie
Sunday 4 November: Deep Space Mountain Marathon run, Half Marathon run & walk, 10 km and 5km runs & walks: a spectacular half marathon course from the Orroral Deep Space picnic ground to the Honeysuckle Creek Deep Space camp ground and return.
Sunday 16 December: Tour de Ridges 21k run, 15k and 10k runs and walks from Mawson sports fields over Farrer ridge, Wanniassa Hills and Isaacs Ridge
Mountain running and hilly trail runs around Australia
See the following websites:
Sri Chinmoy Trail Run Series, Canberra au.srichinmoyraces.org
Running Wild NSW www.runningwildnsw.com
Mountain Sports http://mountainsports.net.au/
Queensland Trail Runners Association www.traq.org.au
Trail Running SA trailrunningsa.com
Western Australia Trail Runners perthtrailseries.com
Point to Pinnacle, Hobart www.pointtopinnacle.com.au
Running Wild Victoria www.runningwild.net.au
Australian Ultra Runners Association aura.asn.au