ACT mountain running championships
Mt Majura, ACT
Saturday 5 May 2007
Stunning performance by Wallington the highlight of the ACT Mountain Running Championships
The ACT Mountain Running Championships were taken out by interstate visitors, Neil Labinsky of Queensland winning the men’s title and Canowindra school girl Veronica Wallington the women’s.
Sixteen year old Wallington produced a stunning performance, slashing more than a minute from the course record held by world long distance mountain running champion Emma Murray and over two minutes off the 2005 Australian championship record time of Vivian Pott of Queensland who went on to finish 11th in the World Championship that year. Wallington appears to be an outstanding prospect for this year’s World Junior Mountain Running Championship, after completing the first lap in under course record time and then accelerated in the next lap, clocking 46 mins 5 secs for the 9kms which had a total elevation gain of 600 metres. Canberra’s Vanessa Haverd was 2nd in 50:21 and Angela Bateup of Yass 3rd in 51:24.
Neil Labinsky showed outstanding endurance at the 2007 Six Foot Track in finishing 5th in 3:36:25 but used superior downhill speed to nullify the uphill running strength and local knowledge of South Canberra Tuggeranong’s Stuart Doyle in the ACT men’s 13 km championship. The lead see-sawed between the two during the first and second of the three ascents and descents of the mountain. Labinsky eventually claimed victory for the 13 kms in 65:04, with Doyle runner-up in 66:09, and M50 world long distance champion Trevor Jacobs of Weston Creek 3rd in 70:29. Unfortunately Labinsky is heading to South Africa for the Comrades Marathon and will not be around for the Australian Mountain Running Championship on Mt Majura on 16 June. But if downhill running is an advantage for the downhill Comrades, he will undoubtedly do very well.
Results:
Senior women’s 9kms:
1 Veronica Wallington 46.05, 2 Vanessa Haverd 50.21, 3 Angela Bateup 51.24, 4 Cindy King 55.18, 5 Narelle Patrick 58.29.
W35 9kms: 1 Angela Bateup 51.24, 2 Cindy King 55.18.
W40 9kms: 1 Narelle Patrick 58.29.
Senior men’s 13kms:
1 Neil Labinsky 65.04, 2 Stuart Doyle 66.09, 3 Trevor Jacobs 70.29, 4 Damian Green 73.12, 5 Norak Theam 80.32, 6 Ian Wright 80.37, 7 Mick Corlis 86.30, 8 Simon Krantzcke 86.58, 9 Christophe Vial 90.54, 10 Hugh Jorgensen 92.27, 11 Ross Stewart 98.38, 12 Matthew Hole 103.29.
M40 13kms: 1 Stuart Doyle 66.09, 2 Damian Green 73.12, 3 Simon Krantzcke 86.58, 4 Christophe Vial 90.54, 5 Hugh Jorgensen 92.27.
M45 13kms: 1 Mick Corlis 86.30, 2 Ross Stewart 98.38.
M50 men’s 8.8kms: 1 Ian Wright 53.33.
M55 men’s 8.8kms:1 Trevor Jacobs 45.59, 2 Peter Clarke 52.28, 3 Ian Wright 53.33, 4 Hugh Moore 56.17, 5 Mick Charlton 71.56.
Open 4.7kms: 1 John Revesz 54.42.