Victorian 6 Hour & 50 Km Track Championships
6th November 2005
By Kevin Cassidy
Events organised by the Traralgon Harriers always have a distinctive feel. Professional organisation, yet maintaining a refreshing country style friendliness. With this in mind, I eagerly tackled the 150km journey east of Melbourne. In the shadows of the imposing looking recreation centre sat the Joe Carmody Athletic Track where a record 30 competitors were thronging around the start line to the gratified expressions of the organisers. Such a field was indicative of the resurgent interest in ultras and the fact that 11 were women was of particular note. Two Queenslanders even embarked on the journey south and managed to cope with daylight savings without an over abundance of distress.
Race favourite, Mal Grimmet powered away early establishing a substantial lead that proved unbeatable. Although slowing in the second half, victory was assured with most of the attention then focusing on the enthralling battle amongst the lead women in Julie Hooper-Childs and Michelle Thompson. Julie, running her first ultra, and Michelle, whose reputation continues to grow, staged an absorbing battle for the entire race in a superb display of consistent, well judged pacing. Julie narrowly prevailed. Respectively, they took second and third places outright. Personally, I think both should genuinely consider aiming for the Australian 100km team.
Kelvin Marshall was his usual self as he scooted around the track with regular consistency. Deciding that 50km was enough due to an unco-operative back injury, he flaked out under a tree. “That’s my 150th Ultra” he stated wearily, “And you were at my first back in 1992” he continued, glancing in my direction. Deciding that his back was less troublesome if he got up and walked around, he re entered the race. “If I’m going to walk, I may as well do it on the track” was his sound logic.
As always, several races within the race occurred. The first woman to walk around Australia, Deborah de Williams, was preparing for the upcoming Colac Six Day Race in a fancy pair of grey tights while Sandra Howorth was exhibiting her new found running ability after many years as a walker. Garry Wise was also keeping everyone honest. Garry is rapidly becoming a modern day Cliff Young. Taking up running just 12 months ago, he has run more races than most could dream of in 20 years! All with immeasurable aplomb, I might add.
Jane Sturzaker and Rob Boyce maintained their agreeable, positive dispositions from start to finish in the most dutiful of fashions while Paula Lucas earned the admiration of all with her first effort beyond 21kms in the short seven months that has been her career to date.
For the umpteenth time, Shirley Young troubled the record books with new Australian W75 marks for 50 kilometres and six hours.
Ernie Hartley wasn’t having the best of performances as he mopped his forehead prior to making a beeline for a Powerbar that had been sitting on the hot sun. Struggling to undo the wrapper, he watched it sag quickly and fall to the ground, much to his consternation. “Well that sums up my day” he shrugged with a sheepish look.
Arguably, the tightest contest had its origins several days earlier when locals Rob Embelton and Sandra Timmer-Arends challenged each other over a few drinks at the local watering hole. They traded verbal blows all week but when it really mattered, Sandra clocked up a new Australian W40 record for 50km with Rob just 200 metres adrift and leaving him 12 months to ponder how to square the ledger!
Results- Six Hour-
1/ Malcolm Grimmet 70.041
2/ Julie Hooper-Childs [f] 64.421
3/ Michelle Thompson [f] 62.476
4/ Jevvan McGhee 61.013
5/ Kelvin Marshall 60.108
6/ Robert Boyce 57.490
7/ Garry Wise 57.356
8/ Trevor Marsh 57.326
9/ Richard Comber 55.055
10/ Jane Sturzaker [f] 53.300
11/ Robert Embleton 52.400
12/ Sandra Timmer-Arends [f] 52.400
13/ Shirley Young [f] 51.707
14/ Peter Anderson 51.664
15/ Ian Twite 50.800
16/ Brian Glover 49.732
17/ Peter Grixti 47.387
18/ Ernie Hartley 46.841
19/ Dawn Parris [f] 46.794
20/ Deborah DeWilliams [f] 45.707
21/ Leah Stringer [f] 43.594
22/ Sandra Howorth [f] 43.161
23/ Peter Gray 42.934
24/ Faith Anderson [f] 41.641
25/ Paula Lucas [f] 40.134
26/ Stan Miskin 38.714
27/ Glyn DeWlliams 38.317
28/ Barry Summersgill 30.400
29/ Matt Franke 25.600
30/ Bruce Salisbury 24.00.
Results- 50km-
1. Malcolm Grimmett 3:56:14
2. Ian Twite 4:03:15
3. Sandra Timmer-Arends [f] 4:06:48
4. Robert Embelton 4:08:27
5. Kelvin Marshall 4:22:27
6. Jevann McPhee 4:30:57
7. Julie Hooper-Childs [f] 4:36:07
8. Michelle Thompson [f] 4:38:10
9. Garry Wise 4:56:02
10. Robert Boyce 5:07:41
11. Trevor Marsh 5:09:32
12. Richard Comber 5:13:25
13. Jane Sturzaker [f] 5:37:21
14. Peter Anderson 5:47:12
15. Shirley Young [f] 5:47:43
Special thanks to Sandra Howorth, whose business “Sands Hands” (specialising in massage therapy and medical audio typing) sponsored all the winners, both male and female in the six hour and 50km events with cash prizes.