WALHALLA WOUND UP May 8th 2005
Sunday 8th of May 2005 dawned a cold, foggy morning promising a chilly start to the race. The skies soon cleared providing fine perfect conditions again for this years event. My luck was against me though and a bad case of tonsillitis meant I would have to be a reluctant spectator. Probably good for me though because as a runner you sometimes take for granted the work some people put in to make a run successful. I stood in awe of the commitment of Bruce’s wife Margaret, daughter Shannon, son in law Ben, friends Barry and Carol Summersgill, Belinda Issell. Geoff Duffell and nephew Letch with girl friend Catherine as they forged a committed bunch of Marshal’s, Timekeepers and Drink station operators. Combined this with the enthusiasm of race director Bruce Salisbury and the support and sponsorship of the Star Hotel proprietor Michael Leaney and all the Walhalla townspeople and it becomes a memorable event for everyone. The setting was always going to make it a great event but with the addition of top runners like Mike Wheatley, Mal Grimmet and Tim Cochrane. Add them to the list of regulars, which included Sandra Timmer-Arends, Roger Maximiw, Kelvin Marshall and Darrell Cross there was also going to me some great racing. Also not forgetting the ultra Marathon regular characters in Kevin Cassidy, Rob Embelton and Bruce Salisbury and I found myself starting to feel comfortable about enjoying being a spectator.
19km event.
With course record holder Bert Pelgrim, pumped up youngster Matt Mullens and last years winner Dan Kirby toeing the line for this race it was always going to be a fast race. I stood ¾ of the way up the Mormon track hill at about the 6km mark where the runners cross on their way to Poverty Point Bridge . It was a good place to view how the race was going. Bert Pelgrim looked in magnificent form as he led them past with Tim Cochrane (50km) and Darrel Cross (37km) not far behind. It was good to stand here and give support and cheek to all the runners as they went past. After the last two went through which was my wife and daughter I had time to gallop down too the bottom of the hill and with a giggle direct the 19km runners back up the hill after they crossed the Thompson river bridge on the main road. Again Bert Pelgrim looked good and I felt his own course record was in danger. Matt Mullens was doing a good job, as was Dan Kirby. New runner to the club Richard Clavarino was also putting a top run in and certainly looks like making a good runner. In the females it was great to see Australian Mountain running team member June Petrie back running and moving well out in front. Deanne Nobbs was putting in a good chase as was our own Deb Piercy. It was great to see the smile on everyone’s faces but I couldn’t see their expressions when they turned the corner and saw the hill climb they faced. I did hear a few swear though. Bert Pelgrim went on to smash his own course record and his wife June Petrie the winning female was also thought to have set a new record. A check of June’s official time against Peta’s course record showed her 12 seconds short of making it a record breaking double for her and Bert.
Results 19km event.
1. Bert Pelgrim 1:17:25 (1 st Vet Male), 2. Matthew Mullens 1:23:44 (1 st Open Male), 3. Dan Kirby 1:25:44 (2 nd Open Male), 4.Richard Clavarino (3 rd Open Male), 5. June Petrie (1 st Open Female), 6.Nick Manning 1:29:32 (2 nd Vet Male), 7. Peter Bignell 1:29:49 (3 rd Vet Male), 8. Benjamin Bailey 1:31:58, 9. Stephen McLeod 1:33:08, 10. Shinichi Taniguchi 1:35:40, 11. Deanne Nobbs 1:36:52 (2 nd Open Female), 12. Deb Piercy 1:38:39 (1 st Vet Female), 13.Gary Hughes 1:41:01,14. Ruth Butter 1:41:35 (3 rd Open Female), 15. Rob Donaldson 1:42:56, 16. Maureen Wilson 1:43:22, 17. Rod Atkinson 1:43:30, 18. Warren Harriss 1:46:03, 19. Cathy Philo 1:46:21, 20. Kim Essex 1:46:39, 21. Ian Heafield 1:49:40, 22. Leanne Knights 1:50:58 (2 nd Vet Female), 23. Tony McEntee 1:54:15, 24. Carmel Quirk 1:55:43 (3 rd Vet Female), 25. Sharyn Fitzgerald 1:58:21, 26. John Jervis 1:59:42, 27. Peter Grixti 2: 05:55 , 28. Pauline Lindsay 2: 06:38 , 29. Nathan Jones 2: 17:01 , 30. Denise Strang 2:37:56, 31. Jenny Pruscino 2:38:03, 32. Marissa Schill 2:38:04, 33. Denise Twite 2:49:58, 34. Alisha Twite 2:49:58.
Winners of Star Hotel Accommodation Packages.
Fastest Male Bert Pelgrim , Fastest Female June Petrie and lucky finisher Peter Bignell.
After watching all the 19km runners come through I waited under the bridge to see how the 37km and 50km runners were going. I was not surprised to see Darrell Cross well out in front. Darrel who has won the whole three 37km events contested has been in awesome form this year. When I said to him early in the week that there were some good runners coming to try and knock him off he just said bring them on. Not far behind was leading 50km runner Mike Wheatley with a fair gap to 37km runners Mal Grimmet and Roger Maximiw. Interest now was to get back to the finish and see how much Darrel would knock of his record he looked in awesome form. Sure enough he came across the line nearly 9 minutes under his own course record and 16 minutes in front of the next 37km runner. In the females last years winner Robyn Fletcher broke her own course record by 19 seconds and just finished in front of the fast improving Louise McMahon.
37km Results-
1. Darrel Cross 2:31:59 (1 st Open Male), 2. Mal Grimmet 2:47:53 (2 nd Open Male), 3. Roger Maximiw 2:49:29 (3 rd Open Male), 4. Robyn Fletcher 3:28:38 (1 st OpenFemale), 5. Louise McMahon 3:29:31 (1 st Vet Female), 6. Cameron Gillies 3:36:00, 7. Ken Lancaster 4:10:42 (1 st Vet Male), 8. Mark Peek 4: 10:42 , 9. Russell Mullens 4:12:38 (2 nd Male Vet), 10. Claudia Boyles 4:30:23, 11. Bob Bickett 4:52:58 (3 rd VetMale), 12. Nicole Morrison 5: 03:07 (3 rd Open Female), 13. Ros Nicolson 5:03:07 (3 rd Vet Female), 14. Matthew Franke DNF.
Winners of Star Hotel Accommodation Packages.
Fastest Male Darrel Cross, Fastest Female Robyn Fletcher and lucky finisher Cameron Gillies.
I guess the good part about Brutons Bridge being closed was the 50km runners would came past the finish line at the 37km mark. This was good for spectators but tempting for some of the 50km runners to pull out. Also being hopefully a one off emergency course it was disappointing to not be able to include Mike Wheatley’s time as a new course record. He was certainly flying and was back finished before the likes of Bruce and Rob came past at the 37km mark. Mike is a sensational ultra marathon runner and looks in great shape to lead the Australian team in the world 100km championships in Japan in June. Sandra Timmer-Arends team’s mate of Mikes 10 years ago at the 100km World titles in France won her third female title in a row. Robert Gray also ran a good race coming in less than 4hours. Kelvin Marshall came storming into town with one of the biggest sprint finishes to a 50km run you would ever see. The whole town stood and cheered and one onlooker asked me how far he had run. When I said 50km he couldn’t believe someone could still run like that after running that far. Brian Glover put in another top effort walking the whole event.
A Big thank you to all the helpers from Sunday especially Margaret Salisbury, Carol and Barry Summersgill, Shannon and Ben Bailey, Geoff Duffel, Belinda Issell, Letch and Girlfriend Catherine. Race Director Bruce Salisbury and Mike Leaney and Star Hotel Walhalla for their sponsorship and support.
| 50Km | |
| Mike Wheatley | 03:30:54 |
| Robert Gray | 03:50:59 |
| Kelvin Marshall | 04:06:06 |
| Nellis Dippenaar | 04:12:31 |
| Danny Schranz | 04:13:02 |
| David Bedford Lee | 04:19:22 |
| Sandra Timmer-Arends | |
| Robert Embelton | 04:59:46 |
| Bruce Salisbury | 04:59:47 |
| Barry Higgins | 05:36:34 |
| Kevin Cassidy | 05:14:20 |
| Garry Wise | 05:17:46 |
| Brendan Mason | 05:55:33 |
| Brian Glover | 06:19:45 |
| 50km Entries who finished at 37km | |
| Daniel Thompson | 03:09:37 |
| Tim Cochrane | 03:09:36 |
| Steve Hyde | 03:29:26 |
| Peter Gray | 07:06:28 |
| 37km | |
| Darrel Cross | 02:31:59 |
| Mal Grimmet | 02:47:53 |
| Roger Maximiw | 02:49:29 |
| Robyn Fletcher | 03:28:38 |
| Louise McMahon | 03:29:31 |
| Cameron Gillies | 03:36:00 |
| Ken Lancaster | 04:10:42 |
| Mark Peek | 04:10:42 |
| Russell Mullens | 04:12:38 |
| Claudia Boyles | 04:30:23 |
| Bob Bickett | 04:52:58 |
| Nicole Morrison | 05:03:07 |
| Ros Nicolson | 05:03:07 |
| Matthew Franke DNF |
| 19km | |
| Bert Pelgrim | 01:17:25 |
| Matthew Mullens | 01:23:44 |
| Dan Kirby | 01:25:44 |
| Richard Clavarino | |
| June Petrie | |
| Nick Manning | 01:29:32 |
| Peter Bignell | 01:29:49 |
| Benjamin Bailey | 01:31:58 |
| Stephen McLeod | 01:33:08 |
| Shinichi Taniguchi | 01:35:40 |
| Deanne Nobbs | 01:36:52 |
| Deb Piercy | 01:38:39 |
| Gary Hughes | 01:41:01 |
| Ruth Butter | 01:41:35 |
| Rob Donaldson | 01:42:56 |
| Maureen Wilson | 01:43:22 |
| Rod Atkinson | 01:43:30 |
| Warren Harriss | 01:46:03 |
| Cathy Philo | 01:46:21 |
| Kim Essex | 01:46:39 |
| Ian Heafield | 01:49:40 |
| Leanne Knights | 01:50:58 |
| Tony McEntee | 01:54:15 |
| Carmel Quirk | 01:55:43 |
| Sharyn Fitzgerald | 01:58:21 |
| John Jervis | 01:59:42 |
| Peter Grixti | 02:05:55 |
| Pauline Lindsay | 02:06:38 |
| Nathan Jones | 02:17:01 |
| Denise Strang | 02:37:56 |
| Jenny Pruscino | 02:38:03 |
| Marissa Schill | 02:38:04 |
| Denise Twite | 02:49:58 |
| Alisha Twite | 02:49:58 |