BARRY HIGGINS
ATHLETICS
TRARALGON HARRIERS By BARRY HIGGINS THE Traralgon Harriers had a busy fortnight, with the weekly Thursday evening runs complemented by the Geoff Watt Memorial Run, the Cup weekend Four Peaks Alpine Climb and the Harriers’ Memorial Run. Four Peaks Alpine Climb THE Harriers displayed their regional nature when club members from across Gippsland tackled the Four Peaks mountain runs over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. It was also a family affair. Maffra-based Harriers Glenn Crawford and his son Andrew hiked the mountains together in a great father and son effort. From Traralgon, Desley Tulloch and her teenage son Darcy shared the experience over the four days. With them from Allambee Reserve, nestled in the Strzelecki Range south of Yarragon, were parks ranger Yani Cornthwaite and her father Ian. Many Harriers, family and friends ran or hiked to the summits of Mounts Buffalo, Feathertop, Hotham and Mystic Mountain, averaging about 10–15 kilometres each day. This year the unusual late season snow on Mt Hotham truncated the Day 3 run at Federation Hut. A number of keen Harriers conquered all four mountains in an event that has been run and sometimes won, by Olympians and world champions. Due to commitments elsewhere, some could only take part for one or two days. Four Peaks veteran Ian Twite reported: “The weather was tough, but it just made the views even more spectacular. Snow on the mountains meant the runs were 1-2 km shorter (no complaints), however the scenery was delightful as the sun came out. Ian Cornthwaite and Darcy Tulloch finished on the podium in their age groups – a great result”. Harriers Memorial Run ON the Sunday of the long weekend, a large field took part in the Harriers Memorial Run, held in memory of club members. Participants ran or walked either one or two 6 km laps from Maryvale Reserve in Morwell. Harriers’ president, Phill Mayer, said, “The Memorial Run, which supports increasing awareness of suicide and mental health, and raises money for our nominated charity Lifeline Gippsland, was indeed a special day. Both events had good numbers. It was originally created in 1997 to honour club member Geoff “Swaggy” Wilson, a talented runner and club member, who tragically took his own life”. “Having Anne Wilson and Faye Tomholt (representing Nick Schilling’s family) there to present the memorial trophies and say a few words was important and very touching. Michelle Possingham, chief executive of Lifeline, shared her experience around suicide and mental health, adding gravity to the event. Supporting such an important issue in our community, the day was indeed memorable”, Phill said. Geoff Watt Memorial A NUMBER of dedicated Harriers ran various distances at the Geoff Watt Memorial Fun Run festival the previous Sunday. The weather gods smiled on a successful day with a number of different events to suit all ages and an enjoyable carnival atmosphere. On behalf of her family, former Olympic gold medallist Kathy Watt, the daughter of Geoff, presented the winners’ trophies and an anniversary badge to the previous half-marathon winners who attended. And in a family double, Harriers Emilie Cutler and her brother Peter were both first in the half-marathon. Chook Hill run AT last Thursday’s run, along the Chook Hill course off Maryvale Road, runners were lulled into complacency by the benign level course before rounding a bend to confront an extremely steep hill. This happened twice, before the runners and walkers paddled through ankle deep water, brushing against angry blackberry bushes, to reach the finish line. Despite the uphill challenges and the wet and wild conditions many ran fast times. The quickest men were Miles Verschuur, Dempsey Podmore and Glenn Graham. The fastest women were Yani Cornthwaite, after her top finish in the four Peaks event, Karen Graham and Angeline Snell. Thursday’s 6km event (tomorrow, November 10) is at the Railway Reservoir Reserve in Traralgon, off Hickox Street. All runners and walkers are welcome. Four Peaks selected results. Total accrued time for all four mountains: Yani Cornthwaite, 6hr 15min 35 sec, Liz Kenney 7:59:18, Desley Tulloch 9:26:29, Maree Graham 11:03:11, Collette Hofmann 11:35:27, Ian Cornthwaite 5:15:16, Greg Semmler 5:59:44, Andrew Greenhill 6:33:03, Clinton Jolly 6:34:17, Ian Twite 6:53:29, David Hood 7:35:26, Darcy Tulloch 8:38:48, Glenn Crawford 8:51:35, Andrew Crawford 8:51:44. Individual results. Mt Buffalo: Kate Jones 1:41:56; Mt Buffalo/ Mt Hotham: Josh Twite 3:55:59; Mt Hotham/Mystic Mountain: Anna Cardillo 3:47:26, Brett Godden 2:37:38. Memorial Run placegetters. 12km. Open Men: Miles Verschuur 46.00 (Geoff “Swaggy” Wilson Memorial Shield), Zackary Beasley 46.06 (2 OM), Glenn Graham 46.55 (3 OM). Open Women: Narelle Crozier 47.51 Geoff “Swaggy” Wilson Memorial Shield), Katrina Hall 1.06:41, Rebecca Cowie 1.06:41. 50+ Men: Glenn Graham 46.55, Darrel Cross 50.16, Geoff Francis 57.36. 50+ Women: Sharon Edwards 59.51, Katrina Hall 1.06:19, Mandy Ellis 1.16:33. U18 M: Jack Marino 1.01:51. 6km. Open Men: Mark Rossiter 26.05 (Nick Schilling Memorial Shield), Warren Shields 26.43, Jake Szkwarek 27.24. Open Women: Ellie Stubbs 27.45 (Nick Schilling Memorial Shield), Heather Farley 31.42, Fiona Baldacchino 32.52. 50+ Men: Warren Shields 26.43, Phill Mayer 30.58, Robert McLure 37.09. 50+ Women: Heather Farley 31.42, Belinda Heafield 38.07, Carol Summersgill 53.57. U18 M: Jake Szkwarek 27.24, Maurice Baldacchino 32.22, Benjamin Marino 50.53. Geoff Watt Memorial Fun Runs selected results. 2.5km: Margaret Salisbury 22:06. 5km: Sarah Lewis 19:37 (1st F), Courtney Rosato 20:26 (2 F), Angelo Guadiano 26:13, Kylee Earl 29:10, Danelle Wright 36:40, Bruce Salisbury 37:11, Denise Twite 38:16. 10km: Nicholas Talerico 44:01, Liz Kenney 48:12, Ian Twite 49:56. Half Marathon (21.1km): Peter Cutler 1:24:02 (1st M), Ian Cornthwaite 1:28:57, Emilie Cutler 1:35:27 (1st F), Darrel Cross 1:36:58, Stephen Renehan 1:39:10, Lauren Isles 1:46:28 (2nd F), Geoffrey Francis 1:55:06, Carly Korab 2:05:11, Allison Triggs 2:52:35. Results for Thursday 3 November 2022, 5.8 km Chook Hill Morwell: Miles Verschuur 24.13, Dempsey Podmore 24.48, Glenn Graham 24.57, Warren Shields 26.30, Jason Odlum 26.45, Yani Cornthwaite 27.02, Chris Van Unen 27.20, Jay McGown 27.40, Pete Sanders 28.17, Karen Graham 28.34, Clinton Jolly 28.49, Nick Talerico 28.57, Angeline Snell 29.09, Andrew Panayiotou 29.39, Michael Szkwarek 29.42, Jake Szkwarek 29.45, Gary Fox 30.36, Liz Kenney 30.56, Errol Poole 32.10, Andrew Broberg 32.22, Desley Tulloch 32.28, David Hood 32.40, Ron Verschuur 32.56, Arlia Whitehead 33.03, Kate Mayer 33.10, Johnny Roscoe 33.20, Neilson Archibald 33.29, Alysha Duncan 34.06, Callie Cook 34.19, Tania Whitehead 34.29, Maree Graham 34.46, Susan Poole 35.26, Mark Lansdown 35.41, Bjorn Luxmann 36.51, Kylee Earl 37.00, Angelo Gaudiano 37.00, Steve Renehan 37.00, Zack Beasley 37.00, Collette Hofmann 37.26, Paul Rollandin 37.30, Mandy Ellis 37.47, Michelle Sawyer 38.10, Ella Warner 38.37, Kaye Livingstone 38.44, Sue Stranger 39.04, Mark Fairbairn 39.47, Gabby Brown 39.57, Adam Van Baalen 39.57, Paul Smith 39.58, Alfie Warner 40.33, Belinda Heafield 41.25, Ann Bomers 41.32, Sam McGown 45.53, Barry Higgins 48.51, Andrew Legge 49.00, Desmond Dalton 56.00, Kathy Quinn 62.45, Michelle Colwell 62.45, Maltilda Lappin 24.30 (3.5km).
Mayer. photograph supplied
