Stawell Amateur Athletic Club runner Kieran Ryan made short work of the club’s annual Advance Bricks King of the Mountain last Saturday, charging up the steep 3km Mount Rosea course in just under 12 minutes.
Held as a sealed handicap, all runners started together, with first runner home taking the King of the Mountain title, then handicaps were applied post race to determine the handicap section winner.
Ryan broke free of the 23 strong field soon after the start, and slowly increased his lead to finish almost a minute in front of the next two runners, in an excellent time of 11 minutes 56 seconds.
Second place was a very closely fought affair between Col Barnett and Nathaniel Warren, coming down to the final sprint with Barnett just holding Warren out by only half a second.
Susie Ellis was the first female home and Queen of the Mountain, in a time of 14 minutes 34 seconds.
After handicaps were applied, Emma Kelly, after having put in a determined effort up the steep ascent, was declared race winner, with Phil Burns 28 seconds behind in second place.
Kieran Ryan’s great run put him into third place.
Only two junior runners fronted for the difficult 3km event, which Emily Parnaby took out in a time of 17 minutes 16 seconds, from Ebony Darnell.
A good field of sub-juniors tackled a flat out and back 1000m course. Youngest runner in the field, Scarlet Burns, ran the race of her life to easily win her first race ever.
Scarlet’s brother Liam Burns was second, with Georgia Barnett coming home in third place.
The fastest sub-junior time was posted by Tobias Blair, with 4 minutes 59 seconds.