Twenty senior Stawell Amateur Athletic Club runners braved the chilly 8 degree temperatures last Saturday to contest the Time Keeper’s 5km Championship.
Held as a sealed handicap, with all runners starting together, first runner home was awarded the championship points, then handicaps are applied to decide the race winner.
After the mass start, the field soon began to stretch out, with Kieran Ryan, Adrian Tyler, Nathaniel Warren and Nat Watson sharing the early lead. However, the hilly course soon started to take its toll, with Ryan and Tyler gradually pulling away.
Further back, many of the mid field markers were running well, with Hanne Blair, Keith Lofthouse, Sharon Howden and Steve Baird making good time.
With one kilometre to go, Ryan and Tyler were still locked in battle, until Ryan made a break with 850m to go, pulling away from Tyler and going on to take the Championship event in a time of 18 minutes 27 seconds. Tyler was second, with Col Barnett overtaking Nathaniel Warren to clinch third.
First female home and Women’s Champion was Emma Kelly, in a time of 24 minutes 11 seconds.
Vets Champion was Adrian Tyler in a time of 18 minutes 59 seconds, and Sharon Howden was the Vets Women’s Champion, in a time of 24 minutes 51 seconds.
Sharon Howden handled the tough hilly course well, maintaining her form right to the line to take out the handicap section of the race from Hanne Blair, with Keith Lofthouse coming home strongly for third, just 2 seconds ahead of Steve Baird.
The juniors ran the same 5 kilometre course. Emily Parnaby was first home to take the Junior Championship in a time of 24 minutes 42 seconds. Parnaby also took out the handicap section by 5 seconds from Elly Barnett. Ebony Darnell was third.
The sub-juniors tackled a 1000m out and back course. Liam Burns put in another consistent run, coming in 6 seconds ahead of Somer Darnell. Tobias Blair also ran well to place third, and post the fastest sub-junior time of 4 minutes 28 seconds.