Trail Marathon runs without a hitch

MORE than 600 runners braced the chilly conditions during Saturday’s Surf Coast Trail Marathon.

Event organiser Chris Ord said the near-solstice timing of the marathon usually provides wild weather conditions, but this year’s event provided reserved conditions to participants.

“The event has a reputation for some wild weather and big swell tides to contend with,” Ord said.

“This year, however, turned out mostly blue skies and the waves only lapping minorly at competitors’ feet as they tiptoed along Torquay, Bells, Anglesea and Sunnymeade beaches.”

Men’s marathon winner Mathieu Dore, from Albury, NSW, threatened the course record of 2:51:17 with record pace splits early on.

The notorious 3.5km stretch of Urquharts Beach and its high tide soft sand forced the lactic acid brakes on a little however, Dore eventually winning in a time of 3:12:30.

Daniel Loughnan from St Kilda was hot on his heels in second place, barely a minute behind crossing in 3:13:32.

Newtown resident James Ralph from Geelong managed third place, a further 10 minutes back in 3:23:03.

In the women’s marathon, Moama-based runner Rebecca Cladingboel stormed home comfortably in 4:00:21 to take home line honours, followed 11 minutes later by Sally Theobold from Trafalgar (Vic) in second (4:11:32) and Karen Moir from Hawthorn in a close third (4:12:12).

Team Heatcool Today’s Shaun Mooreand Brad Rindfleisch won the Teams Marathon in a time of 3:33:16 with Team Tez n Flash’s William Kiel and Nicholas Waters in second (3:47:58) and mixed team Kanga Kanga Kanga, Claudia Higgins and Max Mills, in third (3:48:22)

Details of the event and full results can be found at www.surfcoasttrailmarathon.com.au