WHITSUNDAY Running Club member Liv Compton broke her own record from last year by seven minutes, to win the North Queensland Championships Marathon ahead of Natalie Goodwin (Biggera Waters) and Cailin Atcheson (Hamilton Island) in a time of 3hrs 15 minutes and 34 seconds!
The men’s marathon was won by Daryl Harding of Chinchilla who powered ahead of Mick Vivian (Mackay) and Whitsunday Running Club’s Bowen representative Kyle Fleer, in a time of 2hrs 55minutes and 45seconds.
Local rivals Billy Grogan and Rolly Henderson took out first and second in the Tassal Group Half Marathon with Shae Wilson (Bowen) third.
They also finished one and two in the McDonald’s Magic Mile, on Saturday afternoon.
The ladies’ half marathon was an exciting affair with the first three runners finishing within 22 seconds of each other.
Claire Ashworth (Canberra), a three-time winner and current record holder, managed to hold off Liz Maguire (Townsville) by 10 seconds, with Saskia Jurriaans (Townsville) a further 12 seconds behind.
Eleven-year-old local Shailee Mewha had an outstanding weekend.
She entered the open division in the Magic Mile, on Saturday afternoon, and took home the cash for first place, then went on to win the Ray White 5km in a record time of 18:56.
The men’s 5km was won by Shane Amarasinghe (Rockhampton) with Whitsunday Running Club’s Shay Jones second and Nathaniel Espartinez (Mackay) third.
In the Whitsunday Transit 10km, another local junior, Millie Groom, was involved in a great battle with the current record holder Ashlee Scott (Mackay), who she managed to beat on the finish line by 1 second!
The men’s race was won by Brendan Maltby (Bowen) followed by Jayden Jones (Whitsunday Running Club) and Toby Wilson (Ayr).
Don Algie and Penelope Shields won the Wilmar 2km event and Murphy Jamieson and Siska Higgins won the Macrossan and Amiet 1km.
The Mascot Race between ‘Piggy’ (Bendigo Bank), ‘Cruzer’ (Cruise Whitsundays), Blazer (QFD), Troppo (Tassal Group) and Hogster (Hoggs Breath Café) was a great hit with the crowd and was won by Piggy.
The charity of choice for this year’s festival was the Ronald McDonald House Charities, North Australia, who will benefit from the kind donations that the runners made during registration.
St Catherine’s Catholic College won the Locus Surveys Corporate Challenge floating trophy and the Primary School challenge trophy, with a cash prize that will go towards their regular Run Club incentives.
The weekend was a great success with 560 entries across all races.
Event manager and president of the Whitsunday Running Club Tim McQuoid-Mason said there was a great atmosphere.
“The large number of entries this year created a real festival atmosphere at the race precinct, on the Airlie Beach foreshore,” he said.
“It was great to see the running talent in the Whitsundays performing so well against our guests from across Australia and overseas.”
More information about the event can be found on the festival website at www.runairlie.com.au or follow it on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Contributed.
