AIRLIE Beach turned on the weather to welcome a record number of runners from across the world in this year’s Airlie Beach Marathon Festival.
More than 700 runners took part in the 12th Tassal Airlie Beach Marathon Festival, which was held in ideal conditions last weekend (July 19 and 20).
New records were recorded in all races except the half-marathon.
The weekend started off with the McDonald’s Airlie Beach Foreshore Magic Mile, which was won by Kirra Hamilton (Urangan) in the women’s category and Nick Mooney from Kiamba.
The women’s North Queensland Championship Marathon was won for the third time in a row by Whitsunday Running Club member Liv Compton, in a record time of 3:07:50.
She was followed home by her teammate Aimee Sulzberger and Hamilton Island’s Francesca Bellicini.
The men’s North Queensland Championship Marathon was won by Thomas Baker, from Winmalee, NSW, in 2:54:09.
Regular competitor Mick Vivian, from Mackay, was second, and Bailey Collins, of South Australia, was third.
The Locus Surveys Half Marathon was a very competitive race, with both winners falling just short of the course record.
Rhyly Paton turned the tables on Nick Mooney to win the men’s category, followed in third place by Whitsunday Running Club’s William Grogan.
Kirra Hamilton had her second win on the weekend with Whitsunday Running Club’s Riana Wronski in second place and Hannah Crowe (Ballina) coming third.
Bowen’s Brendan Maltby won both the Whitsunday Transit 10km and Momentum High Risk Training 5km races.
Hannah Terry, from The Range, won the women’s 10km in a record time of 40:10 and Whitsunday Running Club member Millie Groom won the 5km in a new record time of 18:25.
The local Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service (ARFFS) team won the Mantra Club Croc Corporate Challenge in a record time of 1:07:26.
One of the highlights of the day was the Mascot Race that featured Cruiser (Cruise Whitsundays), Blazer (Queensland Fire and Emergency Services), Piggy (Bendigo Bank), Batman (Gotham City), Sam (Wilmar), Molly Molar and Toby Toothpaste (Whitsunday Family Dental) and Troppo (Tassal) and was, of course, won by Batman who nudged out the tooth and toothpaste.
In the Wilmar 2km Junior Dash, Xavier Watson and Willow Kenny both set new records and, in the Macrossan and Amiet 1km Kids Run/Walk, Wilson and Olive Hounsell set new records.
Mayor Ry Collins and Counsellor Jan Clifford were kept busy during the morning handing out the spectacular ‘Nemo’ medals to all finishers.
Event Manager Tim McQuoid-Mason said: “It is very satisfying to see so many happy faces at the end of every race.
“It is also an honor to be able to hold events that encourage the development of the younger members of our community.
“A special thank you goes out to all the volunteers who helped on the weekend and to our community for allowing us to showcase the foreshore.”
You can find all the results and free photographs on the event website at www.runairlie.com.au.
