28TH ANNUAL WOOLGOOLGA FUN RUNS

28TH ANNUAL WOOLGOOLGA FUN RUNS, 21/22.03.09. There will be new names on the winners’ list for both the Forest Footrace and the Seaside Scamper this year. It was a case ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try,try again,’ for Neil Vaughan in the Forest Footrace as he recorded his maiden victory after first contesting the race in 1995. He finished almost two minutes clear of Yamba runner, Kevin Duncan, with a former winner (of this and most other local races), Jim Bennington third, 37 seconds later.

The women’s winner, Yvla Kendrick, was a lot newer to the distance running scene than her male counterpart but her time of 54.44 saw her 32 seconds clear of Ballina Tri Club’s Julie Webber with Grafton’s Penny Burgess crossing in third 11 seconds adrift. The Seaside Scamper went to a young local who has recently refound his running legs, Richard Pearson who outkicked runner-up Chris Robb up the incline to the final turn.

Bellingen’s Terry Garrett rounded out the podium for the males.

First woman was another ‘comeback kid’ in the person of Kim Batty whose victory over Michelle Pearson was by the smallest of margins, one second. Early female leader, Jacinta Smithers, held on for third spot.

The inaugural Beach Bash which followed the Scamper was taken out by Gilbert Schweikert in 7.28, followed in by Greg Tashey and Craig McBrien who backed up after assisting his son. jOsh to win the Parent/Child team in the Scamper. The first three females were Phoebe O’Meara, Fiona Bailey and Madizon O’Malley.

There were some impressive performances right through the age groups in the 5 kms Scamper. Teenager Lyle Mayes followed a strong showing in Saturday’s Footrace to claim fourth across the line in 18.39 on the Sunday. At the Senior end of the age spectrum Tom Holbut also backed up after a sterling effort on Saturday to take out the Over 70 division on Sunday. Others to stand out were 55-59 year old Jeff O’Brien who covered the course in 19.45 and Jimmy Gentle who took out the Under 12 yrs boys in 20.42.

Team-wise it was Ballina Tri Club in the Sporting category, Woolgoolga Soccer Club in the Women’s, Woolgoolga High in the Secondary and Mullaway in the Primary School section. The Durnings won the family of four category while the Diffeys took out the husband and wife. The organizers were well pleased with the turn-out of runners and especially noted the co-operation of those who worked as officials and marshals on either, or both, days.

Local sponsorship was such that most of 115 runners did not do away empty handed. RESULTS – FOREST FOOTRACE (11.2 KMS) : (MALE) – Neil Vaughan 45.55, 1; Kevin Duncan 47.52, 2; Jim Bennington 48.29, 3; Lyle Mayes 49.44, 4; Craig Bulloch 52.08, 5; John Rose 52.28, 6; Gary Barton 53.02, 7; Brett Taylor 53.09, 8; Greg Brown 53.29, 9; Brent McGeary 55.00, 10; Rod Wilbers 56.27, 11; James Kidd 57.03, 12; Gary Manning 61.10, 13; Gordon Abbott 61.25, 14; Geoff Kidd 61.26, 15; Graeme McLennan 61.40, 16; Mark Kingsley 62.16, 17; Gary McGoldrick 66.30, 18; Steel Beveridge 68.41, 19; Mick Nolan 76.32, 20; Tom Holbut 78.49, 21. (FEMALE) – Yvla Kendrick 54.44, 1; Julie Webber 55.16, 2; Penny Burgess 55.27, 3; Janie Mahoney 58.57, 4; Susan Clarke 64.34, 5; Jayne Taylor 64.35, 6; Sue Duncan & Nicola Johnston 65.40, =7; Lyn Fulton 66.35, 9; Robina Unwin 67.23, 10; Tina Benoit 86.00, 11; Jacqui Barrett not time available; 12. SEASIDE SCAMPER (5 KMS) : (MALE) – Richard Pearson 18.06, 1; Chris Robb 18.22, 2; Terry Garrett 18.37, 3; Lyle Mayes 18.39, 4; Nicholas Smith 19.43, 5; Jeff O’Brien 19.45, 6; Craig McBrien 20.00, 7; Tjade Groot 20.32, 8; Paul Sheringham 20.34, 9; John Rose 20.36, 10; Jimmy Gentle 20.42, 11; Brent McGeary 20.46, 12; Djuan Barsah 20.51, 13; Jesse Durning 21.17, 14; Greg Brown 21.35, 15; Josh McBrien 21.56, 16; Bryce Casson 22.21, 17; Michael Wright 22.47, 18; Rod Wilbers 22.56, 19; Gary Manning 23.12, 20; Adam Schofield 23.27, 21; Matthew Hunter 23.44, 22; Gordon Abbott 24.14, 23; Col Cafferky 24.24, 24; Oliver Robb 25.05, 25; Matt Durning 25.24, 26; Jesse Stevens 25.46, 27; Jai Johnstone 25.55, 28; Kyle McGrorey 26.31, 29; Jaiyden McGrorey 26.39, 30; Graham Bagley 26.49, 31; Graeme Diffey 27.27, 32; Patrick Diffey 27.39, 33; Broden Whitten 31.00, 34; Tom Holbut 32.06, 35; Peter Hunter 32.10, 36; Mitchell Clarke 37.12, 37; Jamie Durning 39.12, 38; Ray Jones 40.03, 39; Will Durning 40.08, 40. (FEMALE) – Kim Batty 21.23, 1; Michelle Pearson 21.24, 2; Jacinta Smithers 21.43, 3; Julie Webber 21.51, 4; Maree Houbert 22.08, 5; Carla Westwood 22.10, 6; Tina Thompson 22.27, 7; Yvla Kendrick 22.34, 8; Fiona Bagley 22.42, 9; Janie Mahoney 22.44, 10; Penny Burgess 23.38, 11; Suellen Ratcliffe 24.22, 12; Donna Ratcliffe 24.23, 13; Honey Abbott 25.33, 14; Alice Williams 26.04, 15; Petrina Pearson 26.26, 16; Robina Unwin 26.36, 17; Dana Eden 26.37, 18; Bridgette Diffey 27.22, 19; Tulli Stevens 30.27, 20; Sonia Durning 30.57, 21; Cleo Abbott 31.09, 22; Micaela Burgess 32.04, 23; Kristy McGrorey 32.08, 24; Jessica Hunter 32.09, 25; Annie Wales 36.57, 26; Ellie Tomkins 36.58, 27; Susan Clarke 37.16, 28; Fiona Harte 38.12, 29; Lyn Fulton 40.06, 30; Susie Durning 40.49, 31; Kathy Stevens 42.51, 32. BEACH BASH (2 KMS) : (MALE) – Gilbert Schweikert 7.28, 1; Greg Tashey 7.32, 2; Craig McBrien 7.45, 3; Daniel Campbell 8.06, 4; Craig Schweikert 8.28, 5; Connor Wright 8.35, 6; Drew Gilchrist 8.37, 7; Bryce Casson 8.42, 8; Isaiah Koopmans 8.56, 9; Rodney Koopmans 9.16, 10; Graham Bailey 9.46, 11; Ryan Gilchrist 10.06, 12; Brodie McNeil 11.45, 13; Brad Campbell 12.17, 14; Karl Schweikert 12.51, 15. (FEMALE) – Phoebe O’Meara 8.44, 1; Fiona Bailey 8.45, 2; Madizon O’Malley 9.13, 3; Carla Westwood 10.04, 4; Meisa Elsair 10.05, 5; Vivien Wright 10.21, 6; Ashleigh McBrien 11.10, 7; Chloe Burgess 11.14, 8; Tina Thompson 11.48, 9; Susan Clarke 11.50, 10; Julie McBrien 12.48, 11. TINY TOT TROT – Sheldon Koopmans, Olissa Onley, Garda Elsair, Yoshi Maeda-Manga.