107 keen runners lined up for the Palace of the Orient 9 km handicap around the perimeter of the Waurn Ponds campus of Deakin University. It was a testing course which favours strong runners and all the placegetters came from the back half of the handicap sheet. It was evergreen Vin Gasper who breasted the tape twenty-five metres clear of perennial placegetter, Kevin McNulty, who has finished in the top three the last three Sundays. Gasper, in his 854th club race, has not missed a day’s running in the past twenty years and credited his win to training hard with his Ocean Grove training group. Katie Eisenhauer and Grant Simpson were comfortable winners of the fastest time honours for their gender.
Top 10 Placing
V. Gasper, 39:48; K. McNulty, 37:29; G. Clark, 42:02; S. Van Rooyen, 35:20; D. Blount, 34:49; G. Simpson, 31:28; A. McGrillen, 38:24; S. Thompson, 40:40; G. Watkins, 41:38; J. Curran, 34:54.
Fastest Times
Under 20 Male: T. Hockley-Samon 32.03, J. Gordon 36.19
Under 20 Female: K. Gleeson 39.44, M. Ryan 47.08
Under 40 Male: D. Burns 33.51, D. Godfrey 34.41
Under 40 Female: K. Eisenhauer 37.52, R. Thompson 39.16
Veteran Male: G. Simpson 31.28. R. Thomas 33.37
Veteran Female: S. Blackborrow 41.36, S. Andrews 42.58
Masters Male: P. Shay 37.16, K. McNulty 37.29
Masters Female: G. Pape 39.11, S. Howell 40.57
Legends Male: V. Gasper 39.48, M. Wright 40.21
Legends Female: P. Galvin 46.12, J. Morton 56.09
Supervets Male: J. Walker 45.59, J. Weiler 58.52
Supervets Female: M. Blood 66.18
Magic Money: B. Ellis
