Sri Chinmoy Canberra Trail Series 2016

The third and final event of the inaugural Sri Chinmoy Canberra Trail Series has been run and won. Congratulations to all who participated in any way – running, helping or supporting these events which have been a heartening success and much enjoyed by all. Three varied courses at three compass points around Canberra have highlighted the rich variety of natural resources Canberra runners are blessed with.

The “Gungahlin Gallop” was staged over two distances – 30km and 10km – from the Hall Showgrounds on Sunday 17 July 2016. Following a record wet month of June, the trails were still wearing a fair coating of mud, quite sloshy in places. After some horrid weather mid-week, the day was glorious: sunny, still and rising to a full 15 degrees.

View Peter Komidar's video of the 30km race from a participant's point of view on youtube.

Both distances started and finished with a loop around the expansive Hall Showgrounds. The 10km route followed the Centenary Trail to the summit of One Tree Hill (all uphill) and returned via the same route (all downhill!). The 30km route completed the same course as the 10km, with the addition of another 20km out-and-back following the northern ACT/NSW border a little further than Oak Hill. The actually distance of the longer course was more like 31km.

All winners of all categories are new course record holders: all will need to return next year to defend their titles!

The 30km race saw a dominant performance from Reece Edwards, who ran smoothly and strongly up and down, through mud and over rocks all with the same fine form and steady concentration to win in 2:14:58., from Sam Burridge in 2:20:55 and Joseph Hughes with 2:25:18. Jeff Grey had a superb run to win a competitive Male 50-59 category in 2:34:41 from Kerry Baxter’s 2:36:22. Evergreen master of Canberra’s hills and trails, Steve Appleby, on the eve of his departure to live in Tasmania, took out the Male 60-69 in a fine 3:06:01.

Shannon Jones was in a league of her own in the women’s race, running “in the zone” to win in a superb 2:44:32, from Kate Vandenberg’s 2:57:19 and Sally Parker in 3:00:28. Carol Bruce took out the Female 50-59 in 3:37:23.

The 10km run saw 190 starters – by the far the largest field assembled for any run of the Series to date. Liam Stewart (42:43) outran Paul Cuthbert (42:59) and Rowan Beggs-French (43:26) in the men’s 10km event; while Christian Dussault took out the Male 50-59 in 51:14 and Trevor Jacobs the Male 60-69 with 56:23 and Geoff Barker the Male 70 and Over in 1:33:14.

Bernie Connors was too strong in the women’s race, winning in 49:13 from Karina West (54:42) and Nicole McMillan (56:49).  Catherine Hanley continued her good form to take out the Female 50-59 in 59:23, while Marian Blake won the Female 60-69 in 1:35:48.

The Sri Chinmoy Canberra Trail Series came south to Tuggeranong for its second race, starting and finishing from the picnic area at Pine Island North, a mere stone’s throw from Tuggeranong Town Centre. A cold, frosty morning gradually gave way to bright sunshine, though clouds returned by lunchtime to keep things cool. Following heavy rain in recent weeks, the track was sticky underfoot in places, and most runners boasted a fair coating of mud by the finish.

To see over 300 runners cross the finish line in the 2 distances (8km & 20km) was at once gratifying for a new event on the calendar, and inspiring to see the wholehearted and dedicated efforts of so many newcomers to this simple, most satisfying sport.

The shorter, 8km route started from Pine Island North car park, wending its way northward along the equestrian route of the Bicentennial Trail, through the open spaces and bushland behind Tuggeranong Town Centre as far as Tuggeranong Creek below the dam, where it looped back to join the Murrumbidgee Discovery Track for the return journey alongside the river back to Pine Island.

Patrick Matthews (30:17), Liam Stewart (30:32) and Dave Osmond (30:48) sizzled at the front of the field to share the podium positions in the hotly contested 8km race. Patrick’s father, Andrew Matthews, made it a family affair in winning the Male 50-59 in 38:42; while Gerry Vassal took our the Male 60-69 in 57:24.

Fanny Martel, visiting Canberra for two months from France, certainly brought her “fast legs” with her, easily winning the women’s 8km race in 35:54 from a tight race for second between Lori McWhirter (39:06) and Karina West (39:11). Catherine Hanley won the Female 50-59 in a wonderful 42:59; and Susan Cuddy the Female 60-69 with her 52:23.

The 20km course continued beyond Tuggeranong Creek, across fields behind Kambah and Gleneagles as far as Kambah Pool, before returning along the Murrumbidgee Discovery Track, passing the spectacular Red Rocks Gorge and alongside the swift flowing Murrumbidgee River all the way to Pine Island North.

The field for the 20km event saw as high a quality field as one might hope for in a local trail race. The top 3 males all cracked 1:20, with Reece Edwards blazing an inaugural course record on the sometimes muddy and fairly heavy track of 1:16:47; followed by Tomas Krajka (1:17:16) and Mathew Crane (1:18:04). Thomas Brazier, winner of last month’s “Cotter Canter”, came in 4th in 1:20:26.

Kerry Baxter led the sizeable Goulburn contingent by winning the Male 50-59 in 1:32:16; while stalwart Trevor Jacobs took out the Male 60-69 with a cracking 1:42:24.

The women’s race was dominated by diminutive Melanie Kaasinen, winning in 1:30:10, from Kate Vandenberg’s 1:39:24 and Sally Parker in 1:41:26. First in the Female 50-59 was Mhairi Craig in 1:58:53, just ahead of Carol Bruce’s 1:59:11. Jennifer Kellett took out the Female 60-69 in 2:06:49.

See also John Harding's comprehensive photo album from the morning.

The world – so say the spiritual Masters – is already perfect. It is we who fail to see that perfection, and hence blame the world.

Yet days like today, the world is perfect for all to see.

The first race of the inaugural Sri Chinmoy Canberra Trail Series – the “Cotter Canter” – was run over 5km and 10km on Sunday 29 May 2016, from the Cotter Bend picnic area, south-west of Canberra.

A more glorious day it is impossible to imagine. Cool, yes, the ideal temperature for running, under a sky that trumpeted its blue in blithe sunshine.

Cotter Bend is a flat, welcoming expanse of green nestled at the foot of the Bullen Range, a tranquil haven in the shadow of beckoning adventure. The growing crowd was a-murmur with eager anticipation: a sense that on this morning, this was the place to be. 318 souls had gathered to test, express and enjoy themselves amidst the challenges, beauty and glory of Nature; a journey as much aesthetic as athletic.

The bespoke course commenced with a “wake-up” loop of 2.3km on the purpose-built “Cotter Dam Discovery Trail” alongside – and 4 times across – the gurgling Cotter River to the foot of the mighty Cotter Dam and back to the staging area where supporters cheered and urged; then onto the serious stuff – a 2.8km loop starting with some single track over rocks, up stairs through undergrowth, onto a dipping fire trail, forging through Paddys River (only ankle-deep today), willing up a steep, very steep pinch to afford a panoramic over the whole Cotter Bend – hearing from here echoing cheers from that other world below – then along single track dropping again to the Cotter for a final crossing and return to the start.

If anyone wanted proof that running is joyful, the photo gallery is a parade of ear-to-ear grins, gleeful smirks and beaming smiles. This was a day to be happy, to be grateful and to treasure. Every participant deserves not only congratulations but also thanks, for each brought his and her own hearts’ goodwill, enthusiasm and mirth to blend together into a magical, marvellous morning.

Every category winner is a new course record holder: every finisher will forever hold the title of Pioneer of the Cotter Canter.