Photo gallery online

The club now has a photo gallery online. You can click here to visit the gallery, but there’s also a link in the “Blogroll / Links” area on the right-hand side of the web page, so you can always visit the gallery in the future.

 

Level 1 sports trainers qualification

Sports Focus in conjunction with Sports Medicine Australia are conducting a Reaccreditation Course in Bendigo on Monday 7th April. Cost is $110. Contact Jo Butler if you’re interested.

 

Race report: March 9th Triathlon

In what could only be described as idyllic weather conditions, the Maryborough & District Triathlon Club’s March Triathlon was successfully conducted on Sunday. Considering it was a long weekend and many of the club members were away on holidays, the field was both strong and competitive.

In the Open Male Long Course, a battle between Paul Moore, Adam Lowery, and Mike Egan occurred right from the swim leg. Paul was able to gain a slight lead in the ride section of the event, and went on to take line honours in the time of 35:05. Second and third place was not so clear cut right until the end where Adam Lowery was able to record one of his best results for the 2007/08 season and take second place in a time of 36:38. Mike Egan, who is also on the improve, recorded the impressive time of 36:41 to take third place in the event.

Star local triathlete Elkie Belcher maintained her fantastic form in the Open Female Long Course to post a new record time for this category of 35:54. slashing her aunty, Carol Sing’s previous record time by nearly one minute. Elkie has really excelled in triathlon over the last two (2) years and will continue to develop in the coming seasons.

In the U16 Male Long Course another record was broken by “rising star” triathlete, Zac Egan, where he posted a new course record in a time of 37:15. Zac has also shown great improvement over the 2007/08 season.

In the U16 Female Long Course, two future champions of the club provided some very strong competition throughout the event. With less than a minute separating the two at the completion of the event it was Natasha Murphy however who took line honours in the time of 44:58, with Georgia Reid only seconds behind in second position in a time of 45:15.

Not to be outdone, Peter Neville, in the 50+ Male Long Course category also set a new course record in a time of 40:42, breaking his previous course record set earlier in the 2007/08 season. Peter’s swimming has really improved, and this has reaped fantastic benefits for him this season.

In the Open Women’s Short Course it was a three way battle for the top three places in the event, with Debbie Holloway showing great triathlon form after a short time away from the sport to record the winning time of 25:48. Newcomer to the sport of triathlon, Julie Thompson, also performed very well to record a fantastic time of 26:25 to take second position, and Tracey Harrison recorded the strong time of 28:31 to take out third position.

In the U16 Female Short Course it was Caitlin Butler who reigned supreme, posting a very strong time of 27:26 to take first position, with Emily Coutts, in a time of 28:03 also have a great race to finish in second position. Young Liam Murphy, in his first club triathlon at the Maryborough Outdoor Pool, also excelled to take first place in the U16 Male Short Course in a time of 35:07.

The next club event will be the Taltarni Club Ride on Sunday 13th April 2008, and all current and prospective members are welcome to come along and participate, marshal, or just enjoy lunch at the winery. For further details please contact club secretary, Jo Butler, on (03) 54612975.

Full Results

Open Men (Long Course)

• 1. Paul Moore, 35:05
• 2. Adam Lowery, 36:38
• 3. Michael Egan, 36:41
• 4. Paul Martin, 39:04
• 5. Andrew Murphy, 39:41
• 6. Michael Reid, 41:11
• 7. Stephen Gowers, DNF

Open Women (Long Course)

• 1. Elkie Belcher, 35:54 (new record)

50+ Men (Long Course)

• 1. Peter Neville, 40:52 (new record)

U16 Men (Long Course)

• 1. Zac Egan, 37:15 (new record)

U16 Women (Long Course)

• 1. Natasha Murphy, 44:58
• 2. Georgia Reid, 45:15

Open Women (Short Course)

• 1. Debbie Holloway,25:48
• 2. Julie Thompson, 26:25
• 3. Tracey Harrison, 28:31

U16 Men (Short Course)

• 1. Liam Murphy,35:07

U16 Women (Short Course)

• 1. Caitlin Butler, 27:26
• 2. Emily Coutts, 28:03

 

TriVic course alteration notice

Triathlon Victoria have advised us that there will be a course alteration for the first Club Triathlon at the National Water Sports Centre (NWSC) on April 6th.

Due to a Blue Green algae bloom they’re moving the swim to the bay side of the river (as it has been for the last two Aquathlons). The movement of the swim location necessitates changing the race to an off-road event with a mountain / hybrid bike ride replacing the on-road bike leg.

This race will be over a multiple lap cross country course. Distances will be 1000m swim (two laps), 18k off-road bike ride (4 laps) and 4k run (two laps).

If you have to beg, borrow, but don’t steal, a mountain / hybrid bike and come along. Bring a buddy for free entry.

With the inaugural Triathlon Victoria Off-Road Championships being held on Sunday 13th April at Anglesea (see calendar on their website for details) this change to an off-road club race would be a great hit-out.

 

Hard ground workshop

The Victorian branch of Sports Medicine Australia are holding a hard ground workshop in Bendigo at the end of March. It’s all about how to avoid injury from training on drought affected land. They’ll cover, among other things:

• Achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis
• Anterior compartment syndrome (shin splints)
• Advanced stretching and taping techniques
• Wound care management
• Massage
• Footwear

Contact Jo Butler if you’re interested in attending.

 

Race report: Geelong Half Ironman, 10th February 2008.

The Geelong half Ironman was conducted on the 10th February. The event attracted 1023 individual competitors; among them was Maryborough & District Triathlon Club’s, Jo Butler. Jo did very well to finish in the top 10 of her age group. She completed the course in a time of 5:48:28.

 

Race report: Bridgewater Triathlon, 3rd February 2008.

The fifth annual Bridgewater triathlon drew a field of 96 competitors and 16 teams, which included 10 individuals, and 2 teams from Maryborough. Conditions were excellent on the Loddon River. The out and back swim did not prove too difficult, but a strong head wind in the first half of the bike leg had everyone working hard.

Out on the run leg, caution had to be exercised over the rough riverbank track. Elkie Belcher performed well to win the female under 18 category, and be the third female across the line. Chris Dellavedova and Paul Moore also had a good race both neck and neck the entire course, to both finish in the overall top 10.

Tasha Murphy continued her good form to finish third in the female under 18 short course category.

 

Race report: Horsham Triathlon (27th January 2008)

A warm morning and an extremely warm pool welcomed nine local triathletes when competing in the Firebrace St Telstra Shop Horsham Triathlon last Sunday. The event, consisting of a 500m swim, 20km ride and a 5km run (long course) or a 200m swim, 7km ride, and a 2.5km run (short course), has traditionally had a strong Maryborough contingent and the 2008 event was no exception. The fast, tight course has produced some great results for local athletes over the years and in near perfect conditions, some of Maryborough’s youngest talent shone through.

The short course event saw Georgia Reid exiting the 26 degree water in a strong position and after a consistent ride and run Georgia took out line honors in the under 16 female category in a time of 37:50mins. Another local young gun, Zac Egan, claimed second position in a strong under 16 male field in a time of 30:53mins, just 47secs off the win. Zac continues to improve with each event and will certainly be one athlete to watch in the future.

In the long course, a large field saw a congested swim start that involved up to 10 athletes in double width lanes. A lengthy run to the first transition had the athletes working hard before they took to the three looped bike course. A slight head wind on the up-hill section of the riverside course tested athlete’s legs before transition two and a flat and fast two looped run leg.

The long course event was hotly contested in all age groups, 3 of which had Maryborough and District Triathlon Club members competing. In the 20-29 male category Paul Moore posted his best time of the season after a strong bike/run transition and claimed second place in a time of 67:01mins.

Local half ironmen, Adam Lowery and Mike Egan worked in well on the swim and both set themselves up on the bike for strong times. Adam finished within the top ten in the highly competitive 30-39 male category in a time of 72:56mins while Mike had his strongest ride of the year to complete the course in a time of 72:04mins, just 2mins off a podium spot.

Another local half ironman, Alister Douglass, finished seventh in the 40-49 male category after a consistent three legs in a time of 73:20mins. First time sprint distance triathlete, Michael Reid, was a solid performer in all three disciplines, in a time of 77:53mins.

In the mixed team’s event, Maryborough based South African triathlete Sally Brown paired up with Ron Finn of Halls Gap to claim the win in a time of 70:59mins.

 

Race report: Echuca Triathlon (20th January 2008)

19 members from the Maryborough & District Triathlon Club journeyed to Echuca on Sunday 20th January for the Morley Auto Echuca Triathlon. The event has now been running for 10 years, with some club members competing in it since the first year. Although there had been plenty of rain about on the Friday and Saturday night prior to the event, with lots of water lying around, organizers did a great job to make ready for a successful event.

Members of the Maryborough club were successful in 7 of the different categories, with others just missing out. Members to compete well in their age classes were, Tasha Murphy who won the female SU14 division in a time of 42:32. Zac Egan won the male SU14 category in a time of 34:52, Georgia Reid finished 2nd in the female SU16 in a time of 41:35, Geoff Macilwain finished 2nd in the 40-44 age category in a time of 1:04:48, Jo Butler performed well in the female 40-44 category just missing a place to come 4th in a time of 1:14:54, with Carol Sing finishing in 6th place in 1:16:30.

The club had 3 teams competing, and the all male team comprising of Jim Macilwain (swim), Jim Field (ride) and Mick Reid (run), came in first in a time of 1:12:53. There were 2 teams entered in the mixed teams, Sally Brown and Ron Finn in the 3 eyes team which finished 2nd in a time of 1:12:53. The Saunders team of Frank Cramei (swim), Gary Saunders (ride) and Jenny Barass (run) finished 3rd in 1:19:51.

Others to compete well but were unplaced were Peter Beaumont, Paul Moore (who was unlucky that his shoe snapped out on the pedal before he could get his foot in), Mark Barby, Andrew Murphy and Mike Egan.

 

Race report: Central Goldfields Reverse Triathlon, 17th February 2008.

Perfect racing conditions greeted athletes from across Victoria and Tasmania for the 2008 Central Goldfields Reverse Triathlon last Sunday. A total of 120 athletes, the largest field in the past three years, competed in either the short course event (1.3km run, 11.5km ride, 200m swim) or the long course event (4km run, 23km ride, 400m swim) in what proved to be a record breaking day.

Bendigo based Ironman David Meade once again took out line honors in a time of 56min 15sec, narrowly beating his old course record by 4secs. David set a blistering pace from the start with a run leg time of 12:13mins before averaging over 37kph on the undulating bike course, a speed that could not be matched by his closest competitor, Grant Gilbert.

Grant was never far off striking distance in the first two legs of the race, and posted a quicker swim split than Meade, however finished in a time of 57min 46sec to claim second. Third position went to Addington athlete Dayne Pearce, who also broke the one hour mark, to finish in a time of 59min 9sec.

The open women’s field was dominated by two local triathletes, Elkie Belcher and Jo Butler, who claimed 1st and 3rd respectively. Elkie led from start to finish and smashed the course record by a huge 71sec, replacing the record of four time winner Katrina Braszell, by completing the course in a time of 1hr 6min 23sec. Elkie continues to improve as an athlete and should go from strength to strength now she has stepped into the open women’s category after a strong grounding in age group triathlon. Castlemaine triathlete Courtney Shinn had a strong run leg to distance herself from local Jo Butler, before claiming 2nd overall in the open women’s field in a time of 1hr 11min 15sec. Jo, only a week after competing in the Geelong Half Ironman, finished third in 1hr 13min 52sec.

Event organisers were very happy with the overall success of the triathlon and the support it received from both the local community and traveling athletes. The support of local community groups such as the Maryborough Lions and Rotary Clubs, the SES, Royal Park Football Netball Club and the Maryborough and District Triathlon Club must be acknowledged, as without them the event would simply not run to the high standard it currently does.

The addition of a number of new sponsors also reinforces the growth of this sport in the Central Goldfields Region, and with a number of further improvements already planned for 2009 it appears the Central Goldfields Reverse Triathlon is set to host its tenth triathlon in flourishing conditions.

Race Director, Paul Moore, commented that the event continues to gain support from high caliber athletes from across Victoria, a testament to the quality of the course and the community that hosts the event. “It is a great opportunity for Maryborough and surrounds to provide a sporting event of this stature, particularly one where both the elite and new-comer to the sport can compete on the same course. The support of local business and those that assist in setup and marshalling etc is truly valued by event organisers, and with 120 participants this year, it appears the event is on a positive path into the future.“

Age group and category winners

Long Course

• Open: David Meade and Elkie Belcher.
• 50+: Ian Rea and Meg Parnaby
• 40-49: Stephen Hanlon and Ann Sing.
• 30-39: Troy Cartner.
• 20-29: Brock Prime and Anna de Araugo.
• 17-19: Chris Dellavedova and Regan Hollioake.
• 15-16: Jake Barnett and Camilla McKindlay.

Long Course Teams

• Male: Bryce Stewart Team
• Female: Sarah Monck Team
• Mixed: Carol Sing Team

Short Course

• Open: Tom Scott and Alicia Lyell
• 15-16: James Butler and Emily Parnaby.
• 12-14: Zac Egan and Clare Butler.

Short Course Teams

• Mixed: Caitlin Butler Team