Planning for the 33rd Annual Weston Creek Family Fun Run & Walk is underway. Assuming Governmental approval is forthcoming the race will be held on 17 October 2010. This is a week later than in recent years. The date was changed to avoid clashing with a couple of other events.

We hope to see you there.

The Weston Creek Athletics Club Annual General Meeting will be held at the Canberra Irish Club, Weston Creek at 7:30pm 19 May 2010.

The AGM is the most important non-athletic event on the Club's calender and we encourage all Club members to attend.

A reminder will be sent to all Club members closer to the day.

Click here for provisional results

Race Report

The 25th annual Weston Creek Half Marathon was held in great running conditions. There was little wind, and the cloud cover meant it did not get too warm. We had a record field for the event with about 280 individual entries and 50 teams. Forty of those teams were organised by Ken Eynon as part of his ACTCCC Half Marathon training group.

Shannon Jones (1:21:38) recorded a run away victory in the women's race by over nine minutes from Weston Creek athlete Elizabeth Bennett (1:30:51) and Kate Chipperfield (1:31:54).

The men's race was a much closer affair with Weston Creek's Steve Isbel winning in 1:13:15 from orienteer Grant Bluett (1:13:47) and another Redback, Matthew Riches in 1:14:49.

For the third year in a row, we have used the new course starting and finishing at Black Mountain Peninsular, and going along the bike paths via Scrivener Dam to Woden and back. On Friday evening we found out that there would be a regatta
on at the same time as our race, which could have been a disaster. Fortunately, thanks to the ACT rowing organisers, our runners were given clear passage, and some of the later finishers reported getting great encouragement from the rowing
crowd.

And a big thank you to all the volunteers that helped out during the organisation and the running of the event, particularly those helpers that are not even members of our club: all drink stations attendants were non-Redbacks: Anthony Haber, Lauren Williams, David Singleton, Brad White, Peta Sheppard and Andrew Kingston. Thank you!

Cheers,
Paul Veldkamp
Vince Craig
Race Directors

Result summary:
Males:
1. Steve Isbel 1:13:15
2. Grant Bluett 1:13:47
3. Matthew Riches 1:14:49
4. James Minto 1:15:49
5. Brett McRitchie 1:18:47

Females:
1. Shannon Jones 1:21:38
2. Elizabeth Bennett 1:30:51
3. Kate Chipperfield 1:31:54
4. Cathy Crompton 1:33:29
5. Nadine Morrison 1:34:08

Age groups:
Females:
W40: Liza Martini 1:39:24
W45: Solange Braga Manto 1:38:13
W50: Debbie Cowell 1:37:52
W55: Maria O'Reilly 1:43:45
W60: Sue Archer 1:38:18
W70: Anne I'Ons 2:58:25

Males:
M40: Peter Zygadlo 1:20:35
M45: Tony Woolford 1:22:58
M50: Brian Weiss 1:28:58
M55: David Webster 1:33:05
M60: Robbie Costmeyer 1:31:40
M65: Mike Kennedy 1:49:30
M70: Lachlan Lewis 2:21:07

Click here for full results online

Race Report

On Sunday morning, 11th October 2009, the 32nd Weston Creek Family Fun Run and Walk was conducted in close to perfect conditions. Over 150 people entered the event that weaves through Weston Creek.

This year’s female results were very similar to 2008, with Andrea Ilakovac (21:52) out sprinting Hannah Flannery (22:11) to win. Iona Halliday was 3rd in 22:18. All three ladies are coached by Dick Telford.

The men’s race was a battle of the masters with all three place getters being veteran’s of the local running scene! Des Procter (19:49) had the speed up the long gradual uphill to hold of Stuart Doyle by 8 sec who finished in 19:57. Not far back was Bruce Graham (20:07).

The organisers would like to thank the event sponsors, in particular our major sponsors the ACT Cross Country Club, Canberra Irish Club, the Burning Log Megastore, New Balance, the Runners Shop and the Edge Health Club.

Finally, an event like this requires many volunteers and we would like to thank the 20+ people that help put run the event.

The category winners were:

Junior boys
Under 12: Joshua Torley 22:21
12-14: Conor Sproule 21:39
15-17: Ian Gower 26:07

Junior girls
Under 12: Olivia Fogarty 25:55
12-14: Nicola Torley 24:51
15-17: Sarah Lonsdale 22:56

Veteran men
40-49: Greg Regester 21:36
50+: Paul Archer 24:45

Veteran women
40-49: Hannah McClusky 27:45
50+ Lynne McDonald 31:26

Oldest to finish: Bill Egan - 72 years

Irish Club members
Male: Andy Lowes 27:50
Female: Michelle Morgan 27:31

Weston Creek residents
Male: Greg Regester 21:36
Female: Michelle Morgan 27:31

Teams
Husband and wife: Jayne and Greg Regester
Family of three: Katherine, Peter and Reuben Caley
Father and child: Paul and Nicola Torley
Mother and child: Kate and Erin Palisi
Team of four: ACTRA

The 32nd Annual Weston Creek 6km Family Fun Run and Walk will be held at 10am, Sunday 11 October 2009 starting and finishing at the Canberra Irish Club, Weston.

The event will be supported by sponsors including: the Canberra Irish Club (Weston), Burning Log Megastore (Fyshwick), The Runners Shop (Phillip), Run for Your Life Magazine, New Balance, Trophylink and other Weston Creek local businesses.

An array of prize categories are offered, including: outright first, second and third male and female; Weston Creek resident male and female; veteran male and female; family teams; school team; and the Guinness Cup (first three male/female members of the Canberra Irish Club).

There is also an array of barrel draw prizes (winner must be present at the time of the draw).

Postal entries close Monday 5 October, online entries close Thursday 8 October (Entries will be accepted on the day).

· Adult $15 ($20)

· Child $5 ($5)

· Family $30 ($40)

Proceeds will be used to foster athletics in the Weston Creek area.

Registration will be from 8:30am to 9:30am, race start at 10am and the presentation and barrel draws will be held as close as possible to 11:15am at the Canberra Irish Club.

Visit the Fun Run page for more information.

Download an entry form or enter online now.

Memories of Frank Green

The genesis of the Customs Joggers occurred at the Fishers Ghost Fun Run at Campbelltown in about 1974. Shortly before that, Garry Hand, as Personnel Officer at Sydney Customs, had met a young Irishman off the boat who had been recruited to bolster the Customs IT area. At the time of the Fishers Ghost, Frank Green was largely an unknown quantity apparently with little running experience but a reputation as an elite bike rider. He travelled down with us to Campbelltown for the run.

In those days most of us were happy if we finished the course without stopping so we were astounded when Frank ran with the leaders and was just out kicked in the last 400 metres to finish fourth. It was a very hot day and Frank spent the next couple of hours in the recovery tent suffering from heat exhaustion. This only added to the mystique.

As we surfed the fun running wave through the 70's and early 80's Frank continued to show what could be achieved and contributed to many team triumphs. A notable one was when he combined with Garry and Danny Dawes to win the Veterans Teams category in the City to Surf - notable because the Tallay running shop organisation ran multiple seeded teams drawn from all the best runners in Sydney. Frank's bike experience came to the fore on another occasion when the same three won the veteran's category in the Sri Chinmoy Triathlon. While there was much argument over who would swim and who would run, the bike leg was never in doubt and taking over far behind the leaders after the swim leg he put the team sufficiently close to the lead that the run leg was a formality.

When the Customs Joggers morphed into the Weston Creek Athletic Club, Frank continued to impress with his ability and determination. He was a member of many successful Weston Creek teams and was as hard as nails. He was a great contributor to Redbacks' success both on the road and was equally competitive on the track. He was always happy to travel to represent the Club around NSW and competed with credit at the Wagga Marathon more than once.

Frank was also a wonderful club member, often being the first to volunteer. In the early days of the Weston Creek Fun Run we prided ourselves in announcing the winners of all categories at the presentation after the run. While the outright winners were easily identify, the winners of the many team categories required just the sort of mental gymnastic ability that Frank possessed. He would put his head down while
numbers and placings were fed to him at an alarming rate. We always had the answers in time and never registered a mistake.

As a veteran runner he still holds an Australian Record and three ACT Records all set in 1985. His Australian Record is for the M45 one hour run (17,259m) and his other two ACT Records are for M45 3000m (9.07.4) and 5000m (15.44.5).

Daniel Dawes
Life Member Weston Creek Athletics
Former Customs employee
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Vale Frank Green

One evening in 1983 a skinny newcomer, rumoured to be a talented cyclist, arrived at the Woden Athletics Track to participate in a vets' 3000m. Because he was relatively unknown he amazed and impressed onlookers by racing head-to-head with the leaders, demonstrating a remarkable talent we were soon to know well. Frank became a member that evening and continued to be very involved in the club for another six years.

Frank went on to be an elite M40 and M45 middle and long distance runner setting numerous ACT records and winning many national championships. He still holds an Australian Record and three ACT Records all set in 1985. His Australian Record is for the M45 one hour run (17,259m) and his other two ACT Records are for M45 3000m (9.07.4) and 5000m (15.44.5). He was runner up in the 1986 Fristad Award for track and field excellence. Frank was also a very good marathon runner and is currently ranked fifth on our M40 list with his run of 2:30.44 in the 1984 Wang Marathon, Sydney. Frank was also a regular participant in our monthly running handicaps, completing 28 long course events, often recording the quickest time.

As a committee member in 1985 Frank played a major role in developing our second constitution and overseeing the club's incorporation.

After retiring from work and competitive athletics, Frank had more time to devote to cycling. Cycling had been his original sporting love and continued to be so for the rest of his life. Frank and family later resettled in Perth. Frank was born in 6 January 1940 and died Wednesday 16 September 2009.

Bryan Thomas
ACT Veterans Athletics

The annual Life Members dinner will be held on Friday 1 May 2009.

Venue: Turkish Pide House (Woden Plaza), Corinna St
Time: 7-7:30pm
Cost: Life Members $Free, Club Members $15, Non Members $30

Please RSVP by 28 April 2009.

The Weston Creek Athletics Club Annual General Meeting will be held at the Canberra Irish Club, Weston Creek at 7:30pm 20 May 2009.

The AGM is the most important non-athletic event on the Club's calender and we encourage all Club members to attend.

A reminder will be sent to all Club members closer to the day.

Sunday Morning: A record 242 runners completed the 24th Annual Weston Creek Athletics Club Canberra Half Marathon, signifying that a second running boom is well underway in Canberra. In perfect running conditions the field was led home by elite local athlete Erwin McCrae of Dunlop in a fast time of 66 minutes and 34 seconds, whilst the ladies field was led by former World Triathlon and Duathlon World Champion and Commonwealth Games Marathon Bronze Medallist, Jackie Fairweather of Macquarie in 86 minutes and 19 seconds. McCrae took command of the field from the gun and was never challenged in his solo front running effort. Crowd favourite and the oldest competitor int he race, 82 year old Rad Leovic of Philip finished in the world class time of 2 hours 52 minutes and 16 seconds. Canberrans also filled the minor places. Matthew Riches and Chris MacDonald taking out second and third in the men's event and Kate Molineaux and Cathy Crompton were second and third in the women's.

Entries are now open for the 24th Weston Creek Half Marathon to be held at 7:30am Sunday 8 March, 2009, starting and finishing at Black Mountain Peninsula, ACT.

The course starts at the end of Garryowen Drive on Black Mountain Peninsula. Runners will proceed along Garryowen Drive and turn left onto the shared path just before Lady Denman Drive. Runners then proceed along the shared path, (keeping to the left hand side) around West Basin and over Scrivener Dam before following shared paths past the ovals at Curtin, under McCulloch street and adjacent to Yarra Glen. The shared path then crosses under Melrose Drive and passes the Pitch n Putt in Woden. Shortly after runners turn and retrace their steps to Black Mountain Peninsula. Here they turn right onto the bike path near the rowing sheds and enter John Cardiff Close for the finish.

For further details of the course click here. This interactive map can be scrolled and zoomed.

Enter online or download an entry form.

Entries by mail close Monday 2 March 2009. Late entries will only be accepted for individuals on race day from 6:30am.

Online entries close Wednesday 4 March 2009.