XCR14 Round 8:Burnley Half Marathon

MUAC took home two medals and a 2nd place in the Premier Mens Division at the Victorian Half Marathon Championships on Sunday, 7th of September.  23 MUAC athletes took to the course, cheered on by a large contingent of MUAC tifosi. A dedicated quartet of MUAC women, Ellen Schaef, Martine Botha, Kate Scarlett and Isi Stefanovic, ensured that MUAC had a scoring team in Premier Women with Schaef finishing in the top 20 in her half marathon debut.

Buoyed by a team victory at the Lake Wendouree Road Race in Round 7, Captain Kirwan and his Premier Division men were looking strong, despite the late withdrawl of Zac Newman. A good showing would push the MUAC Men further up the ladder. MUAC’s intent was obvious from the gun with Kirwan, Martin Mashford and Nick Earl setting the early pace in the race, along with Ballarat’s Nathan Hartigan. The depth of the MUAC Men was to be tested with Mashford forced to withdraw with a calf injury. Fortunately the trio of Rob Baker, Anthony Woodward and Frank Ciancio were not far behind, with the top 5 MUAC men all finishing in the first 45 places. MUAC’s Premier Men find themselves in 2nd place on the ladder, four points clear of 3rd, with one round of XCR14 remaining.

MUAC’s Division 6 Mens team of Tim Thomas, Adam Hannah, Andrew Selby Smith and Paul Shortis, in the hunt for a premiership and promotion, ran strongly to take a comfortable victory and now have a two point buffer leading into the Tan Relays, the ultimate event of the XCR14 season.

On a still and clear day, there were many PBs and sore bodies afterwards at the conclusion of a good day of racing for MUAC.

A big thanks to the MUAC cheer squad who encouraged the athletes and to team paparazzo Neil Sampson.

MUAC will next be in action at the Tan Relays, the final round of XCR14.

Results

Team ladders

Team scores