<14.06.07> - Road Running Championships this Saturday

Thursday, 14 June 2007

Athletes, joggers and walkers from all over Tasmania will converge in Campbell Town this Saturday 16 June for the Tasmanian Road Running Championships.

In an event that is quickly gaining momentum, pre-entries are well up on last year and the people of Campbell Town will be hit with running mania when the gun goes at 12 noon to start the series of events.

The open men’s event has the strongest line up in the events history, with top three from last months City to Casino all pre-entered.  North Launceston Athletic Club member Kim Gillard will face off against Northern Suburbs Grant Page and Brian Lyons of the North West.

In the open women’s race, eyes will be on former Olympian Kylie Risk who will be up against current Australian Marathon Champion Jenny Gillard and professional triathlete Emma Weitnauer.  Stepping up to the open age group this year will be former Australian 3000m champion Karinna Fyfe.  Up for grabs in both open races is the title of Tasmania’s 10km road champion.

Tasmanian Institute of Sport Performance coordinator Mr Peter Fortune was especially pleased at the number of junior athletes pre-entered.  “It’s a good sign for the state of distance running in Tasmania.  This event shows that Athletics Tasmania approach of focusing on participation for all, instead of just the elite athletes appears to be having a positive effect.”

“It is also a fantastic opportunity for participants to meet in the centre of the state to gauge their progression in a true statewide event.”

In the Under 20 8km event, Libby Clarke who was a gold medalist at the 2006 World Schools Cross Country Championships will be on show against many of the states AT/TIS Development Squad athletes.

All events begin at 12 noon and include;

• Open Men/Women 10km
• Under 23 Men/Women 10km
• Over 40 Men 10km
• Over 35 Women 10km
• Under 20 Men/Women 8km
• Under 18 Men/Women 6km
• Over 50 Men 6km
• Over 45 Women 4km
• Under 16 Men/Women 4km
• Under 14 Men/Women 4km
• Under 12 Men/Women 3km

More information is available at www.tasathletics.org.au.

For further details on this event, please contact Richard Welsh at the Athletics Tasmania office on 03 6234 9551 or 0409 820 248.

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