Possum race has run fans hanging for more

ORGANISERS of the inaugural Bald Possum trail run say they hope to double participants next year after hosting the event on the Tablelands at the weekend.

Calvin Deacon and Tracy Marcel were the top male and female runners, finishing with the best overall times across the five-stage, 11km race held on Saturday afternoon.

Organiser Chris White said

The Saints Swimming Carnival boasted 255 competitors, up from 210 this time last year, from throughout the Far North and as far afield as Townsville and Ayr. Swimmers such as Milli McMenamin, Oliver Anu and Zac Tabuai the 25 runners showed plenty of grit traversing the challenging and, at times, steep course.

“From Atherton, we go up Mt Baldy, across to Yabi Mountain and its summit, then back down the Yabi trail before returning to the town,” White said.

“We like to think it’s a shorter, funner version of the Great Pyramid Race run at high intensity.

“But there are multiple starts which can put real strain battled it out over two days.

St Augustine’s College director of swimming, Kirk Donaldson, said it was a recordbreaking meet.

“Along with numerous personal best swims there were over 25 new qualification on the body. There are also some glorious views too.

“I think when we get bigger fields it’ll make it even better.

“The vegetation you run through is quite diverse and people can see Lake Tinaroo, the Herberton Range while running through highland rainforest then descending into woodland.

“It’s a very scenic, natural setting.”

White said organisers had deliberately kept numbers low swims at Queensland Championships and eight swims recorded new qualification for National Age Championships,” Donaldson said.

“This is the most State and National qualification swims recorded at a swimming carnival this year but will promote the trail run more widely in the future.

“We knew it would work better if people were familiar,” he said. “I think 50 runners would be a sustainable amount in the future.

“We’ll try to keep it a relatively sociable event. ”

The Bald Possum is part of the Dirty Northern Trail Running Series, which consist of seven races held across Far North Queensland. in north Queensland.

“The meet was aimed toward giving swimmers the best possibility opportunity of reaching the qualification times for the State Championships in December or National Age Championships next year in Sydney.”