2005 race description E-mail
Friday, 24 June 2005 00:00

FEET were pounding the roads around Toora last Sunday in the inaugural Prom Country Challenge. A crowd of locals and visitors took advantage of the perfect weather, entering in the 5km walk or run, 10km walk or run or the challenging 30km run. The five and 10km flat course took in the township of Toora, while the 30km loop course was mainly undulating, taking in a 400m hill climb to Mt Best and a downhill finish in Stanley Street. Around 150 competitors entered overall, with the main 30km race attracting more than 40 entrants. Entrants came from as far as Kenya and, more locally, Melbourne, Geelong, Bacchus Marsh, and the Traralgon Harriers. Prom Country Challenge coordinator Angela Bonser was delighted with the day’s event. Angela had a busy day as she also ran in the 30km event. “I’ve received quite a few e-mails, all the distance runners have said what a fantastic course it was, although very challenging,” Angela said. “They all be back next year and will bring some running friends with them. “The Royal Standard Hotel was fully booked on the Saturday night for dinner. “Many entrants came from Melbourne so towns along the way would have benefited, whether it was people buying petrol or whatever.” The event went a long way to achieving its aim of attracting people to the Toora area and Corner Inlet, perhaps for the first time, and to entice them back again with their families. Previously, the Toora community organised and supported the “King of the Mountain” event, which was last run in 1999. It featured a 7km fun run and a 14km distance run. The Prom Country Challenge committee, comprising seven local residents, spent a year working on this year’s event and is hopeful of a bigger and better one in 2006. “Next year, we’re fairly confident of getting 300-400 runners,” committee member Paul Webster said. Being an inaugural event, winners of the Prom Country Challenge have set course records for ensuing years.

World Class

Winner of the 30km event, Kenyan Joseph Maina Ndirangu, is a professional marathon runner and travels the world from continent to continent to run. Fresh from Chile and Peru, he has come to Australia to run in the Melbourne Marathon. Joseph chose to run in the Prom Country Challenge because he is friends with Angela Bonser, a keen runner and the main driving force behind the event. Paul said Joseph was delighted by the view from Mt Best. “Joseph was absolutely gob-smacked by the view up there when he ran across,” Paul said. “He’s coming back next year and we’re hoping he’ll bring three or four more athletes with him. In the middle of September, he’s coming down with his wife and child to stay with me, to have a good look around the area. Toora is fantastic for training because it’s got the lovely clean air and the hills as well.” The standard of competitors in the 30km event varied from world class marathon runner Joseph to Sandra Timmer-Arends, who holds the Australian title for the 50km run. Roger Maximiw, who came fourth in the 30km run, has held titles in both 50km and 100km runs. Competitors ranged from those who had run 60 marathons, to others who were completing their first 30km event. “They’re not all world class athletes,” Angela said. Participation was the key. Wayne Williams, an ex Sandy Point resident, finished second overall. Kathy Whelan, committee member and president of the Toora Progress Association, said she had received plenty of positive feedback from the event. 

Prizes

“Prize winners indicated they were rapt with the day,” Kathy said. “They thoroughly enjoyed it and are spreading the word for next year.” Every participant took home a certificate recording their time, while age group winners received a bunch of proteas from the Mt Best Protea Farm; adult age group winners also received a bottle of wine from Koonwarra’s Lyrebird Winery and the three top men and women in the 30km event received a large framed photo of either the view from Mt Best or the view across Corner Inlet to the Prom. The photos were taken by Keith Haycroft of Welshpool. South Gippsland Shire mayor Diane Casbolt presented the 30km course winners their prize, and also launched the shire’s Commonwealth Games activities. Toora Primary School won the prize for the most participants from a school, scoring a $200 cash prize to go towards sporting equipment. Next year, the committee hopes more schools will enter. The Mt Best hall committee won a $100 prize for the best drink station. Other novelty prizes included first to Mt Best (in the 30km course), won by Joseph Maina Ndirangu, spot prizes and a cow bell prize for the last finishers. Kathy said many spectators enjoyed browsing around at the market, held on Sunday. Also popular was the Windy Ridge Winery free wine and cheese tasting. Accommodation in Toora was at a capacity during the weekend and the local pub, the Royal Standard Hotel, had a roaring trade, with a well-attended ‘carbo’ night on the Saturday night and a busy day Sunday. The Toora RSL helped out with catering on race day, with five barbecues and a spit roast set up in the park. Paul commended the work of the CFA, SES and St John Ambulance for helping out during the event. Organisers will follow up the event with a meeting to assess the event and work through the suggestions box.