The Stromlo Running Festival was held from 5 to 6 March. Photo: Alexandra Orme Photography.
After being postponed last year due to COVID-19, one of the largest events in the region finally took place under sunny skies with some of the top placings taken out by Canberrans.
The Stromlo Running Festival’s 12th annual event from 5 to 6 March saw runners from near and far participating in 10, 30 and 50 km trail running courses.
Stromlo Running Festival race director Mel Bingley said the festival was a sold-out event of 2300 hundred people, but bad weather prevented some of the interstate runners from attending the event and under 2000 people made it to the start line.
Five Minutes with Tim Gavel following an outstanding Stromlo Running Festival
Today, we're at Stromlo Forest Park following a hugely successful Stromlo Running Festival with race director Mel Bingley and 50km winner, Mike Carroll. Over 2000 runners from all over Australia competed in the event that raised more than $8000 for The Indigenous Marathon Foundation. Best of all, there's another event coming in November, so save the date! All that and more, brought to you by Snedden Hall & Gallop.
Posted by The Riotact on Tuesday, March 8, 2022
“We were incredibly happy with how the event turned out,” Ms Bingley said.
“The organisation and scheduling was excellent and although the weather kept a few people away, particularly on Sunday, apart from a bit of wind there was actually really great running weather.”
Ms Bingley said they had a volunteer crew of 94 scheduled from Friday to Sunday, helping with things like set up, pack up, collecting shirts, handing out zooper doopers at the finish line and first aid.
“We had a small army of 100 odd people who came to put on this event, so a lot of people contributed to making it such a big success,” she said.
There were also another dozen friends and families who came to lend a hand.
Mike Carroll was the winner of the 50 km race last weekend at the Stromlo Running Festival. Photo: Alexandra Orme Photography.
Ms Bingley said Canberra stood out with their winners and finished with great performance times.
“There were smiles all round when everyone crossed that finishing line,” she said.
The ACT’s Mike Carroll set a new Stromlo Running Festival record with a blistering time of three hours and 41 minutes in the 50 km event, which included more than one km of climbing. Andrew Gatenby took the 30 km event with the winning time of two hours and two minutes.
Juliette Soule from NSW was the first woman over the line in the 50 km finishing in four hours and four minutes and was fourth overall. Local female finishers included Kate Chipperfield, who came sixth in the 30 km race, completing the race in two hours and 38 minutes and Amanda Robbie, who came ninth in the 10 km race.
“In true Canberra style we had four seasons in one day, but were blessed with not a single drop of rain on our runners,” Ms Bingley said.
Canberra Woman, Kate Chipperfield came sixth in the 30 km race last weekend. Photo: Alexandra Orme Photography.
The next Stromlo Running Festival is scheduled for 19 November 2022.
Ms Bingley said they are aiming to get 3000 people to participate.
The weekend will consist of 10, 30 and 50 km events with the potential of introducing a kid-friendly cross country style race.
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