Race record shattered

Defending champion James Coubrough of Wellington smashed not only his own race record but also became the first runner in the 14-year history of the event to reach Jumbo Hut inside one hour when he won the open men's section of the Jumbo-Holdsworth Trail race on Saturday. Coubrough completed the arduous 24km in 2hrs 16mins 8secs, a remarkable improvement on the record 2hrs 20mins 39secs he had set 12 months earlier and made even more remarkable by the fact he only entered on the day of the race because of doubts about a preparation interrupted by injury.
"He told me he didn't know how he would go, he wasn't sure his fitness was up to scratch", race organiser Rob Barber said.
Well, Coubrough didn't take long to erase those doubts, scampering to Jumbo Hut in 59mins 6secs to become the first runner to pick up the Rob Walker Spray Paints prize of $800 for making there inside one hour, ensuring himself of the King of the Mountain title by reaching the summit in 1hrs 10mins and showing few signs of tiredness on the way home.
"It was an exceptional run, conditions were ideal but you couldn't expect something like that," Barber said.
Second to Coubrough in 2hrs 32mins 11secs was Aucklander James Bradshaw with Murray Doherty being first vet and third overall in 2hrs 36mins 34secs.
Also in record breaking form was the winner of the open women's title Fleur Pawsey of Wellington.
A noted endurance runner with a Coast to Coast victory on her curriculum vitae, Pawsey had won this section the previous year but she didn't make her task any easier on this occasion by starting two minutes behind the field.Apparently her late arrival was due to her misplacing part of her running attire.
At the summit Pawsey had much made up much of the leeway but was still trailing Dawn Ashkettle, also of Wellington, a situation which gave Ashkettle the Queen of the Mountains crown.
But despite Ashkettle 's best efforts Pawsey was too quick on the descent and her finishing time of 2hrs 58mins 16secs comfortably bettered the record of 3hrs 3mins 18secs set by Sarah Kleeman in 2006. Ashkettle was second in 2hrs 58mins 53secs and Sarah Petters third in 3hrs 10mins 9secs.
The Hooper Loop event raced over the shorter course of 12km saw Bryn Davies of Wellington win the open men's title in 54mins 15secs.
Second was Andy Clifford in 64mins 45secs, just ahead of talented 14-year-old Shaun McCrudden, of Wellington, who clocked 1hr 5mins 36secs.
The open women's section was won Piret Klade of Wellington in 1hr 4mins 49secs from Aubrey Begley (1hr 9mins 59secs) and Lizzie Ingham (1hr 10miins 45mins). Sixth in that category was 15-year-old Waiurarapa runner Rachael Schackleton who finished in 1hrs 16mins 13secs.