By ROBYN DOWNEY, Harrietville Half Marathon race director and organising committee chair

Our ninth Harrietville Half Marathon ever since 2015 - with two year’s cancelled due to Covid - was brilliant and our best ever last Sunday.

We had 438 registrants which is an event record, and included a massive 201 entrants in the 21.1km distance, 130 in the 10.5km, 58 in the 5km race and 49 in the 2km event.

The event's success was largely due to the efforts of my hard working and wonderful team - Jo Parker (co-director), Ella Besgrove (PA), Rachel Biggs (2026 team leader) and Anna Mountjoy - and our 52 volunteers.

Special mention to ‘the man with the mic’ Andrew Badrock who did a sensational job with the help of ‘spotters’ Dave and Jimmy Staig calling the runners and walkers over the finish line - then announcing the winners and random draw prize winners at the presentation ceremony.

Trevor Castricum and his team built our amazing new finish area in the middle of Tavare Park - made possible by the Alpine Shire and Gary Noall ’s development of the new shared trail around and through the park.

It was perfect for our event.

The finish area looked truly amazing and the runners loved it!

There were fabulous results:

- Community Bank Bright 21.1km event:

Overall male placegetters: 1st - Ross Keegan in 1:24:35; 2nd - Cody Poulton in 1:26:14; 3rd - Duncan Hogan in 1:31:02. Overall female placegetters - 1st - Gemma De Campo in 1:29:55; 2nd - Mietta Greig-Hurtig in 1:36:13; 3rd - Miranda Griffiths in 1:37:26.

- Dickens Real Estate 10.5km event:

Overall Male Placegetters: 1st - Joey Evans in 40:05; 2nd - Adrian Harbison in 42:08; 3rd - Steve Koima in 42:32. Overall Female Placegetters: 1st - Maddy Button in 42:54; 2nd - Merrilyn Frederick in 47:35; 3rd - Maya Shimura in 50:51.

- BlueRock 5km event:

Overall Male Placegetters: 1st - Jarlath Kilroy in 23:38; 2nd - Tom McClusky in 24:14; 3rd - Alex Cox in 24:34. Overall Female Placegetters: 1st - Annie Biggs in 27:26 (local Harrietville); 2nd - Muireann Kilroy in 27:32; 3rd - Ellery McKenzie in 27:50.

- Alpine Valley Getaways 2km event:

Overall Male Placegetters: 1st - Ferdinando Perri in 08:44; 2nd - Harvey Knight in 08:45; 3rd - James Xerri in 09:39. Overall Female Placegetters: 1st - Matilda Xerri in 08:34;

2nd - Vivian Knight in 09:15; 3rd - Aria Lukjanov in 10:00.

Local residents who were the Alpine Valley winners were Gemme De Campo 1:29:55 and Cody Poulton.

Trifecta winners who had run all three Mt Beauty, Bright and Harrietville half marathons this year were Mark (1:53:20) and Jennifer (2:18:35) Watterson.

An enormous congratulations and thank you to all participants and to volunteers who made their effort possible and pleasurable.

This event could not happen without all sponsors, particularly our major sponsors, Alpine Shire Council, Community Bank Bright, Dickens Real Estate, BlueRock Accounting, Alpine Valley Getaways, Beau-Parc Alpine, Bright Rotary and Hotham Electrical.