The AAM Timber Blue Lake Fun Run has been won and run for another year with over 660 entries by locals and visitors alike.
The entertainment extended across all categories with costumes such as a prisoner and a superhero and ABC South East presenter Rod Sparks dressing up in a summer attire complete with a pool floatie.
Blue Lake Fun Run Committee chair Mark Praolini said while numbers were slightly up, with around 30 more entries than last year, they were “definitely hoping for more”.
“It is an improvement but I’m a bit disappointed, I was hoping we would get back up around the 750 mark,” he said.
“Prior to COVID, we were around 950-1000 and I would like to see the numbers build up there again.
“While it is absolutely great to have an increase, I am looking to increase more.
“We need more teams and I was hoping that we would have a far greater registration for people from schools so we need to promote it more in schools.
“We were giving back $10 per entrant for schools for school projects so we were hoping we might get some response to that but it sadly did not happen.
“‘Overall, the number of teams and entrants were great.”
The 21.1km Lakes and Craters Half Marathon saw great sportsmanship and a “very close tussle near the end” with just over 10 seconds between first place male winner Owen Williams and runner up David Staehr and Adam Johnstone claiming third place.
In the ladies, Mount Gambier’s Dr Vienna Tran claimed a first place finish followed by Danielle Hibbard and Helen Heaver.
The 10.4km Blue Lake/Warwar run was won by Lawrence Gilchrist in the men followed by Han Tuinof and Jack Gray while it was podium finishes in the females for Belinda Richardson, Tamai Bremner and Jane Auld.
Manaia Bremner was the first male to cross the line in the 6.8km Mount Gambier/Berrin Run ahead of Jackson Saunders and Justin McDonald.
Kate McDonald claimed the chocolates for the females in the 6.8km Mount Gambier/Berrin Run followed by Rubi Watson and Cobi Wilbert.
In the less competitive 3.2km Cave Gardens/Thugi Dash, Jarred Dempsey was the male winner followed by Benji Russell and William Versace while in the females Shayden Russell took the top spot with the podium rounded out by Charlotte Versace and Alaska Bremner.
The Mount Gambier Lakes Rotary Club presented nearly $14,000 worth of donations to local charities through the event’s proceeds including to the Limestone Coast Domestic Violence Service, Mount Gambier Breast Cancer Awareness Group, Limestone Coast Prostate Cancer Support Group, Backstage Incorporated, the Valley Lakes Conservation Park enclosure and the Mount Gambier City Council Disadvantaged Youth Sports Scholarships.
Mr Praolini said while the medallions unfortunately did not arrive on time this year, the committee are following up and will work to distribute them to participants.
