Sport
7 August, 2024
Outback to the Stack: Doctor's first win, teacher's final win
There was a big turnout for the iconic running event at Lake Moondarra on Sunday.
New Mount Isa resident Damien Messmer was the fastest home in the Outback to the Stack run on Sunday, stopping the clock in a time of one hour, 22 minutes and 22 seconds for the half-marathon distance.
“It was probably about 10 minutes off my best time,” said the doctor, who is completing his GP training at Mount Isa Hospital.
“The weather was the biggest winner out here; it was nice and cool.”
Messmer was speaking at Lake Moondarra at around 7.40am, not long after he crossed the finish line, three minutes ahead of Nic Beard.
Previously, the run administered by the IsaRATS started out of town and finished at Tony White Oval, but the change in direction proved to be a winner.
“The course was fantastic,” said Messmer, who admitted that the undulations of the Moondarra Road in the closing stages were felt in his legs.
“I think finishing out at the lake is fantastic. It’s a beautiful spot and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone else come in shortly.”
Less than 11 minutes after he finished, Healy State School teacher Kimberly Alcorn was the first female runner across the line.
She was met with a hug from a student at the lake.
It was a special win for Alcorn, who was determined to go out as a winner.
Still catching her breath, she told North West Weekly: “100 per cent. Yeah, yeah I absolutely wanted to win this one. This is my last because I am leaving town at the end of the year.”
The physical education teacher has won the Outback to the Stack several times in her 12 years in Mount Isa and said she would be tempted to return to the North West for the iconic fun run.
“It’s such a good vibe this year which is really what you want in the lead-up because it makes people excited to come and do this,” she said.
“I think that the club is on the up and I think this event will just grow and grow.”
Alcorn said the new course was “definitely tougher”.
“The undulations at the end of the race, opposed to what we had at the start of the race, was really noticeable on the legs.”
She said her time of 1:33:00 was virtually the same time she recorded last year.
“I’m probably a little bit fitter this year but the course was a little bit harder,” she said.
SUNDAY’S RESULTS
21km run – male
1st Damien Messmer 1:22:22
2nd Nic Beard 1:25:23
3rd Patrick Wall 1:38:02
4th Rick Leeman 1:44:37
5th Russell Bennett 1:46:23
21km run – female
1st Kimberly Alcorn 1:33:00
2nd Jemima Scott 1:53:22
3rd Michelle Asanuma 1:56:50
4th Dee Hardy 1:57:09
5th Ellenor Parson 1:59:47
21km walk – male
1st Ruwan Samaraweera 3:13:57
2nd Shane Thirlwall 3:40:57
3rd Lucas Spitzner-Lewis 4:02:02
21km walk – female
1st Rebekah Arnold 3:17:20
2nd Brooke Craig 3:25:03
2nd Elina Kent 3:25:03
4th Brianna Thirlwall 3:38:32
5th Laura Thinee 3:41:56
10km run – male
1st Pratik Seegoolam 41:22
2nd Daniel Williams 45:16
3rd Derrick Cusack 47:57
4th Clayton Green 58:31
5th Edward Trimble 1:00:30
10km run – female
1st Karyn Robertson 48:09
2nd Claire Matthews 58:50
3rd Samantha Taylor 59:21
4th Amy Tomlinson 1:03:43
5th Georgia Garvie 1:04:18
5km run – male
1st Daniel Sheehan 34:45
2nd James Shepherd 35:07
3rd Frans Pretorius 38:52
4th Shaun Lee 39:23
5th Mark Muguira 43:01
5km run – female
1st Rikki Tully 31:38
1st Sky Sanim 31:38
3rd Deliah Clarak 35:23
4th Niar Gordon 36:34
5th Charlene Pretorius 38:52