Steven Bourke rose to number one at the Griffith Joggers run on Scenic Hill on Saturday.
The win came after Bourke was pipped at the post last week and a string of top 10 appearances.
He was a comfortable distance ahead of the fast starting – and fast finishing – Aidan Fattore who started last off the grid and overtook all except Bourke.
Fattore was fastest on the day with his 23:31 for the 6.2 kilometres which was just a few seconds off his last effort.
These are the fastest times on this course for over a decade.
Fattore is running a minute faster than he was in 2016 and three minutes faster than 2015.
It has him placed as an unbackable favourite for the Bacchus.
Moreno Chiappin, at third, is running consistently and crawling up the point-score while Roy Binks scored highly again at fourth.
These top four finishers are also the top four in the point-score which has seen a little reshuffle with Bourke rising like cream.
Back in 21st, Sharon Careri took fastest time of the day and third fastest for the competition.
The joggers set up a few runners who tested out the latest technology in bib tags.
Reports filtering through say they worked fine which gives the group confidence for a better timing result at the Flexible Solutions Bacchus on the Lake this year.
In the short run, the Chiappins – Lana at first and Gianni at third – keep improving their times, climbing the placings, and climbing the pointscore table.
Mia Stockwell finished second and also set the second fastest time of the competition.
Leading the oldies across the finish line was Nick Altin at fourth.
Louise Gunn, at fifth, is seeing her times in free-fall thanks to her persistence and the cooler conditions.
At 16th, Hamish Gunn made his Bacchus debut and didn’t skip a beat.
He set the fastest time of the day with 15:41 along with Isabella Salmon at 13th with 16:44.
The joggers run each Saturday at 5:30pm from the water tower opposite Pioneer Park.
There is a choice of long or short courses on offer over the tracks and trails of Scenic Hill, be early to register.
This coming week is the last run at six kilometres for the long run before the jump to 10 kilometres while the short will remain at three kilometres.
