Ballarat's Ash Watson won his second long-distance race in as many months after taking out the male open half-marathon at Saturday's Run for a Cause event.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 30-year-old crossed the finish line in a time of one hour, nine minutes and 26 seconds at the event held at Victoria Park on Saturday morning.
He edged Chris O'Neill who finished runner-up in a time of 1:10.44.
"I enjoyed it a lot," Watson said after the race.
"It was a bit cold towards the end, but the course was really good and quick.
"I had a good race up the front with Chris, and we pushed each other along."
The win marked the second of the year for Watson who won the Surf Coast Century 100km Ultra Marathon in September.
He said it was good to get a win in his home city.
"Because it's a Ballarat event, it's always good to look after events that are in town," he said.
"It's for such a good cause as well."
Cameron Snowden rounded out the top three in the men's half-marathon in a time of 1:13.26, while Erin Corbyn claimed top honours in the women's half-marathon in 1:30.49.
She beat out Jennie Dearnaley and Nicole Lynch who finished second and third.
Snowden, who took part in the event with his two children, said he ran a personal best.
"The two guys who ran first and second cleared out early on so I was pretty much by myself the whole way which was tough," he said.
Meanwhile Sara Tucker took out the five-kilometre female open category - two minutes ahead of runner-up Kane Harper. Jean Flynn finished third.
Tucker, who raced in the Victorian 5000 metre championships earlier this week, said it was good to win the event after coming fourth in 2018.
"I did it last year and it was really good. I thought this year would only be bigger, and with the money going to charity, it's a great initiative," she said.
"Some of the young kids were so quick. They really put you through the paces, that's for sure."
Harry Sharp showed his class in the 5km male open category, crossing the line 21 seconds ahead of runner-up Ben Ludbrook.
It was the second event victory for Sharp who won the same race last year.
"I train with a lot of these kids, so it was good to have a good hit out," he said.
Kye Jenkyn took out the 10km open men's category ahead of Joshua Furman and Andrew Ferguson, while Sophie Ryan was first across the line in the 10km open women's category.
She was followed up by Claire Broadway and Kallie Jantzen who rounded out the top three.
