![Katherine Dowie became the fastest ever female athlete to run around Lake Wendouree on Saturday. Picture Mark Simmonds Katherine Dowie became the fastest ever female athlete to run around Lake Wendouree on Saturday. Picture Mark Simmonds](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/greg.gliddon/de7db8dd-2d59-461c-8186-75d61f0b6fb1.jpg/r0_0_4032_2688_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A seemingly unassailable Ballarat record has been smashed after Eureka Athletics middle-distance runner Katherine Dowie became the quickest woman ever to run a lap of Lake Wendouree.
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Dowie, who has returned to Ballarat this year after five years at West Virginia University, smashed the long-standing record held by Kylie Porter in finishing Saturday's race in 20 minutes and 8 seconds, nine seconds faster than the record set in 1994.
For Dowie, who originates from Carisbrook but has spent much of her life training around Ballarat, the moment is still to sink in.
"You couldn't have asked for a better day, typically it can be a bit up in the air as to what the conditions will be like, but it turned out to be perfect, no wind, which barely ever happens," she said.
"I knew in the back of my mind what the time was and I knew how special the race is for a lot of people and the history behind it, you've got to keep in mind all the athletes over the years who have raced in it.
"I just went for it at the start, I think that's the way you have to run the lake because you usually don't feel great at the end regardless of how you set out.
"The goal was to go for it and hopefully hold on. It was really special."
Dowie finished more than two minutes clear of her nearest competitor, Eliza Lepair who completed the course 22.25, just ahead of Aria Violini in 22.44.
The 25-year-old said she hoped she had a few seconds more in her in years to come as she aims to be the first woman to break 20 minutes.
"I was on pace to do it half way around, but I had a little bit of a slower section at the end there, I know it's there and I'll look forward to giving it another crack another day," she said.
Dowie had always raced in Ballarat until moving to the United States on a scholarship.
![Ben Stevens was the men's winner of the Lap of the Lake in a top-20 of all time run. Ben Stevens was the men's winner of the Lap of the Lake in a top-20 of all time run.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/greg.gliddon/a101d8f4-16cf-415e-96b6-47f461e9e38e.jpg/r856_0_2047_1859_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I was on scholarship for the NCAA which is a very high level of competition, it was a good experience to spend five years there.
"I competed at cross country as well as outdoor and indoor track, usually anything from the mile to 5km races."
Now based in Shepparton, Dowie continues to commute once a week back to Ballarat to see family and to train.
"I just came back in December last year, so this is the first cross country season back," she said.
"My form has been terrific, I've been able to keep on a good roll with everything. I've been able to go back to the coach I had in high school, and at the moment I'm just building on the fitness at the moment.
In the men's race, Eureka's Ben Stevens finished in an impressive time of 17 minutes and 38 seconds, to move himself into the top 20 of all time. He won from Ben Ludbrook in 18.25 with Ben Mornane third in 18.41.
In the team's competition it was a domination by Eureka in the men's competition, winning the A, B and C grade awards, while Ballarat YCW won all three grades in the female category.
Meanwhile, Buninyong's Sam Rizzo looks destined for a position in the Australian Paralympic team after finishing seventh in the final of the T54 800m at the World Para Championships at the weekend.
Rizzo and Luke Bailey each made the final in Kobe with Rizzo finish the race in a time of 1 minutes 36.87 seconds, with Bailey ninth in 1.38.36.
Earlier in the championships, Rizzo, the Australian record holder over 1500m just missed out on a place in the final after finishing his qualifying heat in 2.04.24,