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Ashkettle and Ewels master the mountain in Salomon Trail Run Series

Chris Ord - Rapid Ascent - Media Release / 13.08.2011

Some masochists may have been disappointed at the lack of snow, but most of the 700-plus runners were delighted to arrive at the 1000-metre summit of Mount Macedon, Victoria, this morning to be greeted by a crisp blue sky and sunshine: perfect trail conditions for Race Two of the Salomon Trail Running Series.

Long course competitors were being asked to take a step up from Race One’s relatively flat (okay, undulating) course at Studley Park, the Mount’s tight singletrack diving down the mountain after halfway, and promising a killer climb back up to the finish line.

It was, agrees race winner Ben Ashkettle, “harder than I expected, and like nothing I’ve run back in the States.�

Despite being on more extreme ground than his usual cross country courses tackled as a college runner for Northern Arizona, the lithely built Ahskettle still blitzed the field, running the 12.5km course in 51 minutes 35 seconds, to take his second win of the Series.

“It was a great run, but definitely challenging,� said Ashkettle at the finish line. “The steep hills up and down really got me – I’m not a hillrunner, so they hurt more than I was expecting. Tell me Silvan (Race 3) isn’t as hilly as this!�

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