ALBURY’S Lachlan Chisholm clocked the fastest time in seven years to claim the prestigious Nail Can Hill Run in West Albury yesterday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Chisholm, 32, had a comfortable margin to spare when he finished the 11.3-kilometre course from Lavington Oval to Bonnie Doon Park in 38:08.97 to edge out Yackandandah runner Michael Hosking (38:17.09).
Canberra’s John Winsbury was third in 39:45.05, with Bright’s John Kent fourth in 41:08.21.
There was a record field of almost 1700 entries for the 36th edition of the event.
Chisholm, competing for the first time after moving to the Border in January, said he was happy to clock the fastest time since Jeremey Horne’s 37:58 in 2005 — the fourth of his seven wins.
“The end of the course was the hardest,” Chisholm said.
“Moners (2003 winner Steve Moneghetti) has said it was the hardest one he’s done and, after doing this for the first time, I’d have to agree with him.”
Chisholm and Hosking — who’s elder sister, Jessamy, won the women’s section — shared the lead before Chisholm put his foot down late in the race to streak clear.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing, with the Wagga-born and The Rock-raised runner losing his footing but remaining upright with 1500 metres to go.
“I was leading up the hill and Michael put on a spurt and got about 15-20 metres in front of me, Chisholm said.
“I was just following him along.
“I probably worked the downhills a bit better and caught up to him, then ran with him for a bit and then pulled away.
“I knew he was back there keeping me honest. He kept me running scared for the last three or four kilometres.”
Hosking, 26, said “the best person always wins here”.
“I was closing at the end and he was just a little too good,” he said.
Hosking was runner-up to Horne in 2006.
“The steep downhills were the toughest for me.
“I finished second in 2006 about the same distance behind Jeremy Horne.
“Lachy was a bit too quick on the downhill for me today.”
Chisholm rates the win one of his best.
The Wagga Sporting Hall of Fame member is a two-time Australian 1500-metre title winner but always wanted to have a crack at Nail Can Hill.
“I always thought about doing it but it never fitted into my schedule,” the middle distance specialist said. “Living here in Albury now I thought: ‘Why not?’.”