King, Queen of the Mountain crowned at Pomona

THE winner of the women's race had not set foot on the mountain previously.

CHAMP: Ben Duffus on the way to the summit. Picture: Simon Green

RUNNING: Ben Duffus took back the King of the Mountain crown at Pomona on Sunday, when he snared his third win there in four attempts.

The 26-year-old from Brisbane rushed up and down Mt Cooroora in 23min30sec, to finish about 1min in front of two-time winner Mark Bourne, who got the better of him last year.

While Meg Reeves raised eyebrows by winning the women's division in her first attempt at the 4.2km race, Duffus stormed the event with his display.

He overtook Daniel Jones on the ascent and then bolted down.

"Fortunately, I was able to reel him in on the way up and as soon as I'd passed him I was never looking back, giving it everything I had to try and get to the top as quickly as possible," Duffus said.

"On the way down there's no tactics. It's pretty much fall down the mountain without hurting yourself as quickly as possible.

"I love this race. I always come back whenever I can because it's just a really fun event that is probably the most scrambly mountain race in Australia.

"More than that it's the community atmosphere that really makes it so special."

The winner in 2013 and 2014, he was in Europe in 2015 and 2016 but returned last year, only to be beaten by Bourne, who had won the previous edition.

But he produced one of the race's quickest times in recent years - a 17 second personal best - to reclaim the title on Sunday.

"I think we (Mark and I) really push each other along," he said.

"Most of the mountain races we turn up to we're both there and we knew we're going to have to work really hard if we want to win it and that's great, pushing each other to that next level."

WINNER: Meg Reeves bolts down the mountain. Picture: Simon Green

It was also a smooth transition to shorter racing for Duffus, who is this year focused on longer distance events.

He competed in a 100km race in the Blue Mountains in May and is bound for a 121km event in the European Alps next month.

"So I really didn't know how today was going to go," he said.

"This is a little different, being 4km up and down but a race is as hard as you make it. I wouldn't call one harder than the other.

"I'm going to pull up tomorrow just as sore, if not sorer, from this race as I do from the 100km one I did six or seven weeks ago. I enjoy them all and they are all challenges."

Reeves was crowned Queen of the Mountain despite not setting foot on the mountain before.

Having just moved to Brisbane from Orange in New South Wales, she was eager to attempt the race.

"I didn't have a look at it (beforehand) actually but I quite enjoy that, going in blind, because you don't really know what you're in for," she said.

"I just find it exciting when you don't know what to expect."

The 34-year-old led from start to finish to clock 30min40sec and win by about 1min.

"The whole community of Pomona really gets behind it and it's a really unique and wonderful event."

"It was a hard slog. The whole way up and down you're sort of red lining but it's a teriffic trail and there's great competition and the commuinity spirit was incredible."

Reeves has some mountain running background and has raced in Europe.

But she said this "was one of my favourite all time races".