Runners brave wind and rain to compete in world’s toughest half-marathon

3300+ competitors battled wind and rain to take part in the 28th annual Point to Pinnacle run with a few familiar faces braving the conditions. See the winners + PHOTOS >

The start of the Point to pinnacle walking race. Picture: Linda Higginson

More than 3300 competitors battled early morning wind and rain to take part in the 28th annual Point to Pinnacle fun run on Sunday.

One of the staples on the state’s running calendar is billed as the toughest half marathon in the world as it not only requires entrants to complete 21.1km but to climb over 1200m from Sandy Bay to the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington.

The start of the Point to pinnacle. Picture: Linda Higginson

And the weather gods didn’t play favourably with less than ideal conditions greeting runners from the start line at Wrest Point Casino all the way to the finish at the top of the mountain.

The men’s event was won by Launceston 10 winner James Hansen (1:25:35) who defeated two-time champion and race record holder Ben St Lawrence (1:26:15) and last year’s winner Nick Earl (1:28:29) in a thrilling finish.

Tasmanian Millie Clark (1:40:21) ended the three year reign of local legend Meriem Daoui (1:52:10) with the Olympian hitting the finish line around 12 minutes before Daoui in a blistering display.

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The popular ‘Point to Pub’ 10km event also took place with Phillip McConnon (38:40) beating Hobart local Brad Tennick (40:05) and Western Australian defending champion Reece Harris (40:41) to the Fern Tree Tavern finish line.

Record holder Anna Smee (46:02) was defeated in the female event by Alana Plymin (45:27) with youngster and two-time winner Mikayla Ireland finishing in third (48:42).

Hobart’s Laurie Groom, ran the 21.1km trek for the first time with his mother Lyndel and says it was a challenging but satisfying run.

Laurie and Lyndel Groom and Bridget Rutti at the start of the Point to Pinnacle. Picture: Linda Higginson

“It wasn't perfect conditions but it was great to get out there and do it and we had a bit of sunshine at the end which was great,” he said.

“I was pretty happy with my runespecially considering it was the first time. Mum was doing it and she teed me up to join her.

“It was awesome crowds, every runner was having a good time and cheering each other on.”

Groom joked that this would be his first and last Point to Pinnacle but once the legs had recovered the avid runner guessed he would again take part next year.

A number of familiar faces took part in the gruelling run with radio and TV personality Carrie Bickmore once again putting her runners on to raise funds for her charity, Beanies 4 Brain Cancer.

Fans take selfies with Carrie Bickmore at the start of the point to pinnacle. Picture: Linda Higginson

Bickmore and her support crew, which included her eldest son, completed the run just before 11am while former Hobart breakfast radio announcers Jimmy Smith & Nathan Roye also took part.

Radio hosts Jimmy and Nath with Tommy Windsor at the start of the Point to pinnacle. Picture: Linda Higginson

The duo, who now work for the Hit network in Sydney, completed the run for men’s health charity Movember with Tommy Windsor as part of the ‘Hobart Mo Bros’ with Roye claiming bragging rights over Smith, finishing in a time of 2:25:41 ahead of Smith (3:00:32).