By JESSE GRAHAM
AN EMERALD school teacher who placed second in last year’s Puffing Billy Great Train Race has taken out top honours this year, winning the race with an 18-second lead.
Cockatoo’s Craig Appleby crossed the line at the 4 May event with a timing of 43 minutes, 32 seconds, 18 seconds ahead of Moonee Ponds’ Mitchel Brown, who was placed second.
Mr Appleby, a teacher at Emerald Primary School, told the Mail last year that he was gunning for the top spot after placing second in the landmark hills event.
Just 12 months later, Mr Appleby achieved his goal.
“I was thrilled to finally win the race and was delighted to see some of my students at the finish line cheering me on,” he said.
Moorooduc’s Sarah Klein, who won last year’s race in the women’s division, took out the top place again this year, with a time of 49 minutes, 35 seconds.
The Great Train Race saw 3134 take on the Puffing Billy in a race from Belgrave to Emerald Lake Park – a 13.2 kilometre trek.
The first train made its way to the finish line with a time of 60 minutes, 26 seconds, with 464 runners beating the train.
Puffing Billy’s second train finished the race with a time of 81 minutes, 31 seconds, and 2424 runners managed to cross the line before both trains had finished their course.
Of the 2424, 1829 of the runners beating the second train were men and 595 were women.
Though Mr Appleby took out the top spot, the remainder of the top place-getters were from outside of the Yarra Ranges, with a myriad of competitors from around the state.
Many locals took part in the race, however, with Upwey High School’s Year 11 physical education teacher Peter Castillo taking 12 students on the gruelling run.
Mr Castillo said that he managed to beat the train by a matter of minutes with one of the dozen students, with 57 and 58.5 minutes respectively, while four of the other students beat the second train.
“It went really, really well – all the kids were nervous and excited at the same time,” he said.
“The kids are rapt and they want to continue next year.”
Mr Castillo said he wanted to get as many of the high school students into next year’s race as possible.
Despite the dreary conditions, the race had its fair share of high morale, which was boosted by some participants paying homage to International Star Wars Day.
Traralgon’s Michelle Bayley ran the race dressed as Darth Vader to celebrate the special day.
This year marks the 33rd year of the Puffing Billy Great Train Race, and all money raised through the event goes towards restoring a NGG16 127 Garratt locomotive for the Puffing Billy Preservation Society. Results:
First Male: Craig Appleby, Cockatoo, 43:32.
Second Male: Michel Brown, Moonee Ponds, 43:50.
Third Male: Craig Semple, Oakleigh East, 44:16.
First Female: Sarah Klein, Moorooduc, 49:35.
Second Female: Gemma Maini, Tyabb, 50:46.
Third Female: Julia Edwards, Richmond, 51:26.
Under 18 Male: Vaughan Smith, Balwyn, 49:48.
Under 18 Female: PetraRuhl, Endeavour Hills, 59:51.
Veteran Male (40 years and older): Craig Semple, Oakleigh East, 44:16.
Veteran Female (40 years and older): Julia Edwards, Richmond, 51:26.
First team: Sally’s Smarties, 3:20:40.
