Brookvale has thousands on the run

By Liz McDougall

Spectacular scenery is just one of the reasons people flock to Sydney’s Northern Beaches Pub2Pub Charity Fun Run and Walk each year.

This year’s event, on August 23, saw competitors run, jog  or walk the trail in perfect sunshine.
The event began 18 years ago between two Northern Beaches hotels owned by the Bayfield family – the Dee Why Hotel (demolished last year to make way for a new development) and the Newport Arms on the shores of Pittwater.

In 2003 it stopped because of insurance and logistic problems but the event was sorely missed and runners and the general community wanted it back.

“Around that time Brookvale Rotarian Mark Olofinsky looked at his club taking over the event as a charity event,’’ said Lou Gambrill, one of the event’s chief organisers and a long-time runner.
“With the manpower of the club and assistance from the SES, Rural Fire Service and the Surf Life Saving Clubs along the way it has become a major event.

“When Brookvale Rotary took it over, in liaison with the Bayfields, there were around 1300 runners and walkers.’’

The start moved from the Dee Why Hotel to Dee Why SLSC but the Pub2Pub name stuck. This year saw 3500 people enter and 2900 finished.’’

The race is split into nine sections with marshals along the way and local scouting groups manning the water stations.

Part of the race’s popularity comes from its 13km course – along the coast from Dee Why to Narrabeen beach, passing five Surf Life Saving Clubs on the way.

After crossing Narrabeen Lagoon there is the course’s version of “heartbreak hill’’, up to Turimetta Head, across the Warriewood escarpment then back to Pittwater and Barrenjoey Rds.

The final hill up to Newport is a crusher but runners have the final 500m run down a gentle slope to the Newport Arms.

The finish has a party atmosphere with competitors in their Pub2Pub t-shirts, Rotary Inner Wheel members helping with selling bus tickets, the local Bei Loon Dragon Boat Club, which has special training for breast cancer survivors, selling raffle tickets and the Northern Beaches Rotaract Club providing a barbecue for the volunteers.

This year  Jeremy Horne led  the pack from the start taking his third consecutive win with a time of 43:48. Melissa Vandewater-Wearing was the first female, with a time of 52min 57sec.

While most of the competitors catch a bus back to Dee Why, Jeremy just turned around and jogged back – he was in training for a marathon.

It is Brookvale Rotary Club’s major fundraising event and more than $100,000 was raised for groups including Life Education, Sunnyfield, Stewart House, Mona Vale Hospital and the McGrath Foundation.

A few weeks after the event, volunteers who assisted met again at the Newport Arms and Brookvale Rotary Club president Paul Cope handed cheques to the volunteer groups. Such a race requires immense organisation and Brookvale Rotary has honed this to provide a near-flawless event.

“Safety of the competitors is paramount,’’ said race organiser Phil Jackson.

“With 3500 people at the start, we split them into two start times this year – the more serious competitors racing at 7am and the others 15 minutes later. This helped avoid bottlenecks and crowding.”

“There are still a few places we need to iron out a problem or two but we were pretty happy with the way it all ran.’’

The organisation of each year’s race begins early in the new year and by April the organising committee is in full swing organising lane closures on busy Pittwater Rd, safe street crossings along the way, taking entries and organising presentations.

While those who lead the pack are in intense competition, there is an emphasis on family, with many running and walking together, and on fun, with a fancy dress competition.

“We have competitors coming from all over Sydney and beyond to join this event as it is so much fun,’’ said Brookvale Rotary president Paul Cope.

“It is gratifying to see that an event that was headed for the history books, was able to be reinstated through Rotary and has grown year upon year to now be the single largest fundraiser held on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

“This is something Brookvale Rotary Club can be proud of achieving.”