BOORT’S Carly Isaac has won Wycheproof’s iconic Queen of the Mountain race for the third successive year – this time setting a new course record.
The new time came after she convinced organisers to make a change to the 20kg wheat bag competitors have to haul on a one-kilometre course up the world’s smallest mountain.
Instead of padding out the bag of wheat with wool, this year wood chips were added to make the contents more stable.
“The organisers like feedback and I suggested the change,” Isaac said. “The bag is more solid and doesn’t hug your neck as much and sits really nice and high.”
Isaac finished the race in 4 minutes 42 seconds, winning by 35 seconds.
Last year she ran 5.24, and the year before that 5.04.
Isaac’s goal was to break five minutes, and she was surprised to beat her target so comprehensively.
“I haven’t done any more training than usual, but I’m focusing on the Melbourne half-marathon in two weeks and have been doing more speed work,” she said.
Isaac also took out the wheelbarrow race with fellow Boort netballers Isabelle Hosking, Emma Darker and Nicola Lehmann, and for good measure was the fastest woman in the mixed 5km event.
Race organisers have persuaded her not to call it quits after her hat-trick.
“If I keep racing more people will keep coming to try to beat me,” Isaac said.
“Someone will get me some day, and the girls are getting a lot quicker so I don’t reckon it will be too long.”
Keegan Donovan from Shepparton took out the King of the Mountain event carrying a 41kg bag ahead of Berriwillock’s Matt Hall, who was runner-up for the third year in a row.