Hamlyn Heights runner Blake Hose took out the relay at the Surf Coast Century on Saturday with a blistering 50km leg of 3.46.55.
Hose won the two-person 100km ultra marathon alongside Darlington runner David Byrne in just 7.15.00.
The 25-year-old described most of the run as comfortable, and his time was faster than the winner of the individual 50km event.
But he struggled in the final leg before crossing the finish line.
“That beach is horrible,” he said. “It’s a horrible way to finish a race, a soft beach.”
Ross Hopkins and Kylie Woods won their respective 100km races while Stephanie Auston and Simon Neale took out the 50km events.
The sixth Surf Coast Century saw more than 1100 competitors from across Australia and overseas run a gruelling off-road course along the beaches, 4WD tracks and hinterland trails.
Hopkins, 38, crossed the line in 8.43.31.
“You’ve just got to hang in there, and you never know what could happen, you know, it’s a long way, so you’ve just got to keep chipping away, and keep grinding,” the Mansfield runner said.
After leading for much of the race, first-time 100km-runner Joosep Tammamae of Estonia finished runner-up in 8:56:27, and Ryan Cross (Eastwood, Victoria) took third in 9:08:00.
“Ryan and Joosep set a cracking pace to start with,” Hopkins said.
“The other two boys started to suffer through the course, and I was feeling good on the back half, so yeah it was a good outcome.”
In her second appearance at the Surf Coast Century, Kylie Woods maintained her lead throughout to win in 10 hours, 5.20.12 ahead of Nicole Paton.
“I didn’t beat my last year’s time, but I felt so tired in Leg 3 today,” the 43-year-old said. “I was just wanting to make it to the end, and I did so that’s awesome.”
“Seeing my family out on the course, my husband, my two kids, and my Mum was so awesome, and of course the spectacular scenery, and all the other runners out there encouraging one another.”
International runner Angelique Plaire of Noumea rounded out the women’s podium in 10:23:59.
