2015 Results

The twelfth annual Great Wheelbarrow Race which finished on Sunday has raised a jaw-dropping $243,300 for charity, making the total raised in the past two years well over the one million dollar mark.

“That is a magnificent result and a great effort. The event is unique in that it benefits all the communities along the Wheelbarrow Way, while catering to so many different charities,” organising committee chairman Councillor Nipper Brown said.

“We had 54 teams enter this year, and added a social category, which had ten teams enter. When we totalled up the funds raised, again we were blown away by the outcome.”

“And the icing on the cake is that this year’s event was conducted in high spirits by everyone who took part and everyone pulled up pretty healthy in the end.”

Councillor Brown said the three-day event, which took competitors from Mareeba to Chillagoe in the footsteps of the district’s pioneers, had set an extremely high benchmark.

“Even the weather held out,” he said.

The competitive side of the event saw outstanding efforts turned in..

“We had records set all over the place. In the overall category the Bad Boys broke the overall record by 49 minutes, coming in to Chillagoe in 6hrs.25mins.44sec,” he said.

“The High school category record was broken by Nudgee College in a time of 7hrs.08mins.45sec, averaging a cracking 20 kilometres per hour and breaking the record by 11 minutes,” Cr Brown said.

I have to commend all of the competitors, their support teams, event volunteers and the organising committee.”

“Much of the preparation goes unseen but this weekend has shown the benefits of all the training, planning and organisation that has consumed so much time in the preceding weeks and months.”

“Dimbulah has a small population but on the Friday night they had more than 1000 people stay there. And then on Saturday night Almaden, with a population measured in two digits, had a similar population explosion,” he said.

“The benchmark has now been set at a very high level for next year’s race but I am sure the region is up to the challenge,” Cr Brown said.

A DVD of this year’s massive event is in production and will be available for purchase shortly from Studio Productions in Cairns.

Results included:

• Charity fundraisers:  winner – Wheelie Mad Women $72,000
• Best theme: winner – Cowboy Ducks
• Talent Quest: winner – Bad Boys
• Ladies teams: winner – Easier said Than Run
• Mixed teams: winner – Racing for Freedom
• Men’s teams: winner – Bad Boys
• Over 40s: winner – 72 Models
• High Schools: winner – Nudgee College
• Services: winner – Termites (Army)
• Duo: winner – 2 Lone Bucks
• Solo male: winner – Joshua Priestly
• Overall winning team: winner – The Bad Boys

Race records:

• Category – Mens – Bad Boys – Time – 6hrs:25min:44secs – Record gap – 49min:33sec – Old Record set – 2013 by The Fit Bucks.
• Category – Duo (Female) – Blister Sisters – ( Tracy Marcel / Billie Fincham) Time – 13hrs:53min:25secs – Record gap – 46min:39sec Old Record set – 2012 by Bitumen Bee-Arches (Sonya Alba-Miller / Stephanie Inderbizen).
• Category – Duo – 2 Lone Bucks (Charlton Best / David Moreno) – Time – 10hrs:39min:10secs – Record gap – 14min:20sec – Old Record Set – 2014 by The Lonely Jokers (Samuel Lewis / Lennon Colclough).
• Category – Schools – Nudgee College – Time – 7hrs:08min:45secs – Record gap – 10min:57sec Old Record set – 2010 by Road Warriors (Mareeba SHS).
• Category – Over 40’s – 72 Model – Time – 8hrs:56min:59secs – Record gap –  7min:00sec Old Record set – 2014 by 72 Model.
• New Category – Social – Time – 9hrs:06min:05secs.

Final Results by category can be viewed here Final results category

Final Results overall can be viewed here Final results overall