Floyd Aubrey
11-year-old Floyd “Cookie” Aubrey beat the rest of the field home in Sunday’s inaugural Cherbourg Reconciliation Fun Run
Cherbourg athlete Larissa Chambers, 18, is more used to shorter runs … she’s heading off to the United States in July for the World Junior Championships where she’ll run in the 100 metres; she recently competed at the Australian Junior Championships in Sydney where she came second in the 1oo metres and 200 metres and won the 400 metres

April 28, 2014

More than 300 runners and walkers took part in the inaugural Cherbourg Reconciliation Fun Run on Sunday morning.

The event, which has been in the planning for more than six months, covered a 7km trek from the Murgon Showgrounds to Cherbourg.

Cherbourg Road was closed for two hours to allow participants to complete the course in safety.

Three “reviver” stations spread along the route supplied bottled water and orange slices.

The Fun Run was a fundraiser for Cherbourg’s Ration Shed Museum but its main purpose was to promote reconciliation.

It drew support from both the Cherbourg and South Burnett councils, dozens of volunteers and Reconciliation Queensland.

Runners and walkers began assembling at the Murgon Showgrounds well before the appointed starting time of 8:00am for last-minute registrations, and to collect their caps and wrist-bands.

South Burnett Deputy Mayor Cr Keith Campbell welcomed guests before Joe Kirk, a former Cherbourg resident who now lives in Brisbane, opened the event by performing a Welcome To Country.

Cr Kathy Duff read out a special message from Aboriginal Affairs Minister Glen Elmes and Cherbourg pastor Willie Moses blessed the event.

Special guest athlete, former NRL star Petero Civoniceva, led the runners out of the grounds but was almost instantly overtaken by a horde of young runners who set a breakneck pace along Perkins Street and Cherbourg Road.

However many of the older participants elected to walk in a leisurely way and were cheered to the finish line by the waiting crowd outside Cherbourg’s Ration Shed Museum.

Once there, participants and guests were treated to lunch,  musical entertainment on stage, a performance by the Wakka Wakka junior dancers; and many stalls offering everything from free health checks to souvenirs.

First across the line was 11-year-old St Joseph’s student Floyd Aubrey, closely followed by adult runners Craig Kapernick, from Cloyna, and Michael McKinnon, from Brisbane.

The first female home was Angie Knight, from Maryborough.

The first three runners across the line … Craig Kapernick (2nd), Floyd Aubrey (1st) and Michael McKinnon (3rd)
Waiting at the finish line for their runners were Ross Anderson, from Ipswich, whose wife Elaine was taking part; and Janet Meredith, from Tewantin, who daughter Fiona was running
Sienna Mickelo
Sienna Mickelo, 16, from Murgon, ran dressed as a storm trooper and won a prize for her effort

Sienna Mickelo
Sienna Mickelo receives her prize from special guest runner Petero Civoniceva

2014 Cherbourg Reconciliation Fun Run Winners

1. First Adult Male – Craig Kapernick
2. First Adult Female – Angela Knight
3. First Primary Student (Male) – Floyd Aubrey
4. First Primary Student (Female) – Riley Priaulx
5. First Secondary Student (Male) – Ben Nicholson
6. First Secondary Student (Female) – Isabella Strauss
7. First Senior Male Over 60 – Norman Harwood
8. First Senior Female Over 60 – Angela Clarke
9. Best Dressed Individual – Sienna Mickelo (Storm Trooper)
10. School With The Most Participating Students – Cherbourg State School
11. First To Register – Cynthia Speedy
12. Most Courageous – Alana Purcell
13. Oldest Runner – Aunty Sarah Glenbar
14. Family Participation Prize – The Bowie family

Angela Knight
Angela Knight, from Maryborough, was the first female runner across the line

Norman Harwood
Norman Harwood, from Kilkivan, was the first senior male over 60 to finish

Floyd Aubrey
Floyd Aubrey, 11, from Murgon, was first over the line and the first male primary student

Isabella Strauss
Isabella Strauss, from Kingaroy, was the first female secondary student 

Riley Priaulx
Riley Priaulx, from Kingaroy, was the first female primary student to finish …

Ben Nickolson
… and Ben Nicholson, 14, from Murgon, was the first male secondary student
Alana Purcell
The award for the Most Courageous participant went to Alana Purcell who completed the course from Murgon to Cherbourg in her wheelchair
The Bowie family won the ‘Family Participation’ prize

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Video by Creative Tracks:

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More Fun Run Photos:

(Click on each to expand)

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