| King of the Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Foot race up Mount Cooroora |
| Date(s) | Third week in July |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | Stan Topper Park |
| Location(s) | Pomona |
| Coordinates | 26°21′59″S152°51′15″E / 26.3663°S 152.8543°E |
| Country | Australia |
| Years active | 1 September 1979 (Revived) |
| Inaugurated | 27 June 1959 (First race) |
| Founder | Bruce Samuels Barry Webb |
| Previous event | 24 July 2022 |
| Next event | 23 July 2023 |
| Website | kingofthemountain |
The King of the Mountain is an annual mountain climb race held in Pomona, in the Australian state of Queensland and organised by the Cooroy-Pomona Lions Club. Since its first formal race in 1959 following a bet in the Railway Hotel in 1958, the race has become a local holiday involving the district schools and a carnival like atmosphere. [1]
The original course was from the Railway Hotel (now demolished) to the top of Mount Cooroora and back. The 1979-2021 course went from the ANZ Bank to the top and back. The 2022-Present course is 1km longer but still starts from the old ANZ Bank building. [1] [2]
In 1958, Bruce Samuels, a local footballer and railway porter in the town ran to the top of Mount Cooroora as a hangover cure. [2] After being called out, a timed run was held on 22 March 1958 with Samuels completing the run in 40 minutes. In 1959, Brisbane local Barry Webb took up the challenge and completed it in 35:00. On 27 June 1959, the first formal race was held with Frank Mainwaring taking the title with a time of 31:51. [1]
As part of the festival, the inter-school relay is held on the morning of the race on the road surrounding Stan Topper Park. Some schools also partake in the inter-school tug-o-war competition. [3]
The following schools participate:
Bruce Samuels completed a timed run in 1958 to prove it was possible with a time of 35:00. Barry Webb was the first to take up the challenge in 1959 with a time of 40:00, shortly after that on 27 June 1959, Frank Mainwaring took the title in the first formal race involving 5 competitors. [1]
| Year | Name (male) | Time | Name (female) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Bruce Samuels | 35:00 | ||
| 1959 | Barry Webb | 40:00 | ||
| 1959 | Frank Mainwaring | 31:51 | ||
| 1960 | Ken Fullerton | 29:44 | ||
| 1979 | George Fewtrell | 26:14 | Anne Daly | (not recorded) |
| 1980 | George Fewtrell | 26:25 | ||
| 1981 | George Fewtrell | 26:03 | Bernadette Evans | 45:25 |
| 1982 | George Fewtrell | 26:13 | Anne Daly | 33:11 |
| 1983 | George Fewtrell | 24:51 | Bernadette Evans | 38:43 |
| 1984 | George Fewtrell | 25:42 | Anne Daly | 31:32 |
| 1985 | Graham Barralet | 23:27 | Rosalie Hyland | 31:37 |
| 1986 | Barry Posser | 23:48 | Maureen Lawson | 30:48 |
| 1987 | Graham Barralet | 22:50 | Suzy Walsham | 30:04 |
| 1988 | Barry Posser | 22:53 | Sue Malaxos | 27:48 |
| 1989 | Graham Barralet | 22:55 | Maureen Lawson | 29:53 |
| 1990 | Graham Barralet | 23:20 | Lynette Gordon | 32:07 |
| 1991 | Graham Barralet | 23:13 | Lynette Gordon | 31:13 |
| 1992 | Barry Posser | 24:32 | Lynette Gordon | 31:34 |
| 1993 | Barry Posser | 25:14 | Kim Beckinsale | 30:53 |
| 1994 | Barry Posser | 24:04 | Meagan Burton | 28:55 |
| 1995 | Matthew Kaluder | 24:45 | Meagan Burton | 29:09 |
| 1996 | Aaron Strong | 28:18 | Meagan Burton | 34:37 |
| 1997 | Aaron Strong | 23:27 | Meagan Burton | 29:30 |
| 1998 | Matthew Kaluder | 24:45 | Corallea Edwards | 31:14 |
| 1999 | Barry Posser | 24:46 | Terri Kolb | 33:40 |
| 2000 | Anthony Smith | 24:36 | Corallea Edwards | 31:43 |
| 2001 | Aaron Strong | 25:02 | Meagan Edhouse | 30:34 |
| 2002 | Michael Wakelin | 24:13 | Corallea Edwards | 31:04 |
| 2003 | Chris Morrissey | 24:25 | Kim Beckinsale | 31:01 |
| 2004 | Michael Wakelin | 24:13 | Kim Beckinsale | 31:10 |
| 2005 | Chris Morrissey | 24:39 | Hubertien Wichers | 31:04 |
| 2006 | Neil Labinsky | 24:25 | Hubertien Wichers | 30:45 |
| 2007 | Neil Labinsky | 23:54 | Hubertien Wichers | 31:36 |
| 2008 | Neil Labinsky | 22:56 | Hubertien Wichers | 30:37 |
| 2009 | Neil Labinsky | 22:43 | Maree Stephensen | 29:05 |
| 2010 | Neil Labinsky | 23:38 | Maree Stephensen | 28:17 |
| 2011 | Neil Labinsky | 24:16 | Hubertien Wichers | 32:38 |
| 2012 | Neil Labinsky | 24:20 | Demelsa Murrihy | 32:56 |
| 2013 | Ben Duffus | 24:22 | Helen Roundtree | 28:55 |
| 2014 | Ben Duffus | 23:47 | Kim Beckinsale | 31:11 |
| 2015 | Hayden Wilde | 25:42 | Leslie Saunders | 33:14 |
| 2016 | Mark Bourne | 23:53 | Leslie Saunders | 31:19 |
| 2017 | Mark Bourne | 24:36 | Ruby Muir | 27:49 |
| 2018 | Ben Duffus | 23:30 | Meg Reeves | 30:47 |
| 2019 | Boaz Clark | 26:30 | Reesha Lewis | 29:49 |
| 2020 | Race cancelled due to COVID-19 | |||
| 2021 | Jorge Hernaez Navarro | 27:11 | Leslie Saunders | 33:04 |
| 2022 | Mark Bourne | 31:24 | Lee Cleary | 40:39 |
| 2023 | Jorge Hernaez Navarro | 31:15 | Ange Harries | 40:22 |
Australian band, Midnight Oil, created a theme song for the event when in 1990 they released a single about the race by the same name, King of the Mountain. Although many people think the song is a reference to Peter Brock and the Bathurst 1000 held at Mount Panorama, drummer Rob Hirst confirmed the song is actually inspired by the footrace up Mount Cooroora and the surrounding natural beauty and unique history of the Noosa hinterland. [6] [7]
Ekiden (駅伝) is a long-distance running multi-stage relay race, mostly held on roads.
Cooroy is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Cooroy had a population of 3,791 people.
The Shire of Noosa is a local government area about 130 kilometres (81 mi) north of Brisbane in the Sunshine Coast district of South East Queensland, Australia. The shire covers an area of 870 square kilometres (335.9 sq mi). It existed as a local government entity from 1910 until 2008, when it was amalgamated with the Shire of Maroochy and City of Caloundra to form the Sunshine Coast Region. The shire was re-established on 1 January 2014. In the 2021 census, the shire had a population of 56,298 people.
Noosa District State High School is a twin campus high school based in Cooroy and Pomona in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia.
Pomona is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Pomona had a population of 2,910 people. Pomona is located around 135 kilometres north of Brisbane. It is located at the base of Mount Cooroora at the northern end of the Sunshine Coast.
Cooroy railway station is a heritage-listed railway station at 14 Myall Street, Cooroy, Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It is on the North Coast railway line serving the town of Cooroy. It was designed by the Office of the Chief Engineer of Queensland Rail and built in 1890 by Fitzwilliam Williams. It opened on 17 July 1891 with the opening of the line from Cooran. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 14 August 2008.
Pomona railway station is a railway station on Factory Street, Pomona, Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It is on the North Coast railway line serving the town of Pomona. It was designed by the Office of the Chief Engineer of Queensland Rail and built and opened in 1891 by Fitzwilliam Williams. Originally called Pinbarren Siding from 1891, the location was renamed to Pinbarren railway station in 1897 and then to its current name Pomona railway station in 1900.
Sport in New South Wales describes participation in and attendance at organised sports events in the state of New South Wales in Australia. Sport forms an integral part of the culture of the state.
Eumundi is a rural town and locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Eumundi had a population of 2,221 people.
Cooran is a rural hinterland town and locality in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Cooran had a population of 1,624 people.
Federal is a rural locality in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Federal had a population of 303. It is located in the Sunshine Coast hinterland near the towns of Cooran and Pomona.
Eerwah Vale is a locality split between the Sunshine Coast Region and Shire of Noosa, both in Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Eerwah Vale had a population of 621 people.
Hakone Ekiden (箱根駅伝), officially called the Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race, is one of the most prominent university ekiden races of the year held between Tokyo and Hakone in Japan on January 2 and 3. The race is telecast on Nippon Television.
Mount Cooroora is located west of the town of Pomona in the Noosa hinterland, Queensland, Australia. The peak is a 439 metres high intrusive volcanic plug and is the highest point and main feature of the Tuchekoi National Park. The former Electoral district of Cooroora was named after the mountain.
Cooroora Masonic Temple is a heritage-listed community hall at 9 Station Street, Pomona, Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1923. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 12 December 2003.
The Pomona Police Station and Court House is a heritage-listed former police station at Red Street, Pomona, Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1934. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 27 May 2005.
Rai Benjamin is an American professional hurdler and sprinter specializing in the 400 m and 400 m hurdles. He is the second fastest man in history in the 400 m hurdles with a personal best time of 46.17 s. Benjamin won silver medals at his first Olympic Games in 2021 and at the World Championships in 2019 and 2022 in the men's 400 m hurdles, and gold medals in the 4 × 400 m relay in 2019 and 2021.
"King of the Mountain" is a song by Australian rock band Midnight Oil released in 1990 as the third single from their album Blue Sky Mining. It peaked at No. 25 on the Australian Singles Chart, No. 3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Chart and No. 20 on the Billboard Album Rock Chart.
Yurol railway station is a former railway station at on Elm Street, Cooroy, Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It is on the North Coast railway line serving the area of Yurol. It was designed by the Office of the Chief Engineer of Queensland Rail and upgraded by the Department of Railways including a siding and level crossing in 1915 following its original construction in 1912 with significant input from the Noosa Council. Originally called Thorley's Siding it was renamed to Yurol Siding in 1915 and was equipped with interlocking gear and used as a Telegraph station.
Tuchekoi National Park is a national park in Queensland, Australia. It is situated to the west and south-west of Pomona in the Noosa hinterland.