Runner cuts race course more than half-dozen times during 100K

Organizers of an Australian ultramarathon estimate that one claimed finisher allegedly completed only 60-70 per cent of the necessary race distance.

In a seven-page report, Australia Day Ultra race director Ron McGlinn says that runner Mark Robson “was dishonest in claiming a completed 100K run when in my best estimates, he only completed 60-70K” at the Australind, Australia event. It’s believed that Robson cut the course, which includes 12.5K loops done eight times for the 100K, up to seven times, evident in his missing timing mat splits, according to the report.

RELATED: Ultrarunner DQ’d for faking laps at fixed time race.

According to McGlinn, the race director, Robson registered a split at the out-and-back point of each loop once on eight possible occasions. (The event uses electronic timing and splits are registered when the transponder crosses mats on course.)

According to the report, “a runner reported another competitor had seen Mr. Robson running behind him, and
then after the turnaround point noticed Mr. Robson was now significantly in front of him.” After the Jan. 19-20 race, Robson’s timing transponder was tested and it “worked perfectly under a simulated race test.”

When confronted after the 100K in an initial time of 9:34:27, and later DQ’d, Robson said, “I am not going to go through this again,” according to McGlinn.

On one particular lap, according to the report, “when Mr. Robson came in to complete his fourth lap time in 1:09:14, he crossed the timing mat and went to the toilet. He spent approximately five minutes in the toilet which accumulated towards his lap five time. He appeared to change clothes, and then took off to run lap five. This was his fastest lap in 1:02:02 for 12.5K which once again had no split measurement from the far aid station.”

According to an email reply from Robson to McGlinn in the report, Robson did not wear a GPS watch during the event and did not have any .gpx files that could support covering the entire race distance. News.com.au reports that Robson was “suspended for two years by Triathlon Australia in 2014 after an investigation found he had ‘engaged in deliberate and premeditated actions to gain an unfair advantage’ in several events between 2011 and 2013.”

The Australian reports that Robson hung up the phone when a journalist asked about the DQ adding that Robson allegedly hid “in bushes.”

The race director says he is investigating Robson’s past race results to see if any pattern of course-cutting exists. Robson is banned from future events.