Adrian Panozzo - Winner of the 2006 AC Mitchell Memorial Handicap (4mile, Mt Kembla) -

The AC Mitchell Memorial Trophy

Presented to the winner on handicap of the nominated 4 mile event at Mt Kembla. In memory of former KJ Roy Mitchell's father and donated to the club by Roy in 1977.

"Early in the formative years of the Kembla Joggers we ran and organised races without trophies or prizes. There was no money in the club coffers and it was unlikely that we would ever have any. However around 1977 Roy Mitchell, who I introduced to running at 58 years of age, asked me if he could donate a trophy in memory of his father AC Mitchell. Before the words were even out of his mouth I had him at the trophy manufacturers. And so a shield was produced with the inscription 'A.C.Mitchell Memorial Trophy'. As this was our first ever trophy it rapidly became full and Roy was approached a few years ago about having it enlarged but he insisted on another shield similar to the first. I only wish there were more philanthropists like Roy around. Now the winner of this popular event takes home two shields – the old and the new. Incidentally, Roy went on to contest 10 City to Surf's culminating in his participation in a Kembla Joggers over 60 team which gained a placing. Many thanks Roy." ...Bill Williamson

The 4 mile event at Mt Kembla has a long and proud history within the club as one of the original KJ events. The race is held on a simple out and back course along the bitumen section of road with the turn-around just past the gate where the dirt road begins. Although the course has fundamentally never changed, Bill claims that the original course 'started and finished closer to the cattle-grid' and that the turn-around point was 'a few extra yards up the road'. With this in mind we can only admire the times set by the original KJs in the 70's and early 80's some of which still stand today as age-group records or top-10 performances.

During the 90's the trophy has been decided on the new 7km course which incorporates much of the old 4 mile course but deviates along the pumpstation road and then onto the dirt road for a short distance. This wasn't by choice but due mainly to Waterboard requests to avoid running through the Dam village. In 1995 it was held on a temporary 7km course from Kembla Heights Bowling Club when access to our Mt Kembla courses was restricted altogether.

Like most of our trophies, the shield is awarded to first home on handicap (with some strings attached) – presently you must have run in at least 3 recent events. The list of previous winners reveals some still familiar faces within the KJs including Kerryn Hindmarsh (now McCann) who won in 1978 at 11 years of age in a PB time of 28.03. The winner of the inaugural event was local soccer player Andrew Campbell.

A C Mitchell Trophy Winners: