NUMBERS for the Mount Panorama Punish are likely to be down this year, as the sixth edition of the event draws nearer.
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With current registrations clocking in at just under 600, organisers are projecting a total of 850 runners for the one hot lap around the Mount next month, down from last year's total of around 1000.
While numbers might be down, co-organiser Stephen Jackson is comfortable with the entries they're expecting.
"It seems to be down a bit on previous years, but every event around the place seems to have dropped off by about 20 per cent," he said.
"So we're quite comfortable with where the numbers are going."
He's put the drop in numbers down to a variety of reasons including the current economic crisis and the fact last year's Punish was the first one since 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
"I think what happened last year was the first year out of lockdown. Everybody wanted to get out and travel and do stuff and get out and about," he said.
"This year, interest rates are up. Everybody's done their travelling.
"It's all dropped off just that little bit. But we've still got the people that are well and truly locked in and coming along."
The three previous winners - Harry McGill (2022), Miller Rivett (2020) and David Criniti (2019) - are all expected to feature in next month's Punish.
Jackson believes Rivett has a good chance of becoming the first two-time winner, saying the teenager has come along in "leaps and bounds in the last 12 months" and is running "quite superbly".
He also cited the likes of Max Martinez, Nick Zawadski, Wes and Kelly Gibson and Amy Lamb as some of the other local hopefuls that have a chance of taking out the win.
"It's probably a tighter race if anything for the females. Half the field is female," Jackson said.
There'll be a dinner on October 21, the night before the race at Reckless Brewing, the Punish's new silver sponsor, alongside gold sponsor Raine and Horne.
People will be able to collect their bibs and merchandise at the Reckless Brewing event, however, this can be done before the race from 6.30-7am or at parkrun from 7-9am as well.
The 6.2km race will get underway from the track's pits at 8am on Sunday, October 22.
There'll be prizes for the first, second and third overall finisher in both male and female.
There'll also be prizes for King of the Mount (first to the top), Queen of the Mount (the female equivalent), Junior King of the Mount (11 years and under), Junior Queen of the Mount (11 years and under) and first and second place for both genders in 11 years and under, 12-14, 15-18, 19-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70 plus.
The most senior male and female finisher will also win a prize, alongside the mid-pack runners (who are closest to the average run time), fastest average team time (minimum four runners) and largest team.
Registrations are still open and can be done online at the Punish's website.
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