In  a field of 45 runners,    the 39-year-old Jackson overtook a gallant frontmarker in Ricky Markham in the last kilometre  to record his best victory in  of 69 minutes and 45 seconds.

Earlier this month Jackson finished fifth in his age grouping in the Busselton Half  Ironman event in Western Australia.

A Launceston Running Club veteran of 30 years, Markham, 58, led for most of the race and held on to finish second, with a determined Shaun O’Regan putting in a strong run for third.

The race highlight, however, was Beechford runner David Thomas eclipsing his own race record time from last year and becoming the first runner to break the 53-minute barrier in the 41-year history of the event with his time of 52:59.

This year’s race boasted Tasmania’s best two distance runners in Thomas and Launceston’s Kate Pedley, who last weekend won the City to Casino race in Hobart.

Pedley was just outside her best time of 61:06 and the women’s race record but still recorded the second-fastest women’s time ever, finishing in 61:34.

Race director Peter Miller said the closest finish of the day was between Paul Wright and Robyn Beattie for fifth and sixth place, with Wright catching Beattie right on the line.

Kurt Geier, number 15 on the  all-time fastest list from 1981 and Richard Pickup, No. 16 in 1978, turned back the clock by finishing 17th and 12th respectively in performances that  belied their age.

Fastest times – Men: Dave Thomas 52.29,  Jonno Claridge 62.52, Austin O’Byrne 68.27 and Aaron Hart 68.42. Women: Kate Pedley 61.34, Amy Lamprecht 69.49, Deb Pauna 74.34 and Jessica Jones 78.19.