Australians Expected to Feature in Adidas Auckland Marathon

24 October 2012, 1:47PM
Athletics New Zealand

Former Australian marathon champion Rowan Walker looks set to stamp his authority on the adidas Auckland marathon this Sunday.

The 42 year old former Australian Navy officer has built up an impressive record over the past two years, starting with a third in the 2010 Melbourne marathon. He finished in a personal best time of 2h 18m 1s and as he was the first Australian he collected the Aussie title.
During 2011 he was first in the Canberra marathon in 2h 24m 14s, seventh in the Gold Coast marathon in 2h 20m 25s and fifth in the Melbourne marathon in 2h 21m 42s. His most recent outing over the classic 42.2km distance was second in the Great Ocean Road Marathon five months ago in 2h 21m 49s.
Challenging Walker will be marathon rookie Dave Ridley from Christchurch and Auckland’s Scott Winton. The 24 year old Ridley has a half marathon time of 1h 10m 53s from last year’s Christchurch event and in August was third in the Canterbury 10km road championships in 32m 29s. Winton (38) has a best marathon time of 2h 16m 31s recorded in Hamburg in 2008. He has also run 2h 17m 1s in London in 2005 and 2h 17m 14s in Toronto in 2007. He competed in the marathon at the 2005 Helsinki world championships. Winton won the Auckland marathon in 2003 and the Auckland half marathon in 2002 and 2006 and was New Zealand 10km road champion in 2006 and 2007.
The New Zealand marathon championships are incorporated into the event this year and Ridley and Winton will be chasing their first national marathon title. Also entered in the championship are Nick Pannett 2h 43m 38s in the 2009 Auckland race and Nick Portas 2h 43m 39s on the Gold Coast in July.
An Australian double is on the cards with 34 year old Anita Keem favourite for the women’s race. Keem was seventh and being the first Australian in the Gold Coast marathon in July in 2h 42m 43s collected the Australian title. She also has a half marathon time of 1h 18m 22s in 2009 to her credit.
Chasing Keem will be 2008 Olympian Liza Hunter-Galvan winner of the Christchurch marathon for the past two years in 2h 45m 31s last year and 2h 45m 42s in June. The 43 year old also won the Rotorua marathon in April in 2h 46m 23s.
Others in the field vying for a podium placing are 49 year old Sally Gibbs of Tauranga, who set a New Zealand masters 45-49 record of 2h 41m 15s in finishing one place ahead of Keem in the Gold Coast marathon. Gibbs will be keen to add the national marathon title to the senior 10,000m title won earlier this year. Gibbs also won the Huntly half marathon in May in a personal best 1h 17m 46s. Alexandra Williams of Christchurch ran a personal best 2h 45m 19s for ninth at Gold Coast and could challenge for the national title. Candice Hammond (27) a former rower turned triathlete won the New Plymouth half ironman in February in record time. Sarah Coghlan twice third in the 60km Kepler Challenge. Shireen Crumpton (42) and Melissa Norris (43) are also entered. Crumpton won the 2008 Gold Coast marathon in 2h 38m 16s and has a half marathon time of 1h 14m 5s from Gold Coast in 2009. Norris was 10th in the 2010 Melbourne marathon in 2h 53m 20s.

A top class field has entered the half marathon. Kenyan Edwin Kaitany is expected to continue his winning way in the half having won every event in New Zealand this year. He topped the Wellington, Rotorua, Huntly, Christchurch and Waitakere half marathons as well as winning the New Zealand cross country and road championship races. Jono Jackson second at Kerikeri last year in 1h 8m 9s, Steven O’Callaghan fifth in Christchurch in 2008 in 1h 7m 37s, Johnny McKee second in Huntly in 2008 in 1h 9m 13s, Kyle Macdonald third in Huntly in 2008 in 1h 9m 13s, Liam Scopes seventh in the New Zealand championships last year in 1h 12m 0s, Matt Dravitzki 2005 and 2009 national marathon champion and Malcolm Hicks who ran 5000m in 13m 47.14s in July should ensure a close race.

The women’s half marathon is equally strong with Lisa Robertson, national half marathon champion and Auckland marathon winner last year, expected to battle out the honours with 2011 national champion Danielle Ingram-Trevis. Robertson has a best time of 1h 14m 22s from a third placing at Gold Coast in July and Ingram-Trevis’ best is 1h 13m 8s in winning the Auckland race in 2010. Maria Bentley 2010 national half marathon champion and fifth on the Gold Coast in 2010 in 1h 16m 54s is also expected to feature in the front running along with quarter marathon winner for the last three years Fiona Crombie of Christchurch. Crombie has a best half time of 1h 15m 52s from third in Christchurch in 2009. Jane Hansom (43) from the UK, in Auckland for the world triathlon championships where she finished 12th in the W40-44 age group Olympic distance triathlon, has decided to stay on for the half marathon. Hansom was 49th in last year’s New York marathon in 2h 58m 1s and in the London marathon this year was 41st in 2h 58m 17s.

Brett Tingay winner of the quarter marathon for the past three years will be challenged for the quarter title this year by Sam Dobson.

The marathon starts from King Edward Parade in Devonport at 6.10am, the half marathon from King Edward Parade at 7.00am, the quarter marathon from Gaunt Street City at 6.45am and 5km challenge from Sarsfield Street Herne Bay at 9.45am. All events finish in Fanshawe Street alongside Victoria Park. In total 16,500 runners have entered.

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