Austin wins Pier '50’

Press, 17 April 1978, Page 17

Austin wins Pier '50 ’

The St Martins club runner, Austin, fulfilled his earlier and all the expectations of his supporters with a magnificent win in New Zealand’s toughest long distance race, the Brighton Pier 50-mile champion ship, from an international class field on Saturday. Austin was in a class of his own on the day and lead from start to finish in spite of a courageously fast first 10 miles. He improved on his third place time last year by about 50min. to come home in shr 36min 17sec.

The two top Australian 50 milers, Tom Gillis and Don Keys* seeker, both of Sydney, took second and third. Both recorded their personal best times. Invited by the Long Distance Club of New Zealand, they turned on a fine competitive race for the minor placings, which helped to make the race the closest and most exciting of any since the first was held 17 years before.

The defending champion. Stewart Hill (Technical), ran a splendidly judged tactical race to come through strongly over the last third of the journey to take fourth. The race favourite and New Zealand 100-mile champion John Hughes withdrew. Dave Kennedy, of Blenheim, ran well in spite of getting off course, to take fifth in a personal best time. Bob Forsyth (New Brighton)), made an impressive return to distance running to take a meri-

torious sixth placing, finishing his first 50. Hughes sportingly started in spite of a bad virus infection He was vomiting violently at 27 riiles and pulled out soon afterwards. Don Cameron, a former winner of the “50,” developed a leg injury during Saturday's rave, and rather than risk serious dis-i ablement by aggravating the in-1 jury, he wisely decided to with-: draw. Alby Kiwi, running his third: "50.” capitalised on his fit condi- i tion gained during his recent 1380-mile run through New Zealand, to improve his last year's time by more than two hours. The race produced a number: of records. There were 32 starters and 22 finishers. Of these II were first time 50 milers. And eight runners, including Hie first five home, ran their personal best times. A record of 11 runners finished under seven hours. ( The Leith iDunedin) club athlete, Dale Fincham, running his first 50-mile race at the age of 1 67. became the oldest man to complete this event. Showing the same tenacity as when he com-l pleted the Mount Hutt 26-mile marathon only three weeks be ! fore, he finished looking com paratively fresh. He looked about 20 years younger than his age and without a grey hair in; his head. John Drew of the Veterans' Athletic Club completed his| eighth Brighton 50 out of nine starts — also a record for the event. Susan Young, of the New Brighton Club, the only woman entrant, became the first woman veteran athlete to complete this event. Showing the courage and determination which won her! the Canterbury women’s marathon title, she had to battle with i severe stress in the latter stages.: Yet she ran her fastest over the last mile and came in laughing. The usual number of inexperienced starters went off too fast i and had to pull out. But among, the first time finishers there was some excellent pace judgment. 1 An example was that of Rod Rutherford (Toe H) and Lex: Blair (United). Running together’ they battled through some tough patches of stress between 30 and 40 miles yet they came through [well towards the end. They

raced their fasteM over the final five miles to break eight hours b> tlie narrow margin of 55sec It was the first time the Toe H club had finishe's in the 50. Three runners completed the race and lan Worters shared the troph.x for first veteran home with Harry Mat'duet of St Martins. Peter Cant <St Martins* who made a late start, used the race as a training outing for the huge annual 50 miles Comrades marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in which he will compete on May 31. Last year the i Comrades attracted 2000 runners. Maintaining the reputation as Canterbury’s premier long distance club, the St Martins club won the teams trophy and entered the largest number of runners from among 12 clubs represented in tl?e race. The winning performance of ; Austin was the more remarkable since he had not lullv ’•ecovered from a recent severe viral attack. This took toll of him in the last 10 miles i but he battled through in 81 j minutes. i Austin went through the 10 miles in 62min 30sec. half a 'minute ahead of Hushes and 'Kennedy with the Australians together going through in 64min 59sec. At about 12 miles Hrghes and i Kennedy were misdirected bv a •bxstander and went off course (down Sparks Road. The loss of distance and the emotional shock cost them dearly. At 30 miles there were st»ll ,26 left in the race. Austin arrived at this point in 3hr 7min. Kevssecker had by then made a break on Gillis of nearly a minute and was 10 minutes i behind Austin. Hill had moved up by then lo fifth afte»- lying in fourteenth place earlier In I the race. Still running in second place Kevssecker had the lead oxer Gillis in a grim battle for the ‘next 11 miles. Then at 41 miles Gillis took over. Responding with courage to some stern talking from his second Jack Tavlor. Gillis increased his lead to beat Kevssecker . home by sex en minutes. Both were delighted xxith their j runs. Gillis improved his previous best time by 5 minutes and

Key Meeker bx about ?0 mlnut** Shovxmg courage and jud.e meut. Hill increased his pace oxer the last 10 miles to take fourth in front ot a formidable opponent in Daxld Kennedy. He improved his last years xxinning time b.x about txxo minutes

llie Australian xiaitors praised the course as the best they had run on as xxell as the organise tion of the race under the joint control of the Long Distance Runners Club of Neu Zealand and the Canterbury Road Runners Association.

The race started at 7 am from the New Brighton Mall and followed a course round the i perimeter of the suburbs. A big crowd clapped the runners when they finished in the Nexx Brich ton Mall at ti»e heigM of tne {Saturday shopping period. The weather was ideal for the race and continued into the exciting fine and mild xxheh about 206 attended a torch light :ha ng i given bx the Nev Brighton Athletic Chib at the dub I headquarters in Keys Road when jthe race co-ordinator, Mr Jack Tax lor. presented the prices. The Citizens Hand Radio Specialists provided nrogre«s reports on the race to the rare headquarters and to the new* .media. Thc\ provided welcome assistance xxith lead cars as well ias bringing up the rear and helping tn divert runners at the back of the field l Results:— M. Austin (St Martins'. 5:36.16. 1: T. Gillis .Australia*. 5:44.32. 2; D. Keyssecker • Australia), 15:51.30, 3; S. H<ll (Technical!. 6:12.04. 4- D. Kennedy «Blen heimt. 6:27.43. 5; Bob Foravth (New Brighton*. 6:28 45. 6: I. Workers (Toe Hl. 6:36.06. 7 H. Marauet (St Martins*. 6:36 06. 8: W. Rouse 'St Martins*. 6.46:50. 9: D O'Keefe <St Martins 1 . 6:47:10. 10; R. Buchanan ‘Cashmere*. 16:47:45. 11: A Hadlex Neu i Brighton). 7:15:27. 12- I. Good.hew (Olvmpiei, 7.17:26, 18; J. {Penny <To< H*. 7 22:57. 14; P. 'Cant (St Martins*. 7:27.51. 15; A. (Kiwi (Army), 7:35-10 16: G. Wright ‘Rovers*. 7:54-40. 17; L. Rlair (United). 7:59:05. 18; R. Rutherford *Tor IL. 7:59:05. I®. ID. Fineham Leith*. 9:23:40. 20. S. I Young *N’exx Brighton). 9.48:09. 21; J. Drew (Veterans*. 9:48 08. 22.