Strong field for 50-mile race

Press, 17 April 1980, Page 34

Strong field for 50-mile race

By

GLENN HASZARD

Four of the tap six finishers in last year’s New Brighton 50 mile race around Christchurch have entered for the event again this year. Don Mitchell (Q.E. Athletic), who was second last year to Australia’s Tom Gillis after leading all the way only to be- passed in the last few kilometres, will be a leading contender again in Saturday’s race. However, a strong challenge is expected from Denis O’Keefe (St Martins), who was Only eight minutes behind Mitchell last year in a time of shr 47min 50s, and won the Symon and Lowther 100 km event in October. O’Keefe has raced consistently in marathons and other road races, and will be unlikely to let Mitchell slip too far ahead of him this year. A big threat to the leaders could be Dave Kennedy, who made his long-distance running debut with a fine second in the 1977 100 km race, and followed that up with a fifth in the 1978 New Brighton 50. Kennedy has moved from Marlborough to live in Christchurch. . Another contender is lan Worters (Toe H), a veteran runner who likes to be near the front in most of his races and proved his ability at distance running with a fourth place in last year’s 100 km race.

The race will start outside the Canterbury Savings Bank in Seaview Road, New Brighton, at 7 a.m. and will follow a clockwise course around the outskirts of Christchurch. Entries will be accepted on the day, and about 30 runners are expected to start. The race is organised by the Road Runners Committee of the Canterbury Centre of the Amateur Athletic Association.