John Howard is Alpine iron man

Press, 4 October 1982, Page 48

John Howard is Alpine iron man

A 27-year-old Christchurch mountaineer. John Howard, has won the gruelling New Zealand alpine iron man contest in Wanaka for the second year in succession.

Howard won the alpine iron man trophy, together with the $lOOO first prize put up by the Christchurch firm. Mountain Equipment.

Yesterday's contest was very close between the top three competitors, with Howard shading a 19-year-old Otago University student. Jeremy Silva, by Imin 455. and the third place-getter. Sandy Sandblom (Christchurch). was another 41s back.

Howard wasted little time putting his imprint on the race. Starling at No. 22 he had passed 17 competitors (leaving at Imin intervals) by the top of the 500 m vertical climb up End Peak. By the end of the ski-ing section Howard, a self-em-ployed window cleaner, had moved right up to second place and he was first to the kayaks after the downhill running section. Silva, the winner of the schoolboys' section in 1981. was actually 30s faster than Howard up to the change of kayaks, but he lost his advantage in this section. According to the contest organiser. Mr Robin Judkins, Howard was extremely fit and very well equipped. Howard used cross-country skis, boots, and bindings and wore only a small day-pack. He skied without poles and. for the running section, carried his skis in his hands;

For second place Silva won the Wanaka Businessmen’s Trophy, a week's accommodation at T.H.C. Wanaka and a week’s ski-ing at Treble Cone.

Sandblom was the surprise of the contest with his third placing. He was the veterans' winner in 1980 and had recently returned from overseas. He and Howard are noted for their fast ascents and descents of mountains in New Zealand. Sandblom won a pair of Atomic skis, together with the Sandy Hazeldine "Never Again" Trophy and one dozen beer. The women's winner was Penny Webster, of Wellington. who also won that section last year. Her time of 2hr 24mi’n 52s was good enough for nineteenth place over all.

Brendon Thow, a pupil of St Peter’s College. Gore, performed very well for ninth place over ’all as well as winning the schoolboys’ section. He won the T. L. Beggs Trophy, a pair of Rossignol competition skis. $5O in prize money, and a bottle of Tequila.

Results: John Howard (Christchurch). Ihr 50min 465. 1; Jeremy Silva (Dunedin). 1:52.31. 2; Sandy Sandblom (Christchurch). 1:53 12. 3; Don Paterson (Christchurch). 1:57.14. 4; Jerry Rowley (Lake Haweai. 2.02.17.. 5; Tom Barrichello (Canada). 2:02.38. 6; Steve Sctirr (Wanaka). 2:06.16. 7: Neil Hartley (Dunedin). 2:11.49. 8: Brendon Thow (Gore). 2.12.117. 9: John Levitt (U.S.A). 2.12.31. 10. First veteran: Sandlom.

First schoolboy: Thow. First woman: Penny Webster Wellington. 2.24.52. 19 over all.)