Surprise marathon winner

Press, 30 May 1983, Page 30

Surprise marathon winner

PA Auckland Alain Lazare, of New Caledonia, was the surprise winner of the Auckland International marathon in 2h 14 min 50s yesterday. Don Greig (Christchurch) finished second in 2h 15 min 29s and Kevin Ryan (Auckland) third in 2h 16 min 28s. Lazare, a city council secretary, aged 31, cut more than two minutes off his previous best.

Lazare, in the run back along Tamaki Drive to Quay Street, gathered in a tiring Greig and took the lead 3km from the finish. Greig and Ryan, back in Auckland for the race from his base in Boston, set out at an extremely fast pace, covering the first mile in 4 min 46s and the skm in 15 min 6s — a 2h 7 min 30s marathon pace. Lazare went through the skm in 15 min 565, followed 20s later by Murray Hunt (Hamilton), Bernie Walker (Varsity) and a large group headed by John Fittall, Shaun Hunt, Ray Brown, and Grahame Struthers. Both Greig and Ryan had said they were keen to clock 2h 12 min and were well on target to the half-way mark. Greig opened up a gap on Ryan at 10km which he extended to 16s at 15km, covered in 46 min 335. On the run under the Harbour Bridge, Ryan, who had been suffering from stomach cramp, began to make ground on Greig and caught him right on halfway in Ih 5 min 425. Ryan led briefly, but Greig took over again on the flat waterfront stretch. Greig, who had had only limited training, started to falter, however, and when Lazare finally went past he was unable to respond. Greig said that he had not done enough hill training and felt his thigh muscles did not respond well over the closing stages. Robin Hames, of Auckland, won the women’s section in 2h 48min 10s, four minutes slower than her winning time last year. Results: A. Lazare (New Caledonia), 2h 14 min 50s 1; D. Greig (Christchurch,), 2h 15 min 295; K. Ryan (U.S.A.), 2h 16min 28s, 3; B. Walker (Auckland University) 2h 21 min 535, 4; C. McLeod (Owairaka), 2h 22 min 325, 5; D. Sirl (N. 5.8. 2h 22 min 50s, 6; R. Brown (Manurewa) 2h 23 min 21s, 7; M. Hunt (CYM Hamilton), 2h 23 min 41s, 8; J. Voulanger (New Caledonia), 2h 23 min 425, 9; F. Smith ((Owairaka) 2h 24 min ss, 10. Women: R. Hames (Takapuna), 2h 48min 10s, 1; C. Raven (Wellsford), 2h 58 min 3s, 2; S. Mexted (Sunfresh, Pakuranga), 2h 59 min 255, 3; B. Fay (Australia) 3h 235, 4; S. Higgins (Owairaka) 3h 555, 5; T. Green (New Plymouth) 3h 1 min 48s, 6; C. Andrews (Y.M.C.A.), 3h 2 min 595, 7; S. Meyer (Sunfresh Pakuranga), 3h 3min 265, 8; C. Allen (Y.M.C.A.) 3h 3 min 455, 9; H. Gaeta (Calliope) 3h 6 min 15s, 10. Veteran men: Sirl 2h 22min 50s, 1; Smith 2h 24 min ss, 2; B. Magee (Wesley), 2h 29 min 295, 3; P. Bradley (Massey), 2h 33 min 555, 4; K. Pearce (Manurewa), 2h 34 min 48s, 5; G. Regtien (Takapuna), 2h 35 min Bs, 6. Veteran Women: Hames 2h 48 min 10s, 1; Fay 3h 235, 2; Andrews 3h 2 min 595, 3.