Running Tout has fine 100 km win

Press, 27 October 1986, Page 20

Running Tout has fine 100 km win

By JOHN DREW The talented Auckland ultra-distance runner, Richard -Tout, for the third time, decisively won the Swan. Special Light annual Port Hills 100 km road run on Saturday. His time was Bhr lOmin 12s.

Timaru’s top veteran long distance runner, John Souter, ran a strong, steady race for second.

Colin Martin distinguished himself by taking third after a hard, see-saw battle with the formidable and experienced long distance athlete, David Kennedy, who was fourth. A popular entry was that of Stewart Hill, of the Technical Club and a former winner of the Brighton Pier 50-mile race, who was fifth. It was the tenth time the race has been held since it was founded by the noted Canterbury long distance runner, Don Cameron, the Bluff to Cape Reinga runner. The run by Tout, Souter and Martin was the more creditable because each had only recently recorded remarkable runs over ultra distance. Only about a month ago, Tout set a new national record with a world class run in a 24hour race in Auckland in which he covered a distance of 247 km. Both Souter and Martin had only a few weeks recovery time, since they ran with credit in the biennial 100 km track race at QE II Park.

Tout led all the way. He was bounding along when he entered Cathedral Square after an B.lkm loop round North and South Hagley Park. He covered that distance in

31min. Souter was about four, minutes further back with a minute back to Martin in third place and Kennedy about a minute behind Martin in fourth. At about half-way, at the Sign of the Bellbird, Tout was about 8 minutes ahead of Souter with Martin and Kennedy about 15 minutes further back. Tout was clearly far from recovered from his epic 24 hour triumph — and this accounted for his relatively slow time on Saturday. He found the final stages tough and Souter, in the middle stages, closed the gap to about five minutes.

Brilliantly fine weather helped to highlight the scenic course. In spite of the . sternly demanding series of steep undulations in the main Port Hills section, all who finished came home in good shape. But all commented on the hot conditions in the sheltered, harbourside parts of the route. Souter was the freshest of the first fdur to finish. After Martin finished with credit in the 100 km run, his wife, Colleen, also finished with credit in. the 50km fun run and their five children gave each an enthusiastic family welcome when each came home.

Conditions were cold and misty with a biting southerly breeze when the race manager, and last year’s winner, Martin Hawes, sent the 18 starters away sharp on 6 a.m. Of these 10 finished. A field of 26 started in the 50km fun run from the Sign of the Bellbird at 10.30 a.m; Of these 20 finished. The first home in the men’s section was

Errol Stokes in 4:03.12. The first veteran over 40 was Mike Hayes, of England. The first veteran over 50 was Don Cameron. The first woman home was Sarah Farquhar, in 4:52.21. A four person relay was held in conjunction with the 100 km race. The winning team was Peter Tutty, Paul Dixon, Graham Fleck and John Parsons. Their time was 7hr 06min 225. The events were efficiently controlled by the New Zealand Ultra Distance Runners’ Association. Results. — 100 km run Richard Tout (Auckland), 8:10.12, 1; John Souter (Timaru), 8:32.09, 2; Colin Martin, 9:04.47, 3; David Kennedy, 9:19.20, 4; Stewart Hili, 10:48.42, 5; Brien Halpin, 10:58.13, 6; Robin Waters, 11:21.48, 7; Stephen Lewis, 12:31.35, 8; Ray Chinnery, 13:09.51, 9; Peter Golley, 14:58.0, 10. 50km fun run Errol Stokes, 4:03.12, 1; Mike Hayes (England), 4:07.40, 2; Mai Clarborough, 4:24.09, 3; Sarah Farquhar, 4:52.21, 4; Craig Anderson, 4:52.21, 5; Colleen Martin, 4:56.30, 6; Don Cameron, 5:03.04, 7; Ray Lucas, 5:27.41, 8; Max Callaghan, Lee Wilson, Mike Dyer, Lorraine Hartigan 5:27.42, equal 9; Sandy McKirdy (Timaru), 5:39.05, 10; Dave Horsham and Nigel Whalley, 6:10.57, equal 11; Steve Elder, 6:5.13, 12; Jenny Greig, 6:52.22, 13; Leah Swithem, 7:13.56, 14; Sue Britton, 7:23.03, 15; Sylvia Gillard, 7:49.37, 16. Relay “Run for your life” (Peter Tutty, Paul Dixon, Graham Fleck, John Parsons), 7:06.22, 1; "Group, of Friends,” 8:12.47, 2; Anglican, 8:19.21, 3; Anglican, 8:32.10, 4; Anglican, 8:38.48, 5; Technical, 8:51.16, 6; QE Athletic, 8:56.40, 7.