Kouros in lead in Ultra

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 30

Kouros in lead in Ultra

NZPA-AAP I Lakes Entrance Super Greek Yiannis Kouros stormed past the exhausted New Zealander, Dick Tout, as he slept by the roadside to! take control of the 1015 km Westfield Sydney to Melbourne ultramarathon. I The “Greek Streak,” > aged 32, was thundering towards the Melbourne finishing line, and after) 830 km, had increased I his lead to 10km. j Tout’s manager, Mr Max Marsh, could only "watch in awe as Kouros passed. )

“Dick Tout is still the un- ' disputed king of the road, but Kouros is a Greek god, and - Greek gods can’t be betean,” i Mr Marsh said. Kouros was furious : on Monday afternoon after his crew let him Oversleep by an hour : during! a three-hour break at Lakes Entrance; He stormed out of the motel I | with! Tout 30km ahead. | Within six hours, Kouros had wiped put the deficit and officials predict he would reach Melbourne this morning to collect the 5NZ27.365

winner’s cheque from , the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke. Melbourne’s Greek community is expected to come out in force to greet Kouros, including 700 school children dressed in Greek national costume. Kouros also stands to collect a bonus 5NZ5473 for overcoming his 12-hour ! delayed start to be first' in Melbourne. Tout is courageously struggling on despite suffering from a badly swollen ankle and is determined to keep second place.

j The battle for third | has intensified with the Yugoslav, Duson Mravlje,' narrowly leading the Victorian rodkie, Bryan Smith, by 2km, [with the Swede, Rune Larsson,! a further 10km behind. ) ) The leading female, Britain’s Eleanor Adams lis . looking strong in thirteenth place over all, Lsokm behind Kouros. [ I The race claimed three I more victims with the New ; South Wales runners, Graeme I Townsend, Rod ! Martin and ) Stuart Currie, all withdraw- ) |ng. I 1 | I I