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The 10th annual BMW Auckland Marathon took place on Sunday
2 November 2003. From humble beginnings with 1,400 runners
in a Marathon and Half Marathon in 1994 on an out-and-back
Auckland Waterfront course the event has grown to over 9,300
in a Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km which all cross the
Auckland Harbour Bridge. The 10km entry limit of 3,000 was
reached quickly, with 5,500 in the Half Marathon and 850 in
the Marathon.
Despite a couple of weeks of welcome sunshine leading up
to the event, the weather forecast for race day did not sound
promising - strong westerly winds and thunderstorms. In previous
years the scheduled 4.30 am meeting between Race Director
Gary Upson, the Police and Transit New Zealand to determine
whether it was safe to use the Harbour Bridge course had been
a mere formality. This year it was different. There was a
real concern that the winds would be too strong to ensure
the safety of participants. Fortunately the gusty conditions
had eased off sufficiently for the authorities to give the
go-ahead for the race to proceed as planned, and the alternative
waterfront course plans could be returned to the bottom drawer.
Even so, gusts up to 80km/h were the order of the day. The
rain, too, had eased off, with only an odd shower or two passing
over the runners.
The Marathon and Half Marathon started at 6.30 am in Devonport,
and from the gun it was Half Marathoner Dale Warrander setting
a cracking pace. Perhaps he had an early plane to catch back
to his home base in New Plymouth. Some distance back was Aucklander
Craig Kirkwood. Both have run 2:13 marathons, and used this
event as part of their preparations for qualifying for the
Athens Olympic marathon. On the tough course and windy conditions
Warrander finished in an outstanding 1:05:48, with Kirkwood
six minutes adrift.
Nina Rillstone of Auckland upstaged world mountain running
champion Melissa Moon of Wellington in the women's Half Marathon,
winning in 1:15:22. Moon was exactly a minute behind, just
ahead of her teammate Katie Urquhart.
Last year's BMW Auckland Half Marathon winner Scott Winton
of Auckland was running in just his second marathon, and was
probably regretting the decision to do so as he was heading
back to the finish into the strong wind on Tamaki Drive. He
lead the Marathon field throughout, and not even the usually
strong finishing Mark Hutchinson could not reel him in at
the end. "I'm Stuffed, mate," said Winton after
crossing the finish line at Victoria Park in 2:30:06. "That
was hard work into that wind, it was like running into a brick
wall." Hutchinson, a three-time winner of the Auckland
Marathon, finished almost a minute back, and said that the
wind was worth about five minutes. A former Aucklander now
living in Queensland, Hutchinson has been selected to represent
Australia in the World 10km Championships in Taiwan. Peter
van Wijngaarten from South Australia was third.
Nicole Cope of Henderson was probably also regretting her
decision to use the BMW Auckland Marathon for her debut over
the 42.2km distance. She found the first half quite enjoyable,
with the crowds of spectators on the North Shore, but found
it hard work fighting the wind on the second half. She was
a comfortable winner, though, in 2:55:45, about six minutes
ahead of last years winner Zelah Morrall of Whangarei. Cope
is twice New Zealand Half Ironman champion and three-times
national duathlon champion, and is looking forward to getting
back to the shorter Multisport events.
The 10km left from Fisherman's Wharf in Birkenhead at the
quite sensible time of 8.00am, to avoid clashed with the half
marathoners and marathoners on the bridge. This new event
added to mark the 10th anniversary under the BMW banner proved
to be very popular, particularly amongst companies. Vodafone
had the largest corporate representation, with 193 entered
in total across all the events. Baxter Healthcare, too, had
over 100.
With the rain holding off the thousands of tired, sore but
satisfied finishers took time off to relax at the Victoria
Park finish, some already planning for next year's event.
Although this was BMW's last year as major sponsor, the organisers
are working hard to prepare for the 2004 event, which will
take place on Sunday 31 October.
Keep an eye on www.aucklandmarathon.co.nz
for updates and race information.
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