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+--- Thread: Rotorua Marathon attracts top field for the NZ Championships (/Thread-Rotorua-Marathon-attracts-top-field-for-the-NZ-Championships)
Rotorua Marathon attracts top field for the NZ Championships - admin - 24-04-2008
Craig Kirkwood will be back trying to win the Rotorua Marathon for the second year in a row on Saturday 3 May.
The race has an added incentive with the Athletics New Zealand championship for 2008 run in conjunction with the icon of marathons in New Zealand.
It would be Kirkwood's first ever national title, a carrot that has him keen for a repeat victory. Kirkwood, who has estimated 2h 22m, recorded 2h 23m 44s last year. He also went on to win the Christchurch marathon last June in 2h 26m 17s.
The defending New Zealand champion Stafford Thompson from Dunedin has entered in the Lion Foundation event with an estimated time of 2h 30m. Dale Warrander, 2006 winner and New Zealand champion in 2004 when the title was last based at Rotorua, has entered but more as a help with pacing having estimated 2h 30m.
Joe Piggin, third in 2005 in 2h 28m 39s, has put in some solid training for the event and has estimated 2h 20m. Mark McKeown has estimated 2h 21m. Also entered is Chris Dagg of Southland. The winner of the Kawaguchi marathon Kazunari Suzuki of Japan has been invited to run.
Kerry Rodger, fourth overall last year, has estimated 2h 32m in the 45-49 age group. Jack Foster holds this age group record at 2h 28m 15s set in 1980.
Gavin Stevens comes into the race fresh from his win in the 50-54 age group at the London marathon in 2h 32m 26s. Stevens has his eye on the 50-54 age group record at Rotorua of 2h 34m 11s set by Max Dravitzki in 1996.
"That's the record I'd love to have," said Stevens. "But just three weeks after London, four weeks would have been OK, three weeks we'll see.
"Also I've never run that fast in the 10 marathons that I have completed at Rotorua," he added.
An interesting entry is Tony Good from Christchurch. The 1979 New Zealand marathon champion has estimated 3h 30m in the 50-54 age group. Also entered is Eddie Smith from Otago, who was second in last year's Dunedin marathon in 2h 29m 43s. Smith has estimated 2h 30m.
Nyla Carroll, New Zealand marathon champion on the Rotorua course in 1994 and again in 2004 will be seeking her third title at Rotorua. Carroll aged 42 has estimated 2h 48m. Sarah Chisnall of Dunedin, Christchurch marathon winner last year in 2h 43m 19s, has entered and estimated 2h 45m. Also entering with the same estimated time is Ady Ngawati of Northland who won the Auckland marathon last October in 2h 49m 5s. Lesley Turner-Hall, second last year in 2h 51m 56s and third in the Auckland marathon is back with an estimated 2h 50m.
Naoko Tsuchiya of Japan, women's winner at Kawaguchi will start with an estimated time of 2h 38m.
Mikki Williden, 2005 winner at Rotorua, has estimated 2h 58m and Bernie Portenski in the 55-59 age group has estimated 2h 59m. Portenski, the crowd favourite at Rotorua has completed 25 marathons in Rotorua and has won the New Zealand title three times in 1989, 1998 and 2002.
Colin Smyth of Lake City has competed in every Rotorua marathon and will be lining up again for the 44th time.
Verna Cook-Jackson has run the most by a woman at 27 and has entered again.
David Sim will be defending his walking title on the Rotorua course. Last year Sim walked the 42.2km in 4h 19m 18s. Also entered are runner up last year Peter Baillie and Joff Hulbert. Donna Roderick will also be back to defend her women's walking title. Her time last year was 4h 49m 34s. Challenging her will be Robyn Galloway, Wendy Foulds, Vanessa Lowl, Natasha Lowl and Denise Stewart-Jacks who was second last year.
The race starts from Queens Drive in Government Gardens at 9am.
Meanwhile in the Boston Marathon this week, Gabrielle O'Rourke 41 was the 22nd woman across the finish in 2h 53m 12s for second place in the masters women section. O'Rourke, the New Zealand champion in 1993 in Southland and in 1999 in Auckland, went through the half way in 1h 23m 27s.