Record Racing in Wellington

Record Racing in Wellington

With record entries and a collection of international record breakers the Armstrong Motor Group Wellington Marathon confirmed its place among New Zealand’s favourite marathon events.

A record 4721 runners and walkers from 16 countries enjoyed good weather and fast running for the annual marathon, half marathon, 10k and Kids’ Magic Mile.

Racing was dominated by runners from Kenya, Canada and Australia. The men’s Half Marathon failed to surprise, with 21 year old Kenyan Kip Kemei continuing his unbeaten streak on New Zealand soil, this time in a race record 1hr 06min 40secs.

Behind Kemei, Wellington’s own Tim Hodge managed to hold out Bunnythorpe’s Chris Sanson to claim second place by 37secs in 1hr 09min 16secs.

Canadian Anne-Marie Madden was an easy winner among female Half Marathoners. The final year Otago medical student scored her first major Kiwi win before heading back to Canada to begin a medical residency. In Wellington she stopped the clock in 1hr 21min 36secs, just over two minutes ahead of local standouts Jackie Mexted, Genevieve Stark and Angela Leck.

The performance of the day, however, came from Australian police woman Sara Burgess in the women’s Full Marathon. While the win among women was always expected to go to either Burgess, Auckland’s Lesley Turner-Hall or Christchurch’s Lisa Brignull, such a one-sided win from the Australian was not.

Burgess totally dominated the women’s race to win by 13 minutes. Crossing the line in 2hrs 48min 40secs, she broke the course record by almost 12 minutes. Behind her Auckland’s Lesley Turner-Hall clocked in at 3hrs 01min 54secs, while Brignull held on for third in 3hrs 11min 50secs.

While Kemei, Madden and Burgess were expected to excel, Nelson’s Graeme Taylor wasn’t. The men’s full marathon distance was billed as a return match between five-time winner Grant McLean (Wgtn) and the man who ended his reign in 2010, Daniel Clendon (Wgtn). But in a furious four-way battle it was Taylor who came up trumps.

McLean, Clendon, Taylor and Palmerston North’s Peter Familton were locked in battle for 32k of the classic 42.2k distance. Clendon appeared to be the first to fall away, after which Taylor made a move for the win. The Nelsonian crossed the line in 2hrs 33min 58secs to claim overall honours and the veteran title.

But Taylor had to fight hard for a two minute advantage over second placed Daniel Clendon, who found a second wind to sweep past McLean and then Familton in the final 1500m to claim second place.

ENDS

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