New sponsor, familiar faces
by BRIAN LENTON
PHIL GARVIN (2), PAUL ARTHUR (575) and GEOFF MOORE head the field on the climb up to the new Parliament House. (Lothar Riess)THE 15TH CANBERRA MARATHON had a new sponsor-the ACT Academy of Sport-and a modified course. It incorporated, as usual, the Australian Veterans Championships, and in addition the 16th National Wheelchair Games Marathon.
Kiwi Derek Froude easily won his 27th marathon in 2:22.24, having previously won the event in 1982. In the early '80s Froude lived in the ACT and was the first member of the ACT Cross Country Club to become an Olympian, representing New Zealand in the Los Angeles marathon.
Mary Silver sliced 28 seconds off her best to take the women's event in 2:58. Surprisingly the local newspaper resisted the caption 'Gold to Silver'.
The marathon attracted 500 entries, but the warm, humid conditions made PB's hard to come by. In fact the only race records came from the wheelies, who were given a specially designed course within the boundaries of the existing marathon course.
Two creditable comebacks were Fiona Macleod's 3rd placing in only her second marathon and Geoff Moore's 5th (2nd over-40). In 1978 Fiona, at 17 years, was first ACT female finisher and 2nd overall in 3:03.41 in her debut. Geoff, who incidentally coaches Mary Silver, won in 1978 in his PB of2:26.58.
RESULTS
D. Froude (NZ) 2.22.24; R. Kent (Qld) 2.27.46; P. Garvin 2.29.27; G. Ryan 2.30.49; G. Moore 2.32.55; A. Towill 2.36.21; R. Burns (Vic) 2.37.31; G. Alexander (NZ) 2.38.57; T. Moore (Vic) 2.44.38; M. Thomas (NSW) 2.46.04. Female M. Silver 2.58.00; M. Griee (SA) 3:03.14; F. Macleod 3.09.11.
