Half Marathon Promises Fast Times

Half Marathon Promises Fast Times

Fast times and cut-throat racing will be the order of the day in Christchurch this Sunday as a collection of New Zealanders and Australians go head to head at the Christchurch Airport Half Marathon.

The Christchurch Airport Half Marathon is shaping up as the fastest 21.1k in New Zealand for several years, with both the men’s and women’s fields including former Christchurch winners.

Among men there will be interest in 2011 and 2008 full marathon winners, Ring Yen Mok from Singapore and Rowan Hooper, who has recently shifted camp from Christchurch to Wellington. But pre-race favourite is relative rookie, Hugo Beamish.

Beamish is the current New Zealand 5000m champion, but prior to that he spent several years on an American scholarship at the famous Villanova University.

The 24 year old Wellingtonian has best times over 5000m and 10,000m of 13:47 and 28:53, which make him capable of threatening Jonathan Wyatt’s 11 year old race record of 1:02.37, which is the fastest time a New Zealander has ever run on New Zealand soil. But he’ll have to beware of his own inexperience and a trio of fleet-footed Aussies.

Ben Toomey has fond memories of Christchurch. In 2010 he finished second in a personal best time of 1:05.34 and is hoping to go even faster this year. But so too are fellow Aussies Nathan Hartigan and Brady Threlfall, who are both shooting for 65min and a spot on the Australian team to the half marathon world championships later this year.

The Aussies will need to set a fast pace too. Current New Zealand half marathon champion, Hamish Carson, is also the New Zealand 1500m champion so no one will want the race to end in a sprint finish.

The 2013 national 10,000m medalists Cadent Shields (Dun), Tim Hodge (Wgtn) and Peter Meffan (Dun) will be looking to transfer that success to the longer distance, while former teenage star Aaron Pulford will be looking to transfer his potential to the senior ranks

But the runners up from our last two Christchurch half marathons, Stephen Lett and Dougal Thorburn, will both be looking to go one better. Lett is a former national 10,000m champion, while Thorburn has a best of 66 minutes from the Christchurch event in 2010.

One person who will be looking simply to run the same as last year is the women’s 2012 half marathon winner, Lisa Robertson.

The Auckland policewoman-come-jockey-come-runner won both the Christchurch and Auckland half marathons last year. But she’ll have to be on top of game in Christchurch this year.

Katikati’s Sally Gibbs will be keen for a good showing in her first attack at the Christchurch half, while Dunedin’s Shireen Crumpton will be looking to add to her two half marathon (2001, 2010) and two full marathon wins (2002, 2005) at Christchurch.

However, the woman most likely to upset Robertson’s run is in-form local, Alex Williams. The 32 year old claimed the national half marathon title in Wellington earlier this year and will be looking to take out her hometown event for the first time.

Scheduled for Sunday 2nd June, entries for the 2013 Christchurch Airport Marathon continue to climb back to pre-earthquake levels, with close to 5000 runners and walkers from 13 countries.

“It’s really encouraging,” says Race Director Chris Cox.

“In 2010 we had a record entry of 5800 participants. But the earthquakes of September 2010 and February 2011 forced the event out of the city and cut entries almost in half. So to be almost back to the pre-earthquake highs of 2009 and 2010 is really encouraging.

Entries for the 2013 Christchurch Airport Marathon are still open at www.christchurchmarathon.co.nz , or at the Event Village at Orchard Road, Christchurch Airport on Saturday between 9am and 5pm.

ENDS

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