With record entries and the country's best runners, Christchurch's SBS Marathon is shaping up bigger and better than ever.
Less than two weeks out from Christchurch's SBS Marathon Event and the 30th anniversary of the South Island's premier marathon event is shaping up as the biggest and best ever.
In 2009 the annual Queens birthday weekend event enjoyed a record field of 5362 participants, but with 10 days until race day on Sunday June 6 Race Director Chris Cox says, "It's looking like the 30th anniversary will be close to 6000 entrants."
This is a continuation of the rise of the event that was inspired by the record shattering 1974 Commonwealth Games Marathon.
"We're very excited about how the event just continues to grow and grow," says Cox. "The SBS Marathon Event has always been the South Island's premier marathon event, but this indicates that we're on the right track to achieve our goal of being New Zealand's number one marathon event in every way."
Cox attributes this continual growth to the involvement of principal sponsor SBS Bank, saying, "SBS have offered unprecedented resources that have enabled us to take the event to the next level."
In the last decade Cox and his team have worked hard to put on the best race in the country. The highlight this year promises to be the classic 42.2k marathon distance, which will feature a field of New Zealand and Australian representatives that could see the fastest marathon run in New Zealand for more than 10 years.
Favourites include Christchurch's Matt Smith and Wellington's Matt Dravitzki. Both have tasted victory in the SBS-sponsored event before, with Smith winning the SBS half marathon in 2008 and Dravitzki winning the SBS full marathon in both 2003 and 2005.
Both will be keen for Christchurch after disappointing runs in the 2009 where Smith was well beaten in the half marathon and Dravitzki failed the finish the full marathon. But they will need to watch for a talented group of marathon debutants from both sides of the Tasman.
Christchurch's Luke Hurring and Melbourne's Erwin McRae are taking to the full 42.2k for the first time, but have credentials over the half marathon that should see them challenge Smith and Dravitzki. But last week in Australia a Kiwi and an Ethiopian-turned-Aussie posted results in an annual Melbourne race that has pegged them as the runners to watch in Christchurch next week.
Racing in Victoria's Great Ocean Road Running Festival former Christchurch runner Jason Woolhouse beat 22 year old Wondwosen Gelata, an Ethiopian granted Australian refugee status 18 months ago. Both are down for the full marathon distance in Christchurch next week and Woolhouse in particular is expected to shine after breaking the Ocean Road course record that belonged to none other than former Commonwealth Games marathon champion Steve Moneghetti.
Australians are expected to shine again over both the half and full marathon races in Christchurch. Perth's Magda Karimali-Poulos is favourite for the women's full marathon following a stellar 2009 that saw her win both the Melbourne and Canberra Marathons and post a best time of 2hrs 40min. Among Kiwis, former junior star Sarah Biss has been improving steadily and following a 2hrs 47 effort in Japan earlier this year will be looking for a break through race.
The half marathon fields see defending champion Scott Westcott returning from Australia. The Commonwealth Games rep will face former SBS Half Marathon winners Phil Costley, Mark Bailey (both ChCh) and Dale Warrander, formerly of New Plymouth but now living on the Gold Coast. Warrander won here in 2004 and 2006 and illustrated good form recently to take his fourth Rotorua Marathon title. Others to watch include Christchurch's Rowan Hooper, who won the full marathon race in 2008, and Australian Ben Toomey, who is debuting over the half marathon but has impressive track credentials.
The women's half marathon is likely to come down to Dunedin's Shireen Crumpton and Australian Lisa Flint. Crumpton has won both the half and full distance at the SBS Marathon Event, while Flint is looking for a fast time over the half distance as preparation for the Commonwealth Games Marathon later this year. Others expected to challenge include Christchurch's Fiona Crombie and Tasmanian Hanny Allston. Allston is a former world orienteering champion who made her mark in mainstream running three years ago when she won the Melbourne, Canberra and Rotorua marathons in the same year while studying in Auckland.
"We make a big effort to get the best runners at the SBS Marathon Event," says Cox. "Having them here adds prestige and international attention to the amazing community occasion this event has become."
First and foremost the SBS Marathon Event is a community event that stops the city for a day as residents assemble outside their front gates to cheer the throngs making their way along the picturesque Avon River and Hagley Park course. Organisationally the event utilises approximately 300 volunteer from various clubs and community groups, all of whom receive donations for their services.
Among close to 6000 starters next week will be hundreds of children in the Kids' Mara'Fun, as well as secondary school groups such as Cashmere High School, which has almost 80 kids doing the event as part of their bursary exercise science studies. The field will even include Christchurch City Councillors.
"We have always felt the event should reflect the community," says Cox. "So that means providing something for people of all age and ability."
Indeed, along with the classic 42.2k marathon this festival of fitness includes a half marathon run and walk, a 10k run and walk and the Kid's Mara'Fun. And as well as the $40,000 prize pool there are more than 600 spot prizes to be drawn. Entries for the 2010 SBS Marathon are still open. For further details see www.sbsmarathon.co.nz.
