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The Napier Harrier Club brought their 2000 season to a close on Saturday with the running of the annual Memorial Road Race around the back streets of Taradale. The event is held each year to commemorate four of the club’s members, Ron Gibbons, Robbie Kingi, Bill Hughes and John Dolbel who were killed in a car accident while returning from the old Napier to Wairoa Road Relay on September 23, 1967.
Hawkes Bays top Marathoner, Phil Costley was a predictable winner of the event, covering the 15 mile course around the Poraite, Puketapu, Omaranui circuit in 1hr 20 min 59 sec. Costley made no secret of his intentions, leading a small group of 4 athletes out from the Taradale Park start at steady pace before upping the tempo at the Greenmeadows shops and then simply running away with the race. Napier Harriers double club champion Chris Corney was best of the rest crossing the line just over 5 minutes behind Costley with Craig Mathers 3rd in 1:30:26.
The walk event also produced a convincing winner with Hawkes Bay Marathon Clinic’s Goff Hulbert covering the distance in 2 hrs 39 mins 44 seconds. Maureen Jefferis was first woman walker home and second overall in 3:02:25.
The associated relay event had five teams of three people running 8km legs around the same course. The ‘Forever Hopeful’ team of Leo Pearce, Craig Anderson and John Craven were first home in 1:37:55, although they did not have everything their own way. The ‘Flying Fleas’ team had the lead at the end of the first leg courtesy of an opening effort from Mark Speakman, and new club runner Alan Heywood did not surrender the lead until halfway through the second leg. Craven then succesfully ran his team home with 10-year-old Eric Speakman doing an admirable job of anchoring the ‘Flying Fleas’ team home in second place.
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