FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Thom Gilligan
(617) 242-7845
Patrice Malloy
(760) 635-2833
ANTARCTICA MARATHON RUNNERS WEATHER THE ELEMENTS
KING GEORGE ISLAND, ANTARCTICA, MARCH 12, 2002- The only aspect of the
Fifth Annual Antarctica Marathon and Half Marathon that was not extreme
was the heat. Over 109 athletes from 15 countries traveled an average
of 8,000 miles each by land, air and sea to run the March 2, 2002, race
on what is known as the coldest, windiest, iciest and most remote
continent on earth.
Decked out in multiple layers of weatherproof gear, runners waited on
their Russian headquarters ship, the Akademik loffe, for the winds to
calm enough to get the go-ahead to be shuttled ashore to the race site
on King George Island. Polar winds quickly subsided to enable race
officials to transport participants to shore by zodiac for a 9:50 a.m.
race start. "Race conditions were ideal if you like high winds and snow
gales." understated Thom Gilligan, race director and president of
Marathon Tours & Travel, the event and travel organizer. "But this is
Antarctica, where adversity and unpredictability are the norm,"
furthered Gilligan.
Once started, the race quickly turned into a survival of the fittest and
smartest. An Antarctic skua, a massive gull-like bird known for its
aggressiveness, set the pace by pecking the head of the lead runner,
John Gebbie of Scotland. After out-sprinting the skua, 52-year old
Gebbie mastered the majority of the rocky, muddy, icy, snow-swept course
which featured ¾-mile long stretches up a steep glacier as well as
tours through Russian, Chilean, Uruguayan and Chinese research bases. At
one point in the race, a native penguin-- a race bandit no doubt--
attempted to chase down Gebbie.
A veteran of over 30 marathons, Gebbie led the field until mile 24 when
blood sugar imbalances and fatigue caused him to stumble, fall, and
crawl on his hands and knees. Gebbie's troubles caused (Antarctica
Marathon Results page two of two)him to relinquish his ten-minute lead
over Phillip Roadley, a 38-year-old bicycle shop owner from Winnipeg,
Canada. Roadley, who was accustomed to running in cold snowy weather,
ran a steady pace and won the race with a time of 4:09:31."I don't
remember the last couple of miles or even finishing the race," said
Gebbie who managed to finish in second place in a time of 4:14:55
despite running aground. Jane Baldwin, 41, of Mill Valley, California,
USA, placed first woman and third person overall in a time of 4:18:08.
Adding to the difficulty of the day, course logistics dictated that the
hilly two-loop marathon course be closer to 27 miles in length other than
the standard 26.2-mile marathon distance.
In the half marathon race, Takanori Matsuuchi, 31, of Tokyo, Japan, won
the men's division in 1:56:35 and Patrice Malloy, 43, of Cardiff,
California, USA, placed first woman and fourth person overall with a time
of 2:18:09 in her half marathon debut.
For race participants, getting to the race was half the fun and as much
of the challenge. On February 22nd, runners boarded overnight flights
to Buenos Aires, Argentina, then flew to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, the
world's southernmost city. After a mid-day shopping and sightseeing
workout in Ushuaia, runners boarded the Akademik loffe for a three-day
journey through the Beagle Channel across the Drake Passage and finally into
Antarctica waters. After weaving through icebergs and bays of the
Shetland Islands and Antarctica Peninsula, runners were treated to
hiking, kayaking, overnight camping, and an on-board "Hash" run in
addition to the marathon and half marathon competitions. The adventure
tour ended on March 8, 2002.
Marathon Tours and Travel, the leading marathon tour operator in the U.S.,
offers comprehensive travel packages to marathons worldwide. Travel
packages to Antarctica for non-runners also are available. For more
information call Marathon Tours and Travel at (617) 242-7845 or log on to
www.marathontour.com.
Top Finishers Marathon:
Male:1. Philip Roadley, 31, Canada 4:09:31
2. John Gebbie, 52, Scotland 4:14:55
3. Craig Ewing, 48, USA 4:27:10
Female:1. Jane Baldwin, 41, USA 4:18:08
2. Rebecca Antonak, 29, Germany 5:16:04
3. Many Grouse, 38, UK 5:19:40
Top Finishers Half Marathon:
Male:1. Takanori Matsuuchi, 31, Japan 1:56:35
2. Julio Gandini, 45, Uruguay 1:58:49
3. Dmitry Popov, 37, Russia 2:13:21
Female:1. Patrice Malloy, 43, USA 2:18:09
2. Kimberly Ostroman, 33, USA 3:03:59
3. Corina Rotondaro, 45, Venezuela 3:37:52
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