Auckland Marathon 2020: more than 14,000 participate, increased local participation

Athlete Daniel Jones charged to the finish line at Victoria Park, claiming gold in the 2020 ASB Auckland Marathon with a time of 02:21:58.

An increase in the participation of local runners has gathered more than 14,000 people for the ASB Auckland Marathon.

Sunday’s cool, cloudy 16 ° C morning put one of New Zealand’s most iconic sporting events off to a perfect start as the main event kicked off in Devonport.

Alice Mason was the first runner to complete the 42km event in a time of 02:43:33.

It had been difficult to know if the event would go ahead due to Covid-19 disruptions and border closures.

The Auckland Harbor Bridge also had recent strut damage that closed several lanes.

New Zealand is one of the few places in the world capable of hosting an event of this scale, and the country’s border closures meant that most of the participants were local Kiwis.

Wellington’s Jones ended an “interesting” year to win for the first time in Auckland.

The 30-year-old headed to Kenya earlier this year for a five-week training camp that thanks to the global pandemic turned into a five-month stay at altitude. The Scottish rider from Wellington put that work to good use today as he broke first Michael Voss (Rotorua) and then Fabe Downs (Auckland) to win by nearly five minutes.

Jones finished runner-up at the ASB Auckland Marathon in 2018 and was delighted to go a better one today.

“It’s a shame we don’t have the Australians and other internationals here, for obvious reasons, but it’s amazing to come back from that second place and get that win, it’s pretty good,” Jones said.

“Obviously, we are one of the lucky countries where the races are on, it’s amazing to see so many people here taking advantage of that, it’s an incredible turnout, I think I can speak for everyone when I say it’s just how good to be breathing with difficulty again! “

Jones hasn’t specifically prepared for the full marathon distance, which makes his performance even more admirable.

“I’ve been doing a bit of shorter distance training with a few shorter runs for the past month, Michael and Fabe and I had a good battle for the first 15-20km, there were some streaks here and there and then it was basically who I could hold on, and I kept that pace a little better. “

2020 Bays Round winner Downs finished strong to retain second place, while Hiro Tanimoto (Wellington / Japan) repeated his 2016 effort to finish third ahead of a tired Voss.

In the women’s marathon, three-time defending New Zealand champion Alice Mason did not run a race, establishing a strong pace among the men and breaking the 10k mark in 10th overall.

The Bay of Plenty athlete found herself alone throughout the 42 km distance.

“Today was good, I was alone most of the way, which got a little lonely, but it was good. I had to run for the feeling, I guess, keeping other runners in sight and I got to see my coach Craig Kirkwood and my fellow showed up in a few places on their bikes, which was good, “Mason said before reflecting on his first experience on the course.

“I hadn’t raced here before, the first 15 or 16 km are hilly, but after that it was quite nice to run.”

Mason finished ahead of former winner Hannah Oldroyd (Christurch / GBR) and Margie Campbell (Dunedin).

At the Barfoot & Thompson Half Marathon, it was Tokyo-bound Olympian Camille Buscomb (Cambridge) who took the women’s race, while Cameron Graves (Auckland) blazed her way to a new running record of 1:05:24 by winning the men’s race.

Graves was delighted to finally win an event he has been aiming for for a few years.

“It has taken a long time to arrive, I have written it down for the last 7 or 8 months, it is the fifth time I have run and this year I knew I had to go for the gold and I came out fast and I managed to hold on and over the bridge and get that record, I am happy.

“This course is pretty bumpy in the beginning so you have to go out hard but don’t overdo it. Those first 5 or 10km just go through the hills, but when you hit the highway on the flat is when you have to pull it and it gives everything you can. you got, those tactics worked well for me. “

Graves won by just under two minutes from Christopher Dryden (Christchurch) with Jacob Priddey (Hamilton) holding out IRONMAN competitor Braden Currie (Wanaka) for third place.

For Buscomb, the victory in Auckland is a consolation in a year of interruptions, the Cambridge athlete has qualified for the 5,000m and 10,000m track events in Tokyo and was happy to be able to compete today.

“It’s really amazing to be here running, that’s actually two minutes faster than I’ve ever run, so I’m really happy even though I was looking for the record. Sometimes your GPS isn’t exactly the same as timing. of the race, I knew it. However, I was going to be close, I was a little on pace, but I knew it was a touch and go into the last two kilometers, “said Buscomb.

With a third over the middle distance victory in Auckland under her belt, the 30-year-old hopes the Tokyo Games can be replicated today and go ahead as planned in July next year.

“July next year is my goal in the 5 and 10 km on the track, the delay this year has been quite strange, but it is great to know that the Games will take place next year.”

Buscomb described the conditions that, in the end, proved challenging as temperatures rose on the course.

“It was quite hot and sunny and there wasn’t much shade in the field. It was almost a headwind on a decent part of the trail, so it was windy and hot, so I told myself that I should relax and try to run fast. I tried to keep the pace I wanted, I found it difficult, but I always set myself a difficult challenge and to go for that record I achieved it today. “

Buscomb beat Maiya Christini (Auckland) by almost five minutes with former two-time winner Olivia Burne (Auckland) in third place.

The first to cross the line that day was Jonno Nelson in the Handcycle category of the wheelchair race, the athlete from Timaru almost literally flew across the field in a time of 1:21:58, the 2020 NZ Handcycle Champion was delighted with his first effort. at the ASB Auckland Marathon.

“It was pretty quiet, yesterday it was windy, but today it was much quieter and faster and a very pleasant ride. I went alone the whole way. I didn’t have a look going down the bridge, I was just going as fast as I could. The last 15 km They were so nice cruising and 23 miles per hour, it was amazing. “

Dave Beeche, managing director of Ironman Oceania, said that typically between 8 and 10 percent of participants were made up of international entries.

He said there was never such a strong need for Kiwis to go out together and celebrate.

The event took the 2,100 main runners from Devonport through Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore, then along the North Busway via the Auckland Harbor Bridge.

They then continued along the Auckland waterfront on Tamaki Drive before finishing at Victoria Park.

The event also has other running options, including a half marathon, 11km cross country, a kids’ marathon, and a 5km family fun run.

Results
ASB Marathon
Mens:
1 Daniel Jones, Wellington, 2:21:58; 2 Fabe Downs, Auckland, 2:26:34; 3 Hiro Tanimoto, Wellington (Japan), 2:28:07
Woman:
1 Alice Mason, Tauranga, 2:43:33; 2 Hannah Oldroyd, Christchurch (GBR), 2:49:27; 3 Margie Campbell, Dunedin, 2:52:49

Barfoot and Thompson Half Marathon
Mens:
1 Cameron Graves, Auckland, 1:05:24; 2 Christopher Dryden, Christchurch, 1:07:30; 3
3 Jacob Priddey, Hamilton, 1:09:37
Woman:
1 Camille Buscomb, Cambridge, 1:13:46; 2 Maiya Christini, Auckland, 1:18:23; 3 Olivia Burne, Auckland, 1:20:18

Wheelchair marathon
Hand bike
1 Jonathan Nelson, Timaru, 1:21:58; 2 Tiffiney Perry, Waikato, 1:45:07; 3 Chris Hanley, 1:47:28