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Coast News, March 1982
The fifth annual Sunshine Coast News April Fool's Run from Gibsons to Sechelt was held Sunday, March 28th, under cool but sunny conditions. This year's added feature of allowing relay teams brought out a record number of participants, 30 individual runners who made the entire 13.9 mile run and 42 relayers. All but one of the record 72 starters finished the race, compared to last year's 63.
This year's winner of the Coast News half marathon trophy was Michael Ryan, who ran the distance in one hour, twenty-five minutes, a shade slower than last year's record time of one hour, thirteen minutes. Second was Chatelech student Lonnie Brock, in one hour twenty-seven minutes. Third place went to Jim Hunter of Madeira Park in one hour, twenty-eight minutes.
The first woman across the finish line at the Sechelt cenotaph was Ricki Ferguson of Gibsons, who ran a brisk one hour and forty minutes.
In the Masters (over 40) category, first place went to Andy Hayes in one hour thirty-eight minutes.
The oldest runner was Don Riske, 50, who made it in two hours, three minutes.
The fastest relay team was from the Gibsons Rugby Club which included Clint Mahlman, Allan Lewis, Raymond Dube, Roger Douglas and Garth Lord. Their time was a fast 1:20.11.
There was a tie in the "Most Participants" category between the Sunshine Coast Fitness Group, with 16 entries and the Elphinstone Cougars.
Prizes awarded to contestants included a dinner for two at the Jokers Restaurant in Gibsons; Adidas sports bags courtesy of Trail Bay Sports; a gift certificate from Cactus Flower; a gift certificate from Workwear World; dinner for two at The Heron in Gibsons; swim passes to the Gibsons Pool and certificates for a free term of fitness classes from the Sunshine Coast Fitness Club.
Individual runners and times are listed below in order of finishing:
Michael Ryan 1:25.3; Lonnie Brock 1:27.27; Jim Hunter 1:28.3; Rick Tkach 1:33.3; Mike Clarkson 1:33.3; Dale Maedel 1:33.57; Andy Hayes 1:38.12; Lyn Christian 1:38.56; Ricki Ferguson 1:40.16; Brian Romer 1:42.12; Dale Dickie 1:43.17; Steve Shores 1:43.33; Don Matsuzaki 1:44.28; Darcy Young and Janice Holmstrom 1:46.29; Neville Conway 1:46.57; Doug Allan 1:48.26; Duncan Milne 1:48.33; David Foxall 1:51.10; Wayne Robinson 1:55.49; Ronald Riske 2:03.05; Mark Jiew 2:03.23; Todd Jacques 2:07.45; David Chappell 2:07.46; Sean Tetzlaff 2:08.43; Kirk Illingworth 2:11.24; Joe Jacques 2:13.29; Cheryl Winters and Stuart Frizzell 2:24.43.
Finish times for runners Mark Verzyl, Brian Peterson, Ken Allanson and Steven Christian were not available.
The Coast News would like to thank the organizers and participants for helping to make the April Fool's Run such a success and would like to make special mention of the businesses referred to above for their contributions in prizes.
Our thanks are also given to Blane Hagedorn of Super-Valu for supplying fresh oranges, to the Village of Gibsons for photocopying, to Rieta Hanson and the super volunteers who helped man the aid stations, to Nu West vending for paper cups and to Carol Feenstra, Tom Constable, Carole Morgan, Lil Degnan and Joy Smith who helped out at the finish line.
If you know the names of more people in the photographs, please contact us!
No times: Mark Verzyl, Brian Peterson, Ken Allanson, Steven Christian.