Falklands : MPA Based Winner for World's Most Southerly Marathon
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 18.03.2009 (Article Archived on 29.04.2009)
The Standard Chartered Stanley Marathon has taken place on Sunday, 15 March 2009. Fifty eight marathon runners – a new record for the event, as well as sixteen relay teams consisting of 64 runners brought the total number of participants to one hundred and twenty two.
MPA BASED WINNER FOR WORLD’S MOST SOUTHERLY MARATHON
By J. Brock (FINN)
The Standard Chartered Stanley Marathon has taken place on Sunday, 15 March 2009. Fifty eight marathon runners – a new record for the event, as well as sixteen relay teams consisting of 64 runners brought the total number of participants to one hundred and twenty two.
The first presentation was the Challenge Trophy for the first Falklands born runner presented by the Honourable Mike Summers. The winner in 3 hours, 29 minutes and 55 seconds was John Barton.
The Best Inter-Unit (Military) Team Trophy was presented by the Chief of Staff, Group Captain Simon Hone-Marsh. The winning team was from the Logistic Support Squadron who completed the marathon in 3 hours, seven minutes and 47 seconds.
In the Relay Race Category. 3rd Place went to “Gladiators,” in 3hours, 16 minutes and 14 seconds, 2nd place went to “Crazy Cats,” in 3 hours, 7 minutes and 47 seconds, and 1st place went to Falkland Islands Football League “A” Team in 3 hours, 3 minutes and 10 seconds.
The main prizes were handed out by the Acting Governor Mr Paul Martinez. In the Ladies Open Category 3rd Prize went to Carol Peck 4 hours, 18 minutes and 49 seconds, 2nd Place went to Ashton Mulligan 3 hours, 49 minutes and 8 seconds and 1st place went to Andrea Mastrovimcenzo 3 hours, 12 minutes and 29 seconds.
In the Men’s Open 3rd place went to Marcello De Bernardis 2 hours, 57 minutes and 22 seconds. Second was Hugh Marsden 2 hours, 57 minutes and 8 seconds and 1st place went to Lee Pattison 2 hours, 55 minutes and 51 seconds.
Though Standard Chartered bank sponsors eight marathons around the world, the claim to fame is that this one is the world’s most southerly annually scheduled event.
Money raised went to a charity called “Seeing is Believing” – a global initiative organised by the staff of Standard Chartered Bank. The charity aims to erase the threat of preventable blindness. According to statistics, every five seconds, someone in the world goes blind – at the moment there are 45 Million blind people with 80% of them curable. Thus far Standard Chartered Bank has collected enough funds to cure 1 million people. The aim of Seeing is believing is that by 2010 $10Million will be raised to restore sight to people in 20 countries.
In his remarks Standard Chartered Bank Stanley Branch CEO, Rino Donosepoetro paid tribute to all who helped out to make the day a great success.
RELATED NEWS STORY:
Three Argentinian veterans who fought in the 1982 Falklands War are making their first trip back to the islands this weekend to run a marathon.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/falklands+veterans+to+run+marathon/3029887
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