Burrows consolidates race lead
ENGLISHMAN Keith Burrows stormed home 55min faster than last year’s winning time on the second day of the Alps 2 Ocean Ultra yesterday to consolidate his lead in the men’s supported category of New Zealand’s only stage race ultrarunning event.
The event started on Sunday in wet and windy conditions with 120 runners from 15 countries and, after seven stages over seven days and 323km, it will finish in Oamaru on Saturday.
Yesterday’s 50km stage took runners from Lake Pukaki to the secluded Lake Middleton that sits next to Lake Ohau in the Mackenzie Basin.
With the improving weather matching the improving times, Burrows has a combined time of 8hr 49min after two days and three stages to lead Wellington runner Paul Hewitson by 11min heading into today’s gruelling, racedefining 88km stage that starts on the shores of Lake Ohau and ends at Loch Laird at the top of the Waitaki Valley, after two tough climbs of more than 800m.
‘‘I did see the times from last year, but didn’t know exactly what the terrain was like, but thought I could be up there and be competitive,’’ Burrows, who is tackling his first ultrarace stage event, said.
Canadian Chris Coolican leads the men’s unsupported event, in which runners have to carry their clothing and sleeping bags, by 14min after losing 5min minutes on yesterday’s stage to good mate, Tim Franklin, of Australia, as he struggled with a hip and calf strain.
With a combined time of 10hr 9min, Australian Katy Anderson leads the women’s supported event from Kiwis Kerryn Bell and Kelly Sutherland who are locked together 39min behind.
‘‘I do have experience with 160km 30hr events but this is my first stage race so I haven’t really got any expectations so I am a little surprised to be leading,’’ Anderson said.
Queenslander Sarah Foster has been the first unsupported woman home on both days so far, her combined time of 10hr 58min giving her a 14min buffer over American Emily Kratz.