Australian Government, Department of Defence

The Defence Athletic Club’s Thunderbirds were all go when they smashed the women’s record in the challenging and internationally acclaimed 138km Round Island Relay around Vanuatu’s Efate Island in July.

Undeterred by the course, hot weather or quality of the opposition, the Thunderbirds women lowered the course record by more than 20 minutes to win gold before the team donated its $2500 prize money to Vila Central Hospital.

The 10-leg relay race is staged to celebrate Vanuatu’s Independence in July 1980 with teams racing over varying distances and terrain, through local villages and back to finish in the capital of Port Vila.

The 10 male (Thunderbolts) and 10 female members representing the DAC were also aiming to provide some serious competition to the French for line honours in the military category, among the 34 other teams taking part.

The Thunderbirds didn’t have it all their own way, with a local team taking the lead mid-race. By the fifth checkpoint the Thunderbirds were never headed.

Spurred on by a brilliant first leg by WO2 Alisa Wickham and three new individual leg records from MAJ Fiona King, CPL Beck Christou and OFFCDT Lisa Flint, the Thunderbirds stormed home to win in 10hr 55min and 32sec.

Navy’s AB Haley Park was all smiles as she broke the tape to the cheers of the locals.

Team manager CAPT Frank Kresse (Navy), said that the team went to Vanuatu with the aim of featuring strongly in the final results.

Not to be outdone, the men’s Thunderbolts team won silver behind a strong French military team. In an impressive performance, RAAF young gun FLTLT Paul Martinovich opened with a brilliant first leg to set the team up for a competitive race. Navy members of the team were LCDR Mike Maley and PO Brad Hetharia.

On the eve of the race, the team paid a surprise visit to patients at the children’s ward of the hospital with toys they brought from Australia and afterwards announced that they would also donate their prize money to the children’s ward. The prize money was handed over to the hospital by the Australian High Commissioner Mr John Pilbeam.