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Thunderbirds were the go
Volume 49, No. 17, September 20, 2007 |
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SURPRISE: The Defence Athletic Club’s ‘Thunderbirds’ paid a surprise visit to the children’s ward at Vila Central Hospital in Vanuatu after beating the women’s record in the 138km Round Island Relay at Vanuatu’s Efate Island. The prize money was donated to the hospital.
Photo courtesy of CAPT Frank Kresse |
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RECORD: The women’s team after winning gold in the relay.
Photo courtesy of CAPT Frank Kresse |
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The Defence Athletic Club’s (DAC) Thunderbirds were all go when they smashed the women’s record in the challenging and internationally-acclaimed 138km Round Island Relay staged around Vanuatu’s Efate Island recently.
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 – where villagers come out to cheer on the runners – 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 military 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 again.
Spurred on by a brilliant first leg from 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.
Team manager, CAPT Frank Kresse (Navy), said that the team went to Vanuatu with the aim of featuring strongly in the final results.
“All members of the team did themselves, the Defence Athletic Club and Australia proud,” he said. “In particular, the Thunderbirds, who had to overcome a tough challenge mid-race and become the first to break the 11-hour mark.”
Not to be outdone, the men’s Thunderbolts team won silver behind a strong French military team. In an impressive performance, Air Force young gun FLTLT Paul Martinovich opened with a brilliant first leg to set the team up for a competitive race.
Equally impressive was SGT Mat Skate in making up ground over the long 16km leg and veteran runner Craig Ambler who overtook several teams on the final leg for the team to finish in 9hr 54min and 46sec. |
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