London to Sydney Marathon

5th June - 4th July 2004

Day 11 - Bursa to Ankara (Turkey)

McRAE LEADS AT THE END OF THE FIRST LEG

Jimmy McRae cruised into Ankara with a handsome 48 second lead over Kiwi challenger Joe McAndrew who'd had a day with no Turkish delight.

On the first stage Joe was on a charge trying to wrest the lead from McRae and went off in the process but recovered dropping 40+ seconds in the process which left McRae with the stage win.

McAndrew got it pointing in the right direction for the next one beating McRae into second place. Life didn't get any better for Joe. On the road section he coasted to a halt. Along came fellow Kiwis Ian Begg and Allan Dippie, "We towed them 15 kms to a garage and lo and behold the Honda fired up when petrol was added," said Dippie.

With the European leg of the event complete competitors drove their cars into two giant Russian Antonovs, the world largest cargo planes, to be airlifted to Cochin in southern India.

Each one of these leviathans of the sky has the capability to carry 45 cars. The competitors travel in the comfort of a chartered Malaysian Airbus.

Aussies Garry and Rex Leeson lead the pre-1971 Classic class in their V8 Falcon, Brits Simon Glover and Russ Langthorne in a Mk1 Escort have a handy lead in the pre-1977 class.more...

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5th June to 4th July 2004 day by day