London
to Sydney Marathon
5th June - 4th July 2004
Day 30 - Port Macquarie
to Sydney
AN ALL BLACK WHITEWASH
- THE KIWIS CLEAN UP
Joe McAndrew and Murray Cole stormed to
victory in the London Sydney Marathon with their two teammates'
Hondas in neat formation behind them to scoop the team prize
as well. It was a hugely impressive clean sweep for the team
that Joe had spent two years creating and nurturing.
Second place went to Mike Montgomery and
Roy Wilson and third was claimed by Shane Murland and John
Benton.
It was without doubt the most impressive
display of teamwork that anyone can remember in motor sport
with three identical Honda Integras cruising to the finish
in line astern.
For Joe it was his second marathon victory
– his first was the Midnight Sun to Red Sea event in 2002.
The other team members were all marathon first timers, which
speaks volumes for their achievement.
The last two gravel stages of the event
were a great spectacle for the weekend spectators who had
turned out to cheer the survivors on their last few hundred
kms into the finish.
Fourth place went to ex-pat Kiwi Graham
Lorimer and Brit Nick Starkey in their Toyota Corolla. For
Lorimer it was, as he said, "one place higher than I achieved
in 1993," and for Starkey it was his third London-Sydney finish.
Fifth place was claimed by Kiwis Ian Begg
and Allan Dippie in their Corolla giving Kiwis the top five
places in the event. An outstanding achievement in an event
where top drivers from six countries were represented.
The leading classic was Anthony Ward and
Mark Solloway in their Escort in sixth place, both of them
on their second London-Sydney.
Early leader Jimmy McRae who had lost two
days with a blown head gasket and incurred hefty penalties
kept charging and recorded times to win the final two stages.
Of the 49 stages
McAndrew won a stunning 28 of them with Jimmy claiming 12
for Scotland. Montgomery took 4, Murland 3, and Ward and Callinan
one apiece.
Check
out daily reports:
5th
June to 4th July 2004 day by day
WHAT
THEY SAID ABOUT LONDON-SYDNEY MARATHON………….
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