Seventeen members and two visitors took on the challenge of the 2012 Somerford Marathon on Sunday 15 January.
All 19 participants gathered on the south side of City groyne for the start of the race and there was plenty of laughing and joking with Greg Mickle asking if there was a cut off time for certain competitors - Bill Jarman, Bob Harper and Garbo gave Greg the competitive stare - they were fired up!
Alison O'Toole warms up for the Marathon
by winning the Australian Championship
With the temperature rising well over 30 degrees the field was off on the swim around the groyne and a 200 metre wade north before emerging from the water and off on a relaxing 7 km beach run.
Out of the water first were our U17 young guns Josh Maurice and Jordan Law. Our visitors Pete Wood and Kale Pervan were joined by Ben Carrick close on the heels of the two 17s. Andrew Walker and Greg Mickle were not far behind the early leaders. By the time the front runners reached Floreat drain Alison O'Toole decided it was time to pick up the pace and she stormed past the group to take the lead and issue the challenge.
Andrew Walker and Ben Carrick accepted and the three moved away from the field at the Floreat clubrooms. The multiple Australian Champion increased the tempo again and Andrew Walker just slipped off the back leaving Alison with Ben following in her footsteps.
As the pair passed the City Clubrooms along the soft sand Alison had a five metre lead and looked like she was just warming up.
When the rest of the participants returned along the soft sand past the club rooms and the water station there weren't many smiles and the laughing and joking seemed to have disappeared!
The race claimed its first victim with Kirstie Hardstaff suffering from the heat and not being able to continue for the second half of the race. The second half of the race, up and down the paths through the sand dunes south of City Beach, can not be described as enjoyable. When the runners returned from their journey south the field was well and truly spread out. Alison increased her lead over Ben and was first home in the impressive time of 37min 5 sec. Ben was second in 38:28 and an outstanding run by Andrew Walker saw him come in third in 39:15.
Fourth overall and first U17 was Jordan Law in 40:05 and the first U15 with a great performance was Kent Jenkinson in 48:05. Joanna Kagi, after a slow start in the water leg, flew home in the run to finish in 47:40 and second female. Congratulations to all of our members and visitors taking on the Somerford Marathon challenge in 2012.
Full list of results:*
| Overall Position | Time | Name | Age Group Position |
| 1 | 37min 05sec | Alison O'Toole | First Female - Open |
| 2 | 38min 28sec | Ben Carrick | First Male - Open |
| 3 | 39min 15sec | Andrew Walker | Second Male - Open |
| 4 | 40min 05sec | Jordan Law | First Male - U17 |
| 5 | 42min 12sec | Greg Mickle | Third Male-Open |
| Visitor | 42min 29sec | Kale Pervan | |
| Visitor | 42min 30sec | Pete Wood | |
| 6 | 42min 40sec | Josh Maurice | Second Male - U17 |
| 7 | 47min 40sec | Joanna Kagi | Second Female - Open |
| 8 | 48min 05sec | Kent Jenkinson | First Male - U15 |
| 9 | 48min 52sec | Phoebe George | Third Female - Open |
| 10 | 49min 26sec | Kalem Norris | Third Male - U17 |
| 11 | 49min 37sec | Jade Mickle | First Female - U15 |
| 12 | 51min 20sec | Justin Miles | |
| 13 | 52min 04sec | Bob Harper | |
| 14 | 55min 05sec | John Leivers | |
| 15 | 59min 02sec | Bridget Darragh | First Female - U17 |
| 16 | 1hr 05min 03sec | Bill Jarman |
Trophy Winners
- First Overall- Alison O'Toole
- Second Overall- Ben Carrick
- Third Overall- Andrew Walker
- First Female - Alison O'Toole
- First Under 15 - Kent Jenkinson
* all placings are subject to members completing patrol and other membership requirements
Surf Sports Officer
