Sparthathlon Report from John Foden

British runners are once again successfully finishing the 246 kms with 9,000 feet of climb International Spartathlon in Greece, the most difficult annual ultra distance race in in the world. Last year in good conditions only two finished. This year five did - greatest number ever - yet the conditions were appalling.

For holiday makers Greece may seem to be all sunshine, sandy beaches and blue seas. But just as the leading competitors were climbing at night the shepherds¹ track over the rocky 4,000 foot pass between Mounts Mavrovouni and Kaequria, it began to rain. The rain reduced visibility outside the beams of the runners¹ torches to zero. The fields of scree and precipitous falls beside the slippery boulder strewn track would have caused Britain¹s Health & Safety Executive to ban the race outright. As it was this challenge came at the 160 kms, or 100 mile, point in it. Also at that height it was very cold and windy.

Up to then the young French athlete Jean-Jaques Moros had led the field. But soon after he had to relinquish his first place to the more experienced and previous winner Jens Lucas of Germany, who went on to finish by touching the statue of King Leonidhas in the astoundingly good time of 24-20-39. Dr Markus Thalmann of Austria and also a previous winner in was third. It was only as the last runners to finish, just within the time limit of 36 hours, that the rain eased off.

Perhaps though the most remarkable athlete was the diminutive Kimie Noto of Japan. She was first lady and 12th overall, in 30-23-07. She smiled all the way and bowed as she ran to those who cheered her. She is probably the most courteous athlete in the world.

For the first fifteen years the British, Commonwealth and Irish athletes dominated the victor¹s podium, but we have had to let other nations in on the act recently. So far Africans have shown no interest in this purely amateur sport.

For the second year running Mark Williams won the trophy for the first British athlete. He was closely followed by William Sichel, who comes from the Orkney Islands and was competing for the first time. Hopefully he will lead a British revival and have his name engraved on the fifteen foot high marble obelisk in Sparta¹s main boulevard. It would also be great if Austrailans, Canadians, Kiwis and South Africans followed Brian Smith onto the podium.