City to Surf report from Sydney Morning Herald.

Mass attraction ... running in the rain at the City2Surf. Photo: Steve Christo

In a thrilling neck-and-neck finish, Victorian Liam Adams beat race favourite Queenslander Michael Shelley to win the 41st City2Surf race in an unofficial time of 41 minutes and nine seconds.

Adams, who had an attack of stitch in the final stages of the 14 km run to Bondi, said: ‘‘I honestly thought Michael would blitz me, kill me at the end. But somehow I found an extra gear.’’

Coincidentally, the two men had shared a Sydney hotel room the previous evening, though they became fierce rivals on the course.

Liam Adams from Moonee Ponds, Victoria wins the men's section of the 2011 Sun-Herald City2Surf. Photo: Adam Hollingworth

‘‘He’s my biggest scalp to date,’’ Adams said.

The women’s race was won by Jessica Trengove, 23, from Adelaide, in just under 47 minues five seconds. She was third in her debut in the event last year. ‘‘It looked like a lot of fun. And I fell in love with it.

‘‘I’m just ecstatic to have won.’’


Jessica Trengrove from Adelaide take out the women's section. Photo: Adam Hollingworth

Kurt Fearnley won the elite wheelchair athlete event, which was being staged in the City2Surf for the first time. It was a hard slog, the two-time paralympic champion admitted at the end.

‘‘Heartbreak Hill? .... bloody hell,’’ he moaned after finishing in an unofficial time of 33 minutes and three seconds.

For the first time in living memory, the race was run in wet, overcast conditions after heavy showers shortly before the first of the 85,000 runners, walkers and wheelers set off at 8am.

Sun-Herald City2Surf 2011

A sea of competitors make their way through the city. Photo: Steve Christo


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As former winner Andrew Lloyd, sitting out this year’s race with a hamstring injury, explained, the puddled course slowed the elite runners considerably. ‘‘You just can’t attack the downhills.’’

Though the weather may have sent some supporters along the route and at the finish running for cover, it did not dampen the spirits of the record field.

Once again, serious runners, intent on improving their best time, were far outnumbered by those who also ran and walked, many of them in fancy dress, as gorillas, Super Marios and Lego bricks.

The event is expected to raise aboput $4 million for charities.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/wet-but-wonderful-neckandneck-to-city2surf-finish-line-20110814-1isn9.html#ixzz1UyQDALsH