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1979 April Fools' Day Run
Thanks to Steve Illingworth of Gibsons for lending us his collection of newspaper clippings from 1979 to 1990.
Kissing the winner of the April Fool's Day Run was a tradition set by Fran Berger last year. Eric Hagedorn seems to have mixed feelings about it as last year's winner Adrian Belshaw does the honours. (Click photo to see larger version.)
Coast News, April 1979
38 finishers
Fools Day Run success
The Second Annual April Fools Day Run from Gibsons to Sechelt attracted forty-one hardy participants this year of whom thirty-eight finished the run. This compares with twenty starters in the inaugural run and thirteen finishers.
First to cross the finish line at the Cenotaph in Sechelt was Eric Hagedorn of Roberts Creek competing for the first time. The Coast News Cup was awarded Hagedorn by last year's winner, Adrian Belshaw, who finished in second place this year just four minutes behind Hagedorn. The winner's time was one hour and twenty-two minutes.
The first six finishers all finished the fourteen mile run within ten minutes of each other. After Hagedorn and Belshaw, Calvin Lee of Hopkins Landing was third in a time of one hour twenty-eight-and-a-half minutes; Leith Skinner of Sechelt finished fourth in one hour twenty-nine minutes; Rob Patterson of Vancouver finished a half-minute behind Skinner; and Stu Craigan of Sechelt finished the run in one minute over an hour-and-a-half.
Patti Cawsey was the first lady to finish in the splendid time of one hour forty-nine minutes. Patti, like Adrian Belshaw and Leith Skinner, finished the run for the second consecutive year. Also a second-time finisher was Fran Berger, running this year without the moral support of George Matthews who inexplicably left town at short notice this weekend.
The complete list of participants follows:
Fran Berger, Gower Pt., 2:26; Roberta Esau, Sechelt, 2:04½; Dan Cross, Rob.Creek (R.C.), 2:07; Ken Birkin, R.C. 2:17; Darcie Young, Sechelt, 1:51½; Hanna Jonas, Gibsons 2:04; Kirsten Storvold, Wilson Crk. (W.C.); Liz Corben, Sechelt; Lisa Matthaus, Sechelt, 2:40; Dianne Perry, R.C., 2:48; Alison Nicholas, R.C., 2:08; Leith Skinner, Sechelt, 1:29; Brian Brasnett, Sechelt, 1:51:5; Jimmy Nicholas, R.C., 1:51; Lonnie Brock, R.C., 1:46½; David McLeod, R.C., 1:46½; Mark Slack, Sechelt, 1:46; Brandon Whalon, R.C., 2:16; David Willoughby, R.C., 2:16; Sean Whalen, R.C., 2:16; Rob Patterson, Vancouver, 1:29½; Russ Bourk, Sechelt, 1:43; Danny McKay, R.C., 1:45½; Peter Cawsey, R.C., 2:08; Patti Cawsey, R.C., 1:49; Ron Grant, Hopkins, 1:41; Allan Reid, Port Mellon, 2:03; Eric Hagedorn, R.C., 1:22; Adrian Belshaw, W.C., 1:26; Nancy McLeod, W.C., Joan Rigby, R.C., 1:51½; Pam Mislap, Bowen Island, 2:04; Leif Mjanes, R.C.; Stu Craigan, Sechelt, 1:31; Calvin Lee, Hopkins Land., 1:28½; Larry O'Donaghey, Gibsons; Joan Robb, R.C., 2:27; Jack Aaltonen, Gibsons, 1:52; Wayne Robinson, Gibsons, 2:05; Donard McKenzie, 1:49:5; Al Donan 1:51½.
1979 Results summary
- Eric Hagedorn, Roberts Creek, 1:22
- Adrian Belshaw, Wilson Creek, 1:26
- Calvin Lee, Hopkins Landing, 1:28½
- Leith Skinner, Sechelt, 1:29
- Rob Patterson, Vancouver, 1:29½
- Stu Craigan, Sechelt, 1:31
- Ron Grant, Hopkins, 1:41
- Russ Bourk, Sechelt, 1:43
- Danny McKay, Roberts Creek, 1:45½
- Mark Slack, Sechelt, 1:46
- Lonnie Brock, Roberts Creek, 1:46½
- David McLeod, Roberts Creek, 1:46½
- Patti Cawsey, Roberts Creek, 1:49
- Donard McKenzie, 1:49:5
- Jimmy Nicholas, Roberts Creek, 1:51
- Brian Brasnett, Sechelt, 1:51:5
- Joan Rigby, Roberts Creek, 1:51½
- Darcie Young, Sechelt, 1:51½
- Al Donan 1:51½.
- Jack Aaltonen, Gibsons, 1:52
- Allan Reid, Port Mellon, 2:03
- Pam Mislap, Bowen Island, 2:04
- Hanna Jonas, Gibsons 2:04
- Roberta Esau, Sechelt, 2:04½
- Wayne Robinson, Gibsons, 2:05
- Dan Cross, Roberts Creek, 2:07
- Peter Cawsey, Roberts Creek, 2:08
- Alison Nicholas, Roberts Creek, 2:08
- Brandon Whalon, Roberts Creek, 2:16
- David Willoughby, Roberts Creek, 2:16
- Sean Whalen, Roberts Creek, 2:16
- Ken Birkin, Roberts Creek, 2:17
- Fran Berger, Gower Pt., 2:26
- Joan Robb, Roberts Creek, 2:27
- Lisa Matthaus, Sechelt, 2:40
- Dianne Perry, Roberts Creek, 2:48
No times recorded: Kirsten Storvold, Wilson Creek; Liz Corben, Sechelt; Nancy McLeod, Wilson Creek; Leif Mjanes, Roberts Creek; Larry O'Donaghey, Gibsons.
