Russia's Svetlana Vasilyeva, who was a surprise second-place finisher in last year's Honolulu Marathon, has been added to the field for the 25th edition of the race Dec. 14. Russia’s Vasilyeva added
to Honolulu Marathon fieldThe 26-year-old Vasilyeva clocked 2:35:36 here last year for her personal best.
Also added was 1996 California International Marathon champion Rizoneide Vanderlei of Brazil.
They join a women's field that includes Chinese national champion Jinhong Pan and eight-time Honolulu champion Carla Beurskens of Holland.
Vasilyeva grabbed attention in last year's marathon by doing much of the early work, racing into the teeth of a headwind at the head of the lead pack.
After Russian teammate Ramila Burangulova, the eventual winner, broke away from the pack at mile 21, Vasilyeva also broke and never yielded the runner-up position.
WILSON RUNS AWAY: At Waikoloa, Big Island, professional Dean Wilson led from start to finish in winning the Melcalf Waikoloa Open golf tournament with a nine-under-par 207 yesterday on the Waikoloa Village Course.
Wilson finished seven strokes ahead of runner-up Lance Taketa.
Tied for third place at 217 were six-time winner Lance Suzuki and Jerry Mullen.
Ronn Miyashiro was first in the Championship Flight with a 227; the A Flight winner was Owen Fujikawa with a 231; Randy Arase topped B Flight with a 236 and Henry Akiu took C Flight honors at 263.
UH HARRIERS 10TH: At Eugene, Ore., the University of Hawaii women's cross-country team finished 10th yesterday in the Jeff Drenth Memorial five-kilometer race with 296 points.
Host Oregon won with 30 points.
Hawaii's top runner was Rachel Leber, who was timed in 19 minutes, 51 seconds and finished in 119th place.
SALTER, NICHOLS WIN: Brian Salter won the Mid-Pacific Road Runners 30-kilometer road race at Kapiolani Park yesterday with a time of one hour, 42 minutes, 34 seconds.
Second-place finisher Gary Fanelli was some five minutes back with a time of 1:47:55. Chris Crawford came in third in 1:48:08.
Katherine Nichols finished first in the women's division with a time of 2:12:13, 45 seconds ahead of runner-up Ann Baginski. Connie Comiso-Fanelli was third in 2:16:22.
SILVERSWORDS SWEEP: At Riverside, Calif., Doris Bikar had 15 kills to lead Chaminade University to a 15-11, 15-12, 15-7 nonconference victory over UC Riverside yesterday.
Danielle Robins added eight kills and Hinano Warfield had seven for the Silverswords (15-5).
SLATER TRIUMPHS: At Rio de Janiero, five time Association of Surfing Professionals world champion Kelly Slater defeated Mark Occhilupo to win the Kaiser Summer Surf meet yesterday in good, six-foot waves at Barra Beach.
Slater also set a single-season record for money won with $205,500.
SURFING WINNER: At West Shore, Kauai, Kaipo Jaquias, who is from Kauai, won the Westside Pro, the final event in the Nukumio Garden Isle Pro-Am Surfing Series, yesterday in two- to five-foot surf at West Shore Beach.
Strider Wasilewski from Oahu was runner-up.
KOP ELIMINATED: At Dallas, Brandan Kop of Kaneohe missed the cut by three strokes and was eliminated from the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship yesterday after two days of qualifying.
Kop finished with a 76-76--152 on the Dallas Athletic Club's 6,744-yard, par-72 Blue Course and 6,824-yard, par-72 Gold Course.
Bert Atkinson of Charleston, S.C. led the qualifiers with a 68-64--132.
WAHINE BLANKED: At San Diego, the University of Hawaii women's soccer team lost to defending NCAA Division II champion UC San Diego, 3-0, yesterday.
The Wahine (6-9-1) were able to generate scoring opportunities (12 shots), but unable to score.
Also, UH goalkeeper Amanda Paterson landed hard on her head and shoulder in the 64th minute and was taken to a local hospital for precautionary reasons.
RUNNING SEMINAR: A Running Around the World seminar will be held Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Honolulu Club.
Guest speakers are Dr. Ruth Heidrich (Istanbul and Moscow marathons); Heather Jorris (Micronesia and Australian World Championship Triathlon), and Tom Knoll (Cross USA run).
The seminar is free and open to the public. Complimentary refreshments will be served.
JENKINS CITED: University of Hawaii-Hilo junior forward Merriel Jenkins is the preseason favorite for NCAA Division II men's basketball Player of the Year, according to The Sporting News.
Last season, Jenkins scored in double figures 24 times in 25 games and was in doule figures in rebounds 15 times. He was a Pacific West and HIAC all-conference selection, finishing first in rebounding and blocked shots, and second in scoring and field-goal percentage in the PacWest.
"I knew that Jenkins was being selected a preseason (first team) All-American," said Vulcan coach Jim Forkum. "But being selected the player of the year is a compete surprise."
HPU NO. 1: The Hawaii Pacific University men's basketball team is ranked No. 1 in the NAIA by Street & Smith's College/Prep Basketball magazine.
Returning starters J.J. Lucas and Llewellyn Smalley were named preseason first team All-Americans.