Monday, April 20, 1998

Tanui wins
Boston Marathon

He narrowly beats Chebet for the
men's title at today's running of
the 102nd road race

Associated Press

BOSTON -- Moses Tanui won Kenya's eighth consecutive Boston Marathon today, outdueling countryman Joseph Chebet in the final stretch.

Tanui, who also won in 1996 and finished fifth last year despite bronchitis, had an unofficial time of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 33 seconds -- the third fastest in Boston Marathon history.

He sprinted ahead 300 yards from the finish to earn the $80,000 first prize.

Andre Ramos of Brazil was side by side with the leaders through Brookline's Coolidge Corner, the 24-mile mark, before falling back.

Marc Tarutani is leading the Hawaii contigent of 15 competitors. The 32-year-old Honolulu resident went through the 25k mark at 1:46:38. Tarutani was followed by 33-year-old Greg Matson of Honolulu, who went through 12.4 miles in 1:26.27.

Just behind them was Honolulu's 41-year-old Elpidio Cadavona in 1:29. The leader among three Hawaii women was Kathy Kunkle of Kailua-Kona, who hit 15K at 1:16.

A field of 11,499 runners and 66 wheelchair racers left Hopkinton at noon (EST), a field second in size only to the race's massive centennial edition. Winds approaching 11 mph and temperatures of 59 degrees with 85 percent humidity greeted the runners at the start.

A night of rain gave way to cloudy skies by midmorning. Race officials hoped the dry weather and a tailwind would allow for a fast pace to match this weekend's Rotterdam Marathon, where Kenyan Tegla Loroupe set a women's world best with a time of 2 hours, 20 minutes and 47 seconds.

Louise Sauvage won her second consecutive women's wheelchair race today, overcoming a huge deficit to beat seven-time winner Jean Driscoll by less than a chair's length in 1:41:19. The defending champion from Australia rallied in the final mile before passing Driscoll at the tape.

Switzerland's Franz Nietlispach easily won his third men's wheelchair title, rolling into Copley Square in 1:21:52. Nietlispach, who also won in 1995 and '97, finished with the second-fastest time ever to take home a $10,000 prize.

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Tarutani Hawaii’s
first to finish

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

There were 15 Hawaii residents entered and 11 were recorded as finishing by deadline this morning.

Marc Tarutani, 32, of Honolulu was the first finisher from the 50th state as he crossed the finish line at Copley Square in 3:02:31. He was 1,250th overall.

Tarutani came in five minutes and three seconds ahead of 33-year-old Aloha Airlines pilot Greg Matson. He was 1,695th overall. Matson bested his 1997 Boston time by nearly six-and-a-half minutes.

Next in from Hawaii was Honolulu's Tom Billings, 44, who clocked 3:07:39 (1,719th overall), and then 41-year-old Honolulu mail carrier Elpidio Cadavona in 3:08:38 (1,834 overall).

Then came Honolulu's, John Cogan, 51, who hit the line in 3:09:40 (1,983rd overall).

Jeff Nakasone, 41, was 3,249th overall in 3:21:13. Then Honolulu's Kenneth Leon-Guerrero, 36, finished 3,486th in 3:22:41.

Kathy Kunkle, a 39-year-old Northwest Airlines flight attendant from Kailua-Kona, was the next Hawaii finisher (4,384th overall and 523rd woman) in 3:28:30. Another Big island resident, 46-year-old Michael Hamilton, was 4,523rd in 3:30:26.

The second woman finisher from Hawaii was Honolulu's Sue Young, 52, who crossed in 3:43:06 (6,195th overall).

Honolulu's Allen Doane, 50, was 6,907th in 3:52:10.

Honaunau's Wil Friesen was recorded at 2:16:32 by 25 kilometers but then was not heard from again. It is believed he dropped out.