Tuesday, April 21, 1998

Tarutani paces
isle pack at Boston

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

On a New England day that began as miserable as it can get, 13 Hawaii residents started and finished the 102nd Boston Marathon.

Rained soaked the course through the wee hours of the morning, but stopped by midmorning. The temperature reached 59 degrees by noon when the runners filed to the starting line in Hopkinton. Winds approached 11 mph and there was 85 percent humidity.

The first seven Hawaii finishers were Honolulu residents.

Marc Tarutani, a 32-year-old who was 272nd in the Honolulu Marathon last December (3:06:03), completed the Hopkinton-to-Boston course in 3:02:31 yesterday. He was 1,250th overall in the Boston field.

The No. 2 local finisher was 33-year-old Aloha Airlines pilot Greg Matson, a South African native who finished in 3:07:34 and 1,695th. It was a big improvement on his 1997 Boston finish of 3:14:01.

Next was 44-year-old Tom Billings, who finished in 3:07:39 (1,719th).

Fourth was 41-year-old postal worker Elpidio Cadavona, who was 1,834th in 3:08:38. His time was a vast improvement over his 1997 Boston clocking of 3:34:05.

The fifth Hawaii finisher was 51-year-old Dr. John Cogan, who was 1,983rd in 3:09:40.

Sixth was 41-year-old Jeff Nakasone in 3:21:13 (3,250th). Seventh was 36-year-old Kenneth Leon-Guerrero in 3:22:41 (3,487th).

The first neighbor island finisher was 39-year-old Northwest Airlines flight attendant Kathy Kunkle of Kailua-Kona, who clocked 3:28:30 for 4,385th overall and 524 among women.

The ninth Hawaii finisher was also from the Big Island. Kailua-Kona's 46-year-old Michael Hamilton clocked 3:30:26 for 4,524th.

Next was Honolulu's 50-year-old Sue Young (3:43;06 for 6,196th overall, and 1,263rd woman). Allen Doane, 50, of Honolulu, was in at 3:52:10 for 6,908th.

Halina Zaleski, 47, of Honolulu, was Hawaii's 12th finisher, the third and final woman. She crossed the line in Copley Square in 3:58:44 (7,557th overall and 1,893rd woman).

The Big Island's Wil Friesen finished in 4:01:46 for 7,825th place.

Last year, nine Hawaii runners finished the 101st Boston Marathon.