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Southern View: September 30, 2021

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4 Thursday <strong>September</strong> <strong>30</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />

Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />

SOUTHERN VIEW<br />

Participation a prize in itself for<br />

• By John Cosgrove<br />

MAN AND beast were running<br />

together at the third annual 4Paws<br />

Marathon series held on Sunday<br />

at Bottle Lake Forest Park.<br />

Observing Covid level 2<br />

spacing rules, competitors<br />

and their dogs from all over<br />

the South Island lined up for<br />

the start of events, including<br />

a marathon, a half marathon,<br />

16km, 10km and 5km runs, and<br />

a 2.4km rascals walk/run.<br />

They ran along tracks through<br />

Bottle Lake Forest Park and<br />

along nearby beaches – with<br />

some going almost as far as the<br />

Brighton Pier.<br />

The day also hosted two<br />

virtual races.<br />

Organisers started lines of<br />

competitors at ten-second<br />

intervals. They also conducted<br />

mandatory vet checks along the<br />

way.<br />

4Paws event organiser and race<br />

director John Molloy said it was<br />

a massive but fulfilling day.<br />

“In all we were very impressed<br />

with how people respected<br />

the event’s Covid rules with<br />

responsible mask usage in what<br />

is a very social event (about 100<br />

participants).”<br />

He said dogs bring out the best<br />

in people, and for the third year<br />

in a row there were no dog –or<br />

DUOs: Paula Charmley, of Hoon Hay, and her dog Kahu get distracted before the start of<br />

the half marathon. Top right: Charmaine Le Roux, of Cashmere, and her dog Savannah.<br />

Right: Madeleine Van Dyk, of Cashmere, and her dog Charles. PHOTOS: JOHN COSGROVE<br />

human – altercations.<br />

“The smiles on everyones<br />

faces . . . inspires us to keep<br />

hosting this event. [It] is about<br />

participation and not winning<br />

so the winners get no winning<br />

prizes as such.<br />

“But in due time they will<br />

realise they have won the<br />

best prize of all – sharing<br />

the experience of finishing a<br />

marathon together with their<br />

best friend,” Molloy said.<br />

When it came to the multiple<br />

races, he was unaware of any<br />

event in the world that offered<br />

this experience.<br />

It was good to see both human<br />

and dog winners were from<br />

Christchurch, Molloy said.<br />

Darryl Cotton and Pip, a<br />

kelpie, of Rangiora won the<br />

men’s marathon in 3hr 46min<br />

31sec, while Holly Weston and<br />

her sheep dog Billy Knowler of<br />

Beckenham won the women’s in<br />

3hr 55min 41sec.

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