By
Andrew Stackpool
FIVE of the six Air Force runners who lined up for the 2005 ADF
10km championships placed in the top 20.
Corporal Damien Enderby, from RAAF Base Williamtown, was the first
Air Force athlete home in fourth place, in 37 minutes, three seconds.
This was an improvement over his fifth place last year. The second
Air Force athlete home was Corporal Marc Guilfoyle, of the Australian
Federation Guard, in ninth place. He ran the course in 38 minutes,
14 seconds.
Behind them came Corporal Daniel Cross (39.05), Leading Aircraftman
Stephen Finnigan (39.35), Leading Aircraftman Shaun Shafferius
(40.33) and Leading Aircraftman Jay Cockburn in 46.03, for 11th,
16th, 20th and 40th overall.
Seventy-two ADF track and field athletes lined up for the start,
which was held at Holsworthy on March 18. According to competition
spokesman Sergeant Rob Combe, overnight rain may have kept some
competitors away as the forecast was for continued showers.
“Unlike last year, it was cool and overcast for the race, but
on the day it was almost perfect conditions for running,” he said.
Nevertheless, the field was an enormous increase on the 28 who
fronted for the 2004 competition, but the final outcome was the
same as 4RAR’s Corporal David Whitehead blitzed the field in a
textbook assault.
He covered the four 2.5km laps in 32 minutes 55 seconds, 30 seconds
faster than his 2004 time.
His win gave 4RAR its third win in four years for the champion
unit/ship from the Australian Federation Guard (AFG). Army’s home
soil advantage helped it take out the Service champion honours.
