JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge 2008
SYDNEY, November 12, 2008 –Sporting Spectrum delivers yet another successful event with the Sydney JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge . Stephen Thurston of Perpetual and KPMG’s Andrea Ilakovac lead 7,494 participants from 309 companies on a leafy 5.6-kilometer Centennial Park course.
“What a wonderful atmosphere,” Chris Stevens, Chief Operating Officer for REST Superannuation Trust, said after completing his first Corporate Challenge. “It’s been great socializing.”
And the blue-sky conditions made for fantastic competition. Thurston earned his first men’s individual title, breaking the finish tape in an impressive 16:49. Ilakovac, also a first-time champion, clocked an impressive 20:09, more than a minute faster than the women’s winning time in 2007.
Ilakovac had to be that fast to beat the 20:21 effort turned in by Jane Miles of adidas. Thurston also had a duel, topping battle-tested Charlie Low of McGrath Nicol by 16 seconds. Low has finished first or second in each of the last four Corporate Challenge events in Centennial Park.
“We try to get pumped up and be a winning team,” Thurston said. “This is a good race because it gets everyone involved and you are running for a team rather than yourself.”
Thurston – whose running resumé lists several outstanding steeplechase performances – took control of the race in the first 1.5K and didn’t back off the pace. Jeremy Horne of Calvary Health Care (17:07) and Thomas Crasti of KPMG (17:11) provided close competition.
The donation to OCF will help fund the OCF/Team Swans Healthy Choices Community Program, with members of the popular football club on hand to represent the cause. Funds to the Sunrise Foundation will help develop preventative education programs addressing depression for young people aged 12-24.