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So who do you think will be the fastest man to have walk or in this case run the whole length of the renowned WWII Kokoda Trail?
Find out this August in the Record Breaking Kokoda Event, a first of its kind about to take place along the 96km arduous trail.
But to become the fastest man on the trail one is expected to beat Brian Freeman?s record time of 24 hours, 59 minutes and 26 seconds. Brian an Australian who ran along the trail during his 40th Birthday last year set this record after an early run from Kokoda towards Ower?s Corner.
Kokoda Station where the race begins in August…..
Picture_600.jpgBefore him, two Papua New Guineans held and previously enjoyed the title as the fastest men on Kokoda for long twenty years. The locals include Senesi with a record time of 27 hours and 5 minutes and Osborne Bogijiwai?s 28 hour, 14 minutes and 30 seconds record.
Named Rusty?s Super Kokoda 24-hour Challenge, the race is set to begin at the Kokoda Station at midday, Saturday of 27th August this year and finish on the next day, Sunday 28th at Ower?s Corner on the outskirts of Port Moresby, the capital city of Papua New Guinea.
Osborne Bogijiwai….is due back for the race this month. He wants to snatch the title back from Brian Freeman
Vanapa_Rafting_021.jpgThe 24-hour challenge came about as an initiative of the Kokoda Trekking Limited ? a 100 percent nationally owned company which also happens to be one of the major tour operators along the renowned Kokoda Trail.
The company?s executive and trekking organizer Gail Thomas and its founder Russell Eroro (Managing Director) took up the idea of hosting a 24-hour race after they were approached by locals who after learning of Freeman?s achievement wanted to claim the title back.
post_8_1121848408.jpg?Since Tuesday afternoon, 31st of August 2004 many Papua New Guinean?s have remarked to me that they want the record back
?As a result of such comments Kokoda Trekking have decided its time to see if we can win back our pride and also the record,? Gail Thomas explains.
She said the Kokoda 24-hour event was an open invitation to everyone who wanted to participate and which included overseas competitors who feel they can break Brian Freeman's record.
Gail seen here with Russell at Ower's Corner when she walked the Kokoda Trail last year….
Gail_and_Rusty_on_trail.jpgThe Kokoda challenge is set to be a big event with 8 participants from overseas; seven Australians and one New Zealander taking part. Australian competitors include, Larry Lawson, Troy de Haas a world class runner currently ranked third in Australia Orienteering, Jim Russell, Bryan O?Hara, Sean O?Hara, Robert Drysdale and Charles Chambers.
The only New Zealand competitor in the group is Andrew Rowan, a doctor presently working in PNG.
These runners will compete alongside the locals of Papua New Guinea to set the record time of 24 hours along the trail.
The locals, however, are keen to win the title back.
Ends//
Ower's Corner – The Finish Line…..
Ower__s_Corner500.jpg
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