2020 Yearly Report
Gerald Manderson (C31) wins 2019 Gordon Smith Memorial Award
Gerald Manderson (C31) celebrated his 75th birthday in early 2019 by walking solo from Perth to Melbourne via the coastal roads, a total distance of 4,249km. He completed his walk in 80 days (January-April), battling horrendously hot and dry conditions along the way and carrying his own water as he traversed the desert areas. This feat has earned him the accolades of his fellow centurions who voted him as the winner of the Gordon Smith Memorial Award for the Best Australian Ultra Distance Walking Performance of the 2019 Year.Read about all the award and this year's nominations at http://centurions.org.au/documents/Gordon%20Smith%20Award.pdf.
Jack Debert retrospectively awarded badge C1A
In our October 2019 Issue (see http://www.centurions.org.au/newsletters/2019-n10-oct.pdf),
I reported on a possible newly unearthed Australian Centurion
performance, dating from 1937. The Executive has discussed this in some
depth and has accepted the performance and awarded Australian Centurion
membership to NSW walker Jack Debert. Overall, that takes our Australian Centurion count to 81.Badge 1 remains with Gordon Smith for his winning performance in the same race. Badge number 2 has already been allocated to Jack Webber for his 1971 walk in Adelaide. Accordingly, a new badge number of 1A has been inserted for Jack’s performance.
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2020 Australian Centurions Qualifier cancelled
The
2020 Australian Centurions qualifying event, which was due to be held
in conjunction with the 2020 Coburg 24 Hour Carnival on the weekend of
18-19 April, has been cancelled. The quickly spreading COVID-19
disaster has necessitated the shutdown of all non-essential activities
and sporting events in Australia. We will of course return in 2021,
assuming that the coast has cleared. Stay tuned!
Art for Self-Isolation
I was sent this by my mate Harold van Beek and I just have to share it - a very moving take on our current self-isolation, as seen through some fantastic painting.Quarantine in Art.mp4
VALE Deryck Skinner (C51): 1932-2020
Sadly,
I must inform everyone of the death of Australian Centurion Deryck
Skinner (C51), who walked his 100 mile qualifier in 2005 in 22:39:55 at
the Santos Stadium in Adelaide. Deryck died in Adelaide on Tuesday 19th
May 2020, aged 87. At 72 years of age, Deryck was the oldest Australian
to earn his Australian Centurion badge. He went on to finish 3 further
hundreds in the next 2 years and set a series of M70 and M75 records
that will take some beating.
You can read more about Deryck in my obituary – see http://www.centurions.org.au/centprofiles/51%20deryck%20skinner.pdf.
He will be sadly missed by us all.
VALE George Audley (C22): 1935-2020
Sadly,
I must report the death of another one of our Australian Centurions,
with the passing of George Audley (C22). After living for many years in
Perth, George had moved back to Birmingham, England, some years ago to
spend his remaining years with his family. George passed away on Sunday
28th June 2020 at the age of 84, at home in Birmingham.
You can read more George in my obituary – see http://www.centurions.org.au/centprofiles/22%20george%20audley.pdf.
While
George has now passed on, his memory will live on, both to hs fellow
Australian Centurions and to the wider Australian ultra distance
community.
VALE Merv Lockyer (C30): 1931-2020
Sadly,
I must report the death of another one of our Australian Centurions,
with the passing of Merv Lockyer (C30). Merv passed away on Thursday
24th December 2020 at the age of 89, in the Victorian country city of
Mildura. Merv made history in 1996 when he completed his 100 mile walk
in 23:45:51. At 65 years of age, he became the oldest walker to join
the club. What made his walk even more meritorious was the fact that he
had suffered a heart attack some 5 years before, and completed his walk
after undergoing a complete knee replacement!
You can read more Merv in my obituary – see http://www.centurions.org.au/centprofiles/30%20merv%20lockyer.pdf
Merv was one of a kind and will be sadly missed by all of his many friends in the centurion community.
2020 Annual Report
2020 AGM Minutes