Athletics: Warrander lines up double

Dale Warrander has a lot at stake in the Auckland Marathon.

Dale Warrander will be targeting two goals when he tackles the Auckland Marathon tomorrow morning - a qualifying time for the world championships and the New Zealand title.

Warrander needs to go under 2h 18m for selection to the World Athletics Championships in Osaka in 2007.

The Auckland race this year doubles as the national championship.

The New Plymouth runner, who won the national marathon title on the Rotorua course two years ago, is fired up for a bold showing right from the starting cannon on King Edward Parade in Devonport tomorrow.

He will have the benefit of the half-marathon runners to pace off on the run through to Takapuna and over the Harbour Bridge. "I just hope the conditions are fine as I will be having a real go at it," said Warrander. "The half-marathon runners will be of assistance over the first half and then I will have to get into a rhythm on the run out along Tamaki Drive."

Warrander won the 2004 Auckland Marathon in a course record of 2h 16m 49s and last year set a course record of 62m 51s in winning the half marathon over the Harbour Bridge.

"If I go for it I should run under 2h 15m," said Warrander.

A total of 10,300 entries have been received across all events on the day - marathon, half marathon, quarter marathon and 5km walk events.

Jeremy Horne from Sydney, winner of the Christchurch Marathon in June, crosses the Tasman again for the Auckland event. Horne, who has a best time of 2h 24m 46s, was two minutes slower in winning in Christchurch.

Tracey Clissold, after a break from racing for 18 months, should win the women's section. Clissold from Auckland holds the women's record of 2h 41m 57s for the Auckland Marathon set in winning in 2004. Clissold also won at Rotorua in 2004 and had previously won in Auckland in 1995 and 1996.

Last year's winner, Sharon Fitzgerald as well as runner-up Melanie Burke return for the 42.2km event.

In the half marathon, New Zealand road champion Scott Winton from Auckland, in-form Mark Bowyer (Auckland) and 2004 winner Craig Kirkwood from Tauranga line up.

Twice world mountain running champion Melissa Moon of Wellington, who last weekend finished third in the Taipei 91 stair climb of 508m, should battle out the women's half marathon with Nyla Carroll from Auckland. Carroll was national marathon champion twice, in 1994 and 2004, six times New Zealand road champion and was fifth in the marathon at the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games.