Some 3,900 runners (out of 4,500 total en tries) crossed the finish l line under a blazing sun and temperatures that reached well into the 80s in the eighth annual Coronado Fourth of July Half Marathon. The 13-mile course be gan at the high school track and headed down Fifth Street to Glorietta Boulevard and along Ocean Boulevard before entering North Island where a nine-mile loop was made around the golf course. The course is one of the flattest and, therefore, fastest courses available for national competition. Race re sults have consistently resulted in new records and top times. But al though several course records were set in the individual age divisions, the heat prevented the top contenders from breaking overall course records.

The first to cross the finish line was Tim Varley, 20, who set an American record clocking in at one hour, five minutes and 20 se conds. Following in second place was Chris Hughes, 23, at 1:05:47. Frank Plasso, 21, of the Las Vegas Track Club, took third place at 1:06:09.The three also led the men's 18 to 29 age div sion.

Macey Toussaint set a new course record for the men's 17 and under division with a time of 1:09:15. Second place in that division went to Jose Vega, 17, with a time of 1:10:21. Ted Hughes, 17, clocked in third at 1:12: 22.

In the men's 30-39 age division, Bob Day, 36, took first place honors at 1:09:25. Jim Mosher, 31, finished the course in 1:10:40 for second and Ricardo Martinez, 35, placed third at 1:10:48.

A new course record in the men's 40 to 49 age group was set by Will Rasmussen, 41, who finished in 1:15:22. Dave Holland, 41, was the second place finisher at 1:17:08 and Bill Gookin timed in at 1:18:45.

Dick Robinson, 50, set a new course record for men age 50 to 59 after he clocked in at 1:21:52. Marsh Haraden, 50, finished 1:22:38 and Rod Johnson, 52, took third place in 1:23:02.

Sixty-four-year-old Wayne Zook finished in 1:34:42 to lead the men's 60 and older division while Woodrow Derby, 62, took second place at 1:39:28. George Boyle, 62 completed the course in 1:41:41 for third.

Leading the women was Anne Zampardo, 19, who set a new course record for women 18 to 29 with a time of 1:15:30. She was followed by Elizabeth Baker, 23, who clocked 1:16:20

The third place overall winner was Sue Krenn, who also took first place in the women's 30 to 39 division with a time of 1:21:50. She was followed by Kay Harpold, 31, who finished second in her age division and fourth overall at 1:22:25. Barb Ras mussen, 36, was the third place finisher in her division at 1:28:33.

Yvonne Yanke, 23, the fifth place overall women's winner and third place finisher in the women's 18 to 29 division, locked in at 1:22:50.

Following as the sixth overall finisher and topping the list of women runners age 17 and under was Terrie Brown, 17, who also set a new course record at 1:24:40.
Kim Sterton of Coronado, 16, finished second in that division crossing the finish line in 1:33:19 while Varpu Heikura of Finland, 17, ended the race in third at 1:35:03.

Dorothy Stock, 48, set an American record for women 40 to 49 with a time of 1:29:06 which made her first in that
division. Sue Hutchison, 44, was the second place finisher at 1:31:12 and third place went to Jo Wichary, 45, with 1:31:29.

Another American record was set for women 50 to 59 by Anne Johnson, 52, who clocked in at 1:29:18. Nicki Hobson, 50, finished the course in 1:34:45 and Mary Storey, 57, was third in her division at 1:37:55.

Gerry Davidson, 60, set an American record for women 60 and over at 1:19 minutes and Bess Jones, 71, clocked
another American record at 2:30.

Other Coronado women who finished well were Liz Hutson, who took fifth place for women 30 to 39 with 1:32:44
and Karen Brown, who finished 10th among women 18 to 29 at 1:27:19.

In the wheelchair division, Roy Gash, 34, finished first in 1:09:47 followed by Paul Herman, 32, at 1:21:58,
Scott Roberson, 28, of Coronado and William Verrill.

An awards ceremony followed the race at the high school football field and awards were given to the top finishers in each division. Two perpetual tro phies were given to the top male and top female finishers overall. Awarded to Anne Zampardo, the first woman to cross the finish line, was the Flo Squires Memorial Trophy in memory of a popular local runner who died three years ago. Squires was involved in many Coronado athletic activities including coach of the Coronado High School girls cross country and track teams. She completed seven marathons including the
Boston Marathon in 1976. Her children, Gretchen and Rob, also runners, reside in Coronado.

Tim Varley, the winner of the men's division, was presented with the Robert W. MacCartee Memorial Trophy. This award is given each year by family and friends in honor of MacCartee, a Coronado resident and sports enthusiast, who died in 1978. MacCartee, an attorney and former member of the Underwater Demolition Team, competed in many runs throughout the county, his favorite being Coronado's half marathon. His wife, Gerry, and their two sons, Robin and Christopher, reside in Coronado.