2003 Tahiti ILQ-9 Roller Marathon November 8, 2003, Tahiti, French Polynesia Click on an image to see it full size with a description.

The rapturously beautiful community of Vairao on Tahiti's Presqu'Ile hosted the 2003 Tahiti ILQ-9 Roller Marathon, Saturday, October 8, 2003. Threatening skies cleared and welcomed local and foreign skaters with a perfect window of opportunity.

For the first time in its five year history, Tahitian skaters outnumbered imported ones, and so the event took on new significance and a whole new look. No longer was the odd Tahitian struggling to keep up with the tourists, now it was the tourists huffing and puffing to try to keep pace with the Polynesians!

A 30-member strong contingent of Raiateans made the trip, plus three associations from the island of Tahiti filled the ranks for a kid's race, a 6 km race, a half-marathon, and the full 42 km.

Barrie Hartman and Eddy Matzger hammered hard until the competition wilted, and then cruised to victory and a well-deserved stretch of R&R on Moorea and Raiatea with the other skaters from near and far.

	Refresher		Smooth sailing		In Tahiti!
	Peleton		En tete		Ernest
	Sacred skaters		Arm in arm		Local hat
	Front de mer		Champion finish		Marathoners
	Young talent		David!		Teira
	Claude's kids		Reiana		Podium puppiesStart

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