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Farewell from Bryan Smith

The Saturday in Ceduna was grey and gloomy. It seemed even the sky honoured the memory of Bryan Smith, the best Australian ultra-marathon runner. His fellow-runners in the Big Red Sky Transaustralia Foot Race still cannot believe the great sportsman, mate and father is gone. Yesterday afternoon and evening went by in mourning, and even the dinner at the local pizza house coud not cheer up the gloomy faces.

The organizers announced the race will officially continue on Sunday, after the runners return to Penong, and put ap a cross on the spot where Bryan Smith died. They will run the stage to Ceduna together, but the same as the introductory one in Perth, the stage will not be counted in the final result.

On Monday, the usual routine will be resumed. The race will now have 63 stages, which means that yesterday's and today's stages will not be run again. The total course will be shorter than planned, although some of the stages will be extended by five to ten kilometres, which was decided in accordance with the runners who gathered on the shore of the ocean today to attend the farewell service. The service was led by a priestess.

In all the towns the runners will be passing through, charitable contributions will be collected for Janet Smith and her children.

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