9th Year, Västgöta Triumphs and Bridge Opening, 1988
The sun was scorching, The parad street Avenyn looked as if the street was made of sponges, and at the hydration stations, water flowed in streams over and into thirsty runners. It was the first time with over 30,000 registered runners, and also the first time a bridge opening gave tired runners an unexpected break in the middle of the race.
Double Västgöta Triumph in the race of 1988.
For Håkan Börjesson from IF Hagen in Skövde, it was third time lucky, and for Evy Palm from Lidköping, competing for Mölndals AIK, it was her second victory.
“My greatest running achievement besides the SM victory in the half marathon in Västervik last year,” admitted the happy Håkan Börjesson, who had finished second in 1985 and fifth in 1987 in the Göteborgsvarvet.
He paced his race wisely. He was accompanied on the Älvsborg Bridge by Jan Hagelbrand from Enhörna, Peter Brett from Australia, and the Norwegians Roy Andersen and Jorn Holmén. But after 11 km (which was at Keillers Park at the time), Börjesson had pulled away and created a 10-meter gap to Roy Andersen, Brett, and Hagelbrand.
“The thing that worried me the most was the heat,” said Håkan, but it turned out to be an exaggerated concern. He steadily increased his lead and finished 16 seconds ahead of Brett and 27 seconds ahead of Hagelbrand.
Apparently, nothing can stop Evy Palm. At 46 years old, she was by far the best in the women's category, more than 6 minutes ahead of her clubmate Eva Svensson.
“I never cease to be amazed by Evy,” said an impressed Patrik Sjöberg, who was the wreath bearer in 1988. Many shared his view, and what else can you say about a woman who, at 46 years old, would make her Olympic debut in Seoul later that summer and who had trained in intervals on a treadmill in her basement.
The 9th edition of the race was also the year of the first and only bridge opening in the history of the Göteborgsvarvet. A bridge opening on the Göta Älv Bridge during the race had always been the race director's nightmare. He called the canal authority in Trollhättan every year to remind them of the event. Yet, it happened in 1988. The chemical tanker Amarant was waiting to pass, and the bridge span went up right in front of about a hundred runners. They had an unexpected wait of about 5 minutes on the bridge.
“They all seemed happy and grateful for a break at that moment. It was 26 degrees Celsius, and on the bridge, fatigue usually sets in,” recalled race director Harry Ericksson. When the first report came in, he feared a long line of a thousand runners, which would have been a disaster. The County Administrative Board’s defense unit was tasked with investigating the incident. One of the members, interestingly enough, was on the race’s organizing committee.
1988 was also the year when Thore Skogman learned an important lesson after being persuaded by Per-Eric Nordqvist in Karlstad to run the Göteborgsvarvet together with Sten Nilsson, forming a running trio from Värmland.
“It was hot, very hot,” Thore remembered. “I didn’t think about how much you need to drink on such a day. I drank at every station but not enough. I simply cheated with my fluid intake and started feeling a little tired inside. But it passed, and at the finish, I actually felt quite fresh, at least at first. But about 40 minutes later, I started feeling it in my stomach, and I got dizzy. It lasted for half an hour before I recovered. I realized that it was the result of cheating with the fluids. I learned my lesson that time. Drink properly! The Göteborgsvarvet was a fantastic experience, especially because the people of Gothenburg turned out in such large numbers. It was a carnival atmosphere. I like the race because 21 km is just right. You can manage it fine with the training I do. I run every day to build strength in my legs. It’s in the legs that you feel it first during long-distance races.”
9th Edition - 1988
Date: May 14
Participants: 30,043
Men’s Winner: Håkan Börjesson, IF Hagen, 1:05:13
Women’s Winner: Evy Palm, Mölndals AIK, 1:14:19
Start and Finish: Slottsskogsvallen
Weather: Sunny, warm, 26°C
2024-08-22