FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Participation Soars and All 50 States Were Represented
at the 11th Annual Kauai Marathon and Half Marathon
The sunrise was perfect for the start of The Kauai Marathon and Half
Marathon on Sunday, September 1, 2019. Over 2,200 participants registered
for the 11th annual event.
Runners from 50 States and 15 countries enjoyed the magic of the Garden
Isle. The Aloha State was well represented with 1,137 local registrants of
whom 881 were from Kauai. Additionally, there were 51 participants who ran
the full or half marathon for the 11th year in a row.
The performance of the day went to overall winner and top female finisher
Jill Thompson of Aiea, Hawaii. She completed the full marathon in an
impressive 3:07:05. Thompson shared the excitement of her victory: "From
the beauty of the course to the hospitality of everyone I came across, The
Kauai Marathon was an amazing experience. A true reflection of these
islands and aloha."
The first place finisher in the men's field for the full marathon was Jason
Gortari of Reno, Nevada with a time of 3:28:07 followed by Aaron Kent of
Honolulu clocking in at 3:33:38. Third place was San Francisco resident
Scott Golden finishing at 3:37:34. Kauai women dominated the field with
Brooke Sugahara of Kapaa placing second with a time of 3:48:33 and Alex
Dutcher of Koloa crossing the finish line in 3:50:10.
Colorado's Tyler McCandless won the Half Marathon for the sixth year in a
row with a time of 1:07:41. San Francisco's Chris Ashley placed second with
a time of 1:23:58 followed by Corey Phillis of Sacramento, California with
a time of 1:24:33.
Laurent Tippits of Pescadero, California won the women's Half Marathon
crossing the finish at 1:25:15. The battle for second was between Jessica
Smith or Roanoke, Texas with a time of 1:32:59 and Jackie Reding of Kapaa,
Hawaii crossing the finish at 1:36:43.
Kauai's top finishers were Karl Israelsen and Brooke Sugahara for the Full
Marathon and Renatao Desouza and Jackie Reding in the Half Marathon.
The 2019 event featured far more than the successful running of the
Marathon and Half Marathon. The world class Wilcox Health Sports and
Fitness Expo provided a backdrop for runners to meet several running
celebrities, as well as informative health and wellness seminars in the
days leading up to the race. The Fun Run on Saturday morning brought
runners together for a casual "shake out" morning adventure. And finally,
the Seventh Annual Keiki Run sponsored by Wilcox Health energized a record
number 177 children from the ages of 2 to 12 with exciting races at the
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa.
The Kauai Marathon and Half Marathon host Bart Yasso was on hand for the
week's festivities handing out tips and inspiration to all the runners.
Yasso believes Kauai hosts one of the best running events he has been a
part of because of the accessibility to the running community through the
Expo, pre-race fun run and the finish line party. He loves the personal
connections he makes and always looks forward to the aloha shared by the
people of Kauai.
Several sponsors made the event possible including: County of Kauai, Hawaii
Tourism Authority, Kauai Visitors Bureau, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa,
Kauai Coffee, Koloa Landing Resort, Brennecke's Beach Broiler, Nukumoi Surf
Co., Wilcox Health, HMSA, and Living Foods Gourmet Market and Café. Many
other local businesses assisted by providing volunteer lunches,
accommodations and supplies for the medical tent.
Over $7,000 was generously donated to numerous local non-profit groups
volunteering for race day activities. Kauai High Cross Country, Kauai
Futsal, and The Koloa Early School are just a few.
For 2019 results and more information, visit www.thekauaimarathon.com.
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