FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Winners Repeat at Reggae Marathon 11
Negril, Jamaica ... December 2011 --Rupert Green in the marathon (2:32.0),
Kirk Brown in the half-marathon (1:12.20), and USA Olympian and second time
Reggae Marathoner Carrie Tollefson of Minnesota in the 10K (36:17.0), were
all repeat winners at the 11th Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K held in
Negril on December 3.
Competing on the recently re-configured and IAAF re-certified course, Green
lifted the Bob Marley trophy from Colin Graham (3:8.24), and Herv Bacon of
France (3:12.7), with female winner Jenifer Goebel of Chicago clocking
3:07.59, to take the Rita Marley trophy ahead of Karlene Blagrove (3:36.51)
and Soile Peltoniemi-Ni of Finland in 3:51.41.
Half Marathon winner Kirk Brown retained the title over Bryan Huberty of
USA (1:16.56) and Ronique Williams of Montego Bay (1:17.9). Female winner
Christina Dotson of Bermuda won in 1:39.26 ahead of Kishka-Kaye O'Connor
(1:44.43), and Sara Gress of Port Antonio (1:45.12).
LIME dominated the corporate team competition in the Half Marathon with
Vinci Construction coming in second and GKMS Challengers in third place.
Commenting on the 10K, race director Alfred Francis noted that it was the
first time this distance was being certified which means that "all times
run on thie 10K course are official and factor into a participant's overall
international performance. The Reggae Marathon course is an IAAF qualifying
course and whether you are competing in the Olympics or the World
Championships, records set at Reggae Marathon stand," Francis said.
With some 1,300 participants representing 28 countries, the event got off
to its usual 5:15 a.m. start amidst the call of the drums and blazing
torches. Regulars such as the USA's veteran marathon runner and Reggae
Marathon aficionado 86 year old Burt Carlson who has participated in over
300 international eventsas well as 84 year old Jamaican stalwart Roy Thomas
who has competed in every Reggae Marathon and Road to Reggae Marathon Grand
Prix series since inception in 2001; and Jamaican Errol Grant, did not
disappoint.
Repeat groups including the Running Girlz of Canada as well as first timers
Easy Skankin from the USA confirmed that the Reggae Marathon is deserving
of being included among the world's best. Horst Preisler of Germany
completed his first Marathon in Jamaica and his 1250 Marathon event
overall. Local celebrities could also be seen on the course with popular
evening jock 'Miss Kitty' of Radio Jamaica participating in the 10K along
with disc jockey DJ Sparks.
Another highlight of the event was the participation of Navin Sadarangani
from Montego Bay who managed to shave seven minutes off his previous Reggae
Marathon time for a personal best of 3:50: 43. On completion of the
marathon, Sadarangani immediately caught the next flight to Florida where
he completed the West Palm Beach Marathon on Sunday, December 4. Following
the race he remarked, "Florida was good, but Reggae was the best. Ain't
nothing comes close to the Reggae experience."
This sentiment was echoed by a number of other guests who had high praise
for special features such as the pre-race JHTA World's Best Pasta Party,
the unique start, the heart pounding Reggae music along the course, the
overall organization and runner's care, the non-stop entertainment as well
as the cool coconut water, fresh from the tree at the finish line.
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