FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Three New Course Records for the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon
11 Age Group Records Set
(Victoria, BC - October 9, 2011) Records were shattered today at the 32nd
Annual GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon. New course records were set in
both the Men's and Women's Marathon, as well as in the Women's Half
Marathon. In addition, 11 age group records were set on a day that saw
perfect running conditions for all 11,417 registrants.
Thomas Omwenga from Kenya dominated the Men's Marathon and broke Steve
Osadiuk's 2006 record by finishing in 2:14:33. He was 11 minutes ahead of
second place finisher, and last year's champion, Philip Samoei who finished
in 2:25:41. Third was Victoria's Ryan Day in a time of 2:26:42. Omwenga was
never really threatened, dominating from the 15km mark and running a
negative split. The three-time winner of the Vancouver Marathon, ran
2:14:35 in Montreal, just two weeks before Victoria. "The conditions were
very good and no wind," he said. "I won't race another marathon until
Victoria next year, as I want to do a 2:12." Fourth place and top Master
was Vancouver's Graeme Wilson in 2:29:34.
The Women's race saw Toronto's Lucy Njeri break the 22-year record set in
1989 by Val Chowaniek. Her time of 2:37:56 was 12 minutes ahead of Chelsea
VanDeBrake from Yakima, WA. The 23-year-old ran in only her third marathon
in 2:49:51. Third place was the dark horse Nadyia Fry from Fairmont Hot
Springs, BC in 2:55:43. Njeri has won the Around the Bay 30km three times,
and once she becomes a Canadian citizen, has set a goal of running for
Canada in the 2016 Olympics. "I would like to come back next year and do a
sub 2:35," she said. Top Master was eighth place Margaret Dietz, from
Squamish, BC in 3:06:10.
The BC Marathon Championships were won by Ryan Day of Victoria in 2:26:42
and Suzanne Evans of New Westminster in 2:57:58.
The Women's Half Marathon field was competitive with Port Moody's Natasha
Wodak breaking Marilyn Arsenault's 2009 course record by just 12 seconds in
a time of 1:15:27. Second was British Olympian Kathy Butler in 1:18:00,
with Victoria's Arsenault just three seconds behind her in 1:18:03.
Arsenault also won the Masters title. For Wodak this result was two minutes
faster than her previous best time, and the fourth fastest by a Canadian
this year.
The Men's race was won by John Ricardi from Bloomington, IN, in 1:07:30.
Second was the 2010 Victoria Marathon runner-up, James Lander in 1:08:17;
and third was Mission, BC's Jeremiah Johnston in 1:09:15. Master's winner
was Victoria's Craig Odermatt, who is recording some fast times this year
and recently ran a 1:11:22. Today he bettered that and finished fifth in a
personal best 1:10:43.
Both of the Men's and Women's 8K fields were particularly strong with BC
athletes taking the top placings with some close times. BC triathlete Kyle
Jones proved that he can run as well as swim and bike by finishing in
24:12. This was the second fastest 8K time by a Canadian this year. Top
seed Jeremiah Ziak from Vancouver finished second in 24:31, closely
followed by Victoria's Matt Clout in 24:40. Fourth place Kevin O'Connor was
the top Master in 25:11.
Hilary Stellingwerff, who recently moved back to Victoria from Switzerland,
proved her top ranking by finishing first in 28:01. She recorded the fifth
fastest Canadian Women's 8K time this year. Vancouver's Gillian Gook was
second in 28:46, and third was Melissa Ross from Errington, BC in 28:55.
Masters winner was Sisi Hallam from Victoria in 31:20.
Eleven age group records were set, three in the Marathon, five in the Half
Marathon, and three in the 8K Road Race. Notable results included a 5:03:50
for Frank McKenna in the Marathon in the M80+ category. He beat the
previous time set by Bob Dolphin's by 20 minutes. In the 8K, Maurice
Tarrant once again set a record in his age category M80+ with a finish time
of 41:05 and Lenore Montgomery in the W80+ in 47:22. This shattered the
previous record of 1:10:02.
The event saw 1,968 register for the Marathon, 5,918 for the Half Marathon,
2,699 in the 8K, and 832 in the Thrifty Foods Kids Run & Marathon for a
total of 11,417. There were 9,961 finishers including Kids Run participants
- 1,623 in the Marathon, 5,076 in the Half Marathon and 2,430 in the 8K
Road Race.
The 33rd Annual GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon will take place on
October 7th, 2012.
For full results from the 32nd GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon go to:
http://www.raceheadquarters.com
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