by Larry Eder
Lineth Chepkurui breaks CR at TD Bank Beach to Beacon, photo by PhotoRun.net.
by PhotoRun.net.
Now in its thirteenth year, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, the TD Bank Beach to
Beacon has become one of the premier road races in the U.S. Founded by
Joan Benoit Samuelson and her friends, the race continues to grow and
support the local community. A good race doing good things…..
Lineth Chepkurui
Shatters Women’s Record and Gebre Gebremariam Sprints to Men’s Title at 13th
TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K
In Maine
Division, Kristen Barry reclaims women’s title by a hair and Patrick Tarpy
cruises to men’s win on idyllic summer morning in Cape Elizabeth, Maine
CAPE
ELIZABETH, Maine
(August 7, 2010) – Kenyan Lineth Chepkurui shattered the women’s course
record and Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia sprinted to the men’s title in the 13th
edition of the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race on Saturday in Cape
Elizabeth, Maine.
In
the Maine Resident races, Kristin Barry (34:34.9) of Scarborough reclaimed the
women’s title, edging defending champ Sheri Piers (34:35.2) of Falmouth by the
slimmest of margins, while Patrick Tarpy (29:28) of Yarmouth cruised to his
first men’s title.
The
winners were among the record-setting 5,668 runners from 17 countries and 41
U.S. states who finished the winding, picturesque 6.2-mile course on a cool,
blue-skied, idyllic morning on the Maine coast. Thousands of spectators lined
the course to cheer the runners.
Chepkurui
(30:59) confirmed her reputation as this season’s most dominant road racer by
clipping 26 seconds off the course record and becoming the first women to run a
sub-31 10K on Maine soil. Wude Ayalew, 23, of Ethiopia also broke the course
record (31:07), but it was not enough on this day against 22-year-old
Chepkurui. Edna Kipligat, 30, of Kenya took third (31:33). Defending champ
Irene Limika, 30, of Kenya finished fourth (33:06).
Kipligat,
Ayalew and Chepkurui, each ranked in the top 20 in the world, set a blistering
pace early on, nearly staying with the lead pack of men for the first mile and
distancing themselves from the other women. By the time they reached Fort
Williams and the climb to the finish at the Portland Headlight, Kipligat had
fallen off the pace, leaving Chepkurui to fend off a challenge by Ayalew.
Legendary marathoner and two-time Olympic silver medalist Catherine Ndereba,
38, of Kenya, a five-time TD Bank Beach to Beacon champ and former course
record holder, placed sixth (33:34). Heidi Westhover, 29, of Walpole, N.H. was
the first American finisher with a 34:11, good for eighth place.
On
the men’s side, 25-year-old Gebremariam (27:40), known as G.G., entered the
race as one of the hottest runners on the circuit and did not disappoint. He
traded places for much of the race with runner up Alan Kiprono (27:42), Wilson
Chebet (27:45), and Stephen Kipkosgei-Kibet (27:51), all Kenyans, before
relying on his well-known sprinter’s kick at the finish. Two-time defending
champ Ed Muge, 27, of Kenya ran a 28:08, a nearly identical time as 2009, but
it was only good enough for fifth this year. Ben True, a two-time Maine
Resident champ now training in Oregon, finished 12th (29:02) running
as an elite – the first American to finish.
A lead pack of 13
elite runners set a slow pace early on, which perhaps hindered Gebremariam’s
shot at the course record 27:28. By Mile 3, Chebet, 25, a skilled half
marathoner, began to push the pace and spread the pack, followed by G.G. as
well as Kiprono, 20, and Kipkosgei-Kibet, 23, a pair of relatively unknown
young Kenyans running on American soil for the first time. Chebet still held
the lead at Mile 5 before Gebremariam exerted his will.
Race
President David Weatherbie, who ran the race, said the picture-perfect weather
made for ideal running conditions and helped create a special day for
participants, volunteers and spectators alike.
“We
had an incredibly deep field of elite athletes and they really put on a show,
but they weren’t alone,” Weatherbie said. “We also had 20 Maine resident men
who ran sub-33 minutes, which is a prime example of the depth and quality of
this year’s race from top to bottom. The best weather in 11 years really
brought out the best for all involved.”
Twenty
Maine men may have recorded sub-33s, but only one, 28-year-old Tarpy, led from
start to finish. Race favorite Tarpy, a former Brown University standout who
has competed in the race as an elite athlete, ran away from a strong field to
win by more than a minute over Phil Richert, 23, of Bar Harbor (30:28) and
Robert Gomez, 27, of Westbrook (31:05).
The
real excitement was in the Maine women’s race, where Barry and Piers, close friends
and training partners, dueled throughout the race. The pair crossed the finish
line together, and judges awarded first place to Barry, who had beaten Piers
and set a course record in 2008. Last year, Barry missed the race and Piers
broke her course record. This year, Piers held onto the course record, but
Barry gets bragging rights. Erica Jesseman, 21, of Scarborough took third
(35:49).
Barry
received $1,000 for winning the Maine race and an addition $500 for finishing
10th overall – matching Piers overall finish from 2009.
In
all, prize money of more than $60,000 was awarded to the runners, including
$10,000 for the overall winner, $5,000 for the second place winner and cash
prizes for the top 10 finishers and in the different categories. Chepkurui also
received a $2,500 bonus for setting a new course record.
Other
winners included: Masters Men – James Koskei, 41, of Kenya (29:55) – his second
straight title; Masters Women – Christine Reaser, 44, of Dayton, Maine (39:18);
Wheelchair Division, Men – legendary wheelchair athlete Craig Blanchette, 42,
of Battle Ground, Wash. (24:12), and Women – Catherine Jalbert, 23, of Brewer,
Maine (1:30).
In
the Senior Division (50+) – Men – Norm Larson, 54, of Burlington, Vermont
(33:30); Women – Jeanne Hackett, 51, of Scarborough, Maine (39:48).
Also,
in the Corporate Challenge, pitting teams of athletes from a number of New
England corporations and businesses, Unum again won first place in the mixed
team division, BIW won the men’s division and LL Bean the women’s division.
The
TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K is one of the most popular road races in the
country, combining small-town charm with big-city crowds and top world-class
athletes, year in and year out. Founded by TD Bank and Olympic gold medalist
Joan Benoit Samuelson, a Cape Elizabeth native, the race benefits a different
charity each year.
The 2010 race
beneficiary was Junior Achievement of Maine (www.jamaine.org),
a non-profit organization providing economic education programs that help
inspire Maine children to develop the skills, attitudes and behaviors of
success in a global economy. The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable
giving arm of TD Bank, provided a cash donation of $30,000 to the organization,
which also benefited from fundraising activities and publicity through its
association with the race.
Samuelson,
a running legend who remains a role model for women athletes worldwide, spent
most of Saturday’s event at the finish line cheering and greeting recreational
runners.
“It’s great to see the elite athletes at
the finish line, but the real inspiring stories are towards the end,”
Samuelson said. “Every runner who crosses the line has a story to tell,
some heartwarming and some heart wrenching. That’s what is really inspiring for
me. I see how this race continues to change lives.”
In addition to TD
Bank, the title sponsor, other major corporate partners this year include
Hannaford, Fairchild Semiconductor, Poland Spring, Northeast Delta Dental,
Nike, MaineHealth and WCSH6.
The
race director is Dave McGillivray, who has organized every TD Bank Beach to
Beacon. He also serves as the race director of the BAA Boston Marathon.
The
race course winds through the coastal town of Cape Elizabeth, starting near
Crescent Beach State Park on Route 77 and ending at the Portland Head Light,
the most photographed lighthouse in the world.
Larry
Wold, president of TD Bank in Maine, completed the race for the 13th
time on Saturday, this time in 40:08, which placed him in the top 6 percent of
all runners.
“There
was an excitement out on the course that was just contagious, and it seems to
grow every year,” said Wold. “We at TD Bank feel incredibly fortunate to be a
part of this world-class event, one of the best road races in the country. The
dedication and commitment to this race from everyone involved, from the
sponsors to the organizers, the town of Cape Elizabeth and the volunteers and
runners, is just tremendous. It was another special day.”
About
the TD Charitable Foundation
The
TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A., which
operates as TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, and is one of
the 15 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The
Foundation’s mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses in
all the communities where TD Bank operates, having made over $61 million in
charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The efforts of the Foundation
are coordinated locally through TD Bank’s community relations departments and
are focused on the areas of affordable housing, education and financial
literacy, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable
Foundation, including an online grant application, is available at www.TDBank.com.
About
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®
TD Bank, America’s Most
Convenient Bank, is one of the 15 largest commercial banks in the United States
with $160 billion in assets, and provides customers with a full range of
financial products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations from
Maine to Florida. Effective April 16, 2010, TD Bank has acquired certain assets
of Riverside National Bank of Florida, First Federal Bank of North Florida and
AmericanFirst Bank, and currently operates under those trade names. TD Bank,
N.A., is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. For more
information, visit www.tdbank.com.
TD Bank, America’s Most
Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Financial Group (TSX, NYSE: TD) of
Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America and one
of the few banks in the world rated Aaa by Moody’s.
