FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Marathon Champions crowned at the Royal Victoria Marathon
(Victoria, BC - October 10, 2022) Unseasonable warm conditions greeted over
7,000 participants in the Royal Victoria Marathon on Sunday. Teferi Kebede
Balcha and Rozlyn Boutin won the Marathon, Andrew Russell and Sally
Crowther triumphed in the Half Marathon and Thomas Broatch and Courtney
Brohart won the 8K race. The Marathon had 1,587 registered; the Half
Marathon, 3,449; the 8K, 2354, and 509 in the Thrifty Foods Kids Run for a
total of 7,698.
The Marathon distance hadn't been held since celebrating its 40th year in
2019. Balcha, from Ethiopia who now trains in Victoria, easily won in
2:25:26. He was over three minutes ahead of second place finisher Aidan
Anderson from North Vancouver (2:29:55). Third was Victoria's Jonathan
Walker with a time of 2:33:46. Balcha, who was also top Master, won the
TC10K in April. He trains with the Prairie Inn Harriers and looks forward
to racing as a master.
It was a Vancouver triple in the women's race with Boutin finishing first
in 2:46:49, Kat Drew second in 2:49:26 and 2019 champion, Andrea Lee,
hitting the tape in 2:51:04. Megan Lyle from Seattle was the top female
master finishing 10th in 3:08:42. "It was hot and I would have preferred
cooler temperatures but I was pleased with my result," Boutin said. "Andrea
was in the lead until half-way then I was able to pass her." Drew then
closed the gap between her and Lee and secured the second place.
The Half Marathon was won by Victoria's Andrew Russell who hit the tape in
1:11:10 with Greg Ord from Cochrane second in 1:11:56 and Jeff Vogt from
Kelowna third in 1:13:10. Russell was also top Master. Russell said his win
was perfect, reaching his race goal. He had discussed his race strategy
with marathon winner Balcha at the start line. "I ran with Teferi until the
turnaround at 13K," he said. "It got harder on my own but the crowds were
great particularly in Fairfield."
Sally Crowther from Kirkland, WA won the women's race in 1:16:48. The 2022
TC10K winner, Jen Millar from Victoria, was second and top master finishing
in 1:19:06 Third was Christine Bant, also from Victoria, in 1:20:49.
For Crowther this was her third half marathon and she was hoping for a
faster time. "I felt good overall, I was relaxed and there was no wind but
it was warm." A track specialist with the USTAF, she says she is "still
feeling her way with the half marathon distance." But she plans on running
her first marathon, the Californian International Marathon, in December.
The 8K was the first race of the day and the 23:14 course record looked as
though it was going to be broken but Broatch, from Vancouver was just
seconds over finishing in 23:42. Second was Christian Gravel, also from
Vancouver, hitting the tape in 24:37 and third was Victoria's Jonathan
Toombs with a 24:41 finish. Top master was Victoria's Nicholas Bradley
(30:39).
Brohart, from Calgary, won the women's race in 27:41, with Kate Current,
from Cobourg, ON second in 27:59 and third was Vancouver's Katrina Allison
(28:19). Top master was Victoria's Jenny Bulk with a 30:13 finish time.
Two age-group course records were set. In the marathon Kim Gagliano ran a
3:23:10 on the W60-64 category (old record from 2017: 3:26:46). In the 8K
Charli Mlotshwa ran 25:55 in the M13-15 category (old record from 1996:
27:08).
There were 6,248 finishers: 1,185 in the Marathon, 2,654 in the Half
Marathon, 1,900 in the 8K, plus 509 in the Thrifty Foods Kids Run.
For full results go to:
www.runvictoriamarathon.com/results
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