Daniel Kipkoech took an early lead and never looked back as he won the Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon Sunday in two hours, 20 minutes and four seconds.
He defeated Thomas Omwenga by seven minutes.
Kipkoech went out fast, aiming for a 2:10 finish but at five kilometres he reduced his pace.
“I felt the cool wind off the water and reduced my pace,” Kipkoech said. “I probably hadn’t recovered from running the Montreal Half Marathon last week, where it was hot and humid. I would like to come back next year and run a 2:10.”
Omwenga, the 2011 and 2012 champion, came second in 2:27:09. Third and top Master was Oliver Utting in 2:29:02.
On the women’s side, Lioudmila Kortchaguina won in 2:41:39
The women’s race had high expectations with 2013 champion, Victoria’s Catrin Jones returning and Kortchaguina, top master at the 2013 Canadian Marathon Championships, making her first appearance in the Victoria Marathon. Kortchaguina win is a Masters course record (the old record was set by Victoria’s Cheryl Murphy in 2009).
Eva Vail, from Portland, Ore., was second in 2:45:54. Jones was third in 2:46:51.
Kortchaguina also won the new Top Canadian Citizen prize for a total pay day of $6,000. Oliver Utting was Top Canadian Citizen in the men’s race.
The half marathon was won by Willy Kimosop – his first win in Victoria after placing third in 2012 and 2013. His time of 1:06 was just under a minute shy of his personal best.
Dancan Kasia was second in 1:08:24 and third was Ramiro Guillen in 1:08:32. Victoria’s Jim Finlayson was the top Master with a time of 1:10:04.
The women’s Half Marathon was won by Anne-Marie Madden from Vancouver in 1:16:35. She triumphed over two local favourites, and Masters athletes, Marilyn Arsenault (1:17:04) and Lucy Smith (1:19:48).
Madden tried not to go out too fast in the beginning.
“My legs were stiff to start but then I settled into a breathing pattern which helped,” she said. “Marilyn was ahead but I caught her at 15K and felt really strong.”
Arsenault was the top Master.
The 8K saw ex-Victoria native Geoff Martinson win in 23:38, just 15 seconds short of the course record and the third fastest time ever. Now living in Vancouver, Martinson was pleased with his race.
“I felt very strong and I think I am going to have a good season,” he said.
Kevin Friesen was second in 24:35, and third was Trevor Hofbauer in 25:10.
Victoria’s Bruce Deacon won the Masters in 25:44 – a new record, beating the record he set in 2013 (26:10).
Lindsay Carson from Whitehorse, Yukon, won the women’s race in 27:15. Second was Sarah Macpherson (Victoria) in 29:29 and third and top Master was three-time Xterra champion, Melanie McQuaid in 29:56.
In addition to Kortchaguina’s Masters record, a marathon age-class record was set in the W60-64 by Lee Anderson, from Calgary, in 3:32:38. In the half marathon, Allison Penner set a new record in the W-Under 19 – 1:25:21; Marilyn Arsenault’s time of 1:17:04 was a new W45-49 record. In the 8K, in addition to Bruce Deacon’s new Masters record, Nancy Baxendale set a W50-54 record of 30:49.
There were 8,592 finishers – 1,569 in the marathon, 3,798 in the half marathon, 2,366 in the 8K, and 859 in the Thrifty Foods Kids Run.
For full results from the Annual GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon go online to runvictoriamarathon.com.
The 36th annual GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon will take place on Oct. 11, 2015.
