On the women’s side, Wude Ayalew Yimer, age 23, traded her second place at Beach to Beacon for the winner’s circle finishing in 35:46, besting the Beach to Beacon winner, Linenth Chepkurui, age 22 from Kenya who ran 35:50. The ageless Colleen De Reuck scored a triple triumph as first American, first masters and fifth place finisher overall with a time of 38:10.
On race founder, Tommy Leonard’s 77th birthday, starting temperatures in the high 60s with winds eight to 15 miles per hour and a partial cloud cover proved to be the perfect combination for a close race for both men and women.
In the men's division, a group of 15 to 20 runners pulled out to the front as the lead pack turned from Water Street onto Woods Hole Road. The pack continued its steady cadence clocking 4:39 at mile one. On the way to a two mile time of 9:16, Moran opened up a quick 10 to 15 yard lead over Gebremariam, Kenyans Chebet, Edward Muge, Stephen Kosgei Kibet, and Allan Kiprono as well as American Antonio Vega. Moran with his track speed led at mile three in 13:56. By mile four, the pack caught Moran in 18:34 with Gebremariam, Chebet, Peter Kurui, Martin Lel and Muge leading the way. The pack passed mile fives in 23:08 with continuing ease. It came down to Gebremariam and Chebet running shoulder to shoulder in identical blue and green singlets passing six miles in 27:44 and the 10k mark in 28:46. After the race Gebremariam remarked that he was confident in the final mile that his speed would carry him to the victory. Rounding out the top five were Lel, in 32:37, Muge in 32:40 and Moran. Americans, Vega of St. Paul Minn. and Sean Quigley, of Somerville Mass. placed eighth and ninth in 32:53 and 32:58 respectively.
In the women’s division, Yimer, Chepkurui and Edna Kiplagat from Kenya passed mile one in 4:55. By mile two, Yimer and Chepkurui clocked 9:54 with Kiplagat six seconds behind. Yimer and Chepkurui ran together with for the rest of the race posting times of 15:03 for three miles, 20:12 for four miles, 25:24 for five miles and 30:45 at the six-mile mark. Following Yimer and Chepkurui, Kaplagat finished third in 36:31. Four-time Falmouth champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist, Catherine Ndereba age 38 was fourth in 38:06.
In the American women’s division after De Reuck were Amy Hastings age 26 of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. who finished in 38:33 and Jeanette Seckinger age 28 from Somerville, Mass. finishing in 39:01. Following De Reuck in the masters division was Russian Ramilia Burangulova in 40:36 in her Falmouth debut and six-time Falmouth winner and Olympic Gold Medalist, Joan Benoit Samuelson, age 53, of Freeport, Me. in 41:36.
Craig Blanchette age 42 from Olympia, Wash. came out of a four-year retirement at the urging of his teenaged sons to win his eighth Falmouth in 27:13. Chad Johnson of Charlestown, Ind. followed in 28:12 and Brad Ray from Loveland, Colo. in 28:14. Jessica Galli, age 26, of Savoy, Ill., won her fifth Falmouth in 33:59.
Olympian and three-time Falmouth winner Bill Rodgers, age 62, of Sherborn, Mass. finished in 54:28 and two-time winner, as well as Olympic Marathon Gold and Silver Medalist, Frank Shorter, age 61, of Boulder, Colo. finished in 70:08. The legendary father-son team, Dick and Rick Hoyt celebrated their 31st Falmouth finish in 66:51. Over 9,800 runners crossed the Falmouth Heights finishline.
CIGNA is now in its fifth year as the title sponsor. More than 2,000 volunteers provide the support system for race weekend. Proceeds from the race support youth athletic programs in the town of Falmouth and other nonprofit community groups.
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