Gloucester 7 miler

By: Jason Wolfe, GLOUCESTER, Mass. - A pair of Kenyans, Alan Kiprono and Lineth Chepkurui, won the inaugural Run Gloucester! 7 Mile Road Race on Sunday morning along scenic Cape Ann in Gloucester. Kiprono, 20, who finished second at the TD Bank Beach to Beacon in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, two weeks ago, broke the tape first in 32 minutes, 54 seconds to take the men's title. In the women's division, Chepkurui, 22, winner of the Beach to Beacon and Peachtree 10K already this summer, returned to her winning ways with a 37:23. She was runner-up at the CIGNA Falmouth Road Race last weekend.

The two world class athletes were among a field of more than 1,000 runners who took part in the first-time race, which began and ended at the famous Fisherman's Memorial statue on the historic Gloucester waterfront. The course took runners through downtown Gloucester and around Cape Ann along one of New England's most picturesque seascapes, including nearly five miles of often breathtaking ocean views.

Kiprono, running his first races on U.S. soil this month, collected $1500 for winning the men's race, as part of a $5000 prize purse supplied by Saucony. Second place went to Kemsa Mergersa, 24, of Ethiopia (33:51) and Fikadu Lemma, 26, of Ethiopia (34:27) placed third. The first American was Nate Jenkins, 29, of Andover, Mass., (34:32), who finished fourth. James Koskei, 41, of Kenya, one of the world's top Masters runners, was sixth (35:27).

In the women's division, Chepkurui, who finished 10th overall, also received $1500 for winning, while Salome Kosgei, 29, of Kenya (39:25) took second and Caroline Bjune, 36, of Andover, Mass. (42:16) placed third and also was the first U.S. woman finisher.