THRILLING FINISH CAPS OFF BEAUTIFUL BEACH TO BEACON 10-K
**Chepkurui Smashes Women's Course Record**
By Chris Lotsbom
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved (Used by permission)


Cape Elizabeth, ME (07-Aug) -- For the first time in it's 13-year history, the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10-K crowned an Ethiopian champion. Gebre Gebremariam, the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country champion, won the final sprint to the finish at Fort Williams Park to earn his third road race victory in the United States year here today.

As the sun began to peak through early morning clouds, perfect racing conditions set up for fast times, with temperatures at 12°C (54°F) and just 29% humidity.

With a large pack of fifteen going through the mile in a relatively pedestrian 4:30, no single athlete wanted to take the early leading duties. As the lead pack took their first turn slightly before two miles (3.2 km), Kenya's Ed Muge (a two-time winner here), Wilson Chebet, Stephen Kibet, and newcomer Alan Kiprono, were joined by Gebremariam in a pack which had separated from the rest of the field. Also in the mix was Australia's Shawn Forrest, making his professional road racing debut a memorable one by being the only non-African near the front. Forrest, a 2009 graduate of the University of Arkansas, kept exchanging the lead with Kibet and Kiprono through the half-way point, reached in 14:01.

"I was just having fun out there," said Forrest, who surprised even race founder and Olympic gold medallist Joan Samuelson with his performance.

"He looks so strong, one who could be a great marathoner someday," remarked Samuelson while riding in front of the pack in the press vehicle.

But within a kilometer, Chebet, Gebremariam, and Kibet began to pull away from Forrest and Kiprono. Clocking a 4:24 fourth mile on rolling terrain, it seemed to be a race between Chebet, Kibet, and Gebremariam.

But Kiprono, 20, wasn't ready to give in. The Kenyan racing for the first time in America closed the five meter gap, joining the pack of three at the front and briefly taking the lead after passing Pond Cove, one of the most picturesque backdrops in road racing.

Entering Fort Williams Park for the final 800m, the four athletes exchanged the lead multiple times before hitting the final meters to the finish. With the grass stretch of 200 meters remaining, Gebremariam took over for Kibet, unleashing the same kick which gave him the World Cross Country title last year. It took the Ethiopian until the final meters to pass Kiprono, winning in a time of 27:40.4. Kiprono crossed in 27:41.7, while Chebet took third in 27:44.5.

"I hoped to break the race record," said Gebremariam on his late charge which came up 13 seconds short. "But it was fantastic."

Gebremariam, who plans to run the Falmouth Road Race next weekend and a fall marathon, stated that he knew early on he that he could beat the rest of the field.

"I knew I could win from the start, even when they got two meters ahead of me. I knew because I am coming from the track, I ran 400m in 53 or 52 [seconds]."

The win here marks the third American road victory in four months for Gebremariam. In May, he won the Healthy Kidney 10-K in New York's Central Park, and on July 4th he won the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. In all three victories, he broke 28 minutes.

The women's race played out to be much different than the men's. From the start, the race was led by 22 year-old Lineth Chepkurui of Kenya. Taking the first mile out in 4:44, Chepkurui and Honda Los Angeles Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat had already broken away from the rest of the field, and even were on the tail end of the men's elite field. Running alongside American record holder in the marathon Khalid Khannouchi, Chepkurui cruised through two miles in 9:54. For the next three miles, the youngest Kenyan in the field held a steady 10-meter lead.

Approaching Fort Williams, Chepkurui seemed in cruise control, keeping a smooth stride up and down the hills. Determined to break the course record, Chepkurui never let up, ultimately shattering the mark by over 25 seconds.

"I was trying to push it hard, to push our time, so I could manage my best time," she said. "I knew my colleagues were very tough, and I was worried. I had to push the whole race, and I was lucky to cross the finish line when I did."

Her final time of 30:59.4, though, was only six seconds ahead of the next fastest competitor, Wude Ayalew Yimer of Ethiopia. Ayalew chose to bide her time and wait until the second half of the race to pass Kiplagat, who eventually finished third. Ayalew's performance was especially good considering she placed fourth at the African Championships in the 10,000m last week in Nairobi, Kenya.

Irene Limika, last year's winner, placed a distant fourth, while five-time champion Catherine Ndereba finished sixth.

Both Gebremariam and Chepkurui earned $10,000 in prize money, but Chepkurui picked up an addition $2500 for breaking the course record.



OTHER NOTES...

Martin Lel, two time ING New York City and Virgin London Marathon champion placed seventh in his first race back from injury since February... Former world record holder for the marathon Khalid Khannouchi finished in 58th place, timing 33:11... Ben True and Heidi Westover were the first man and woman finishers from the United States, placing 12th and 8th in their respective fields... New York Road Runners CEO and president Mary Wittenberg ran the race for the first time, clocking 45:45.7 (45:08.1 net)... Kristin Barry and Sheri Piers crossed the finish together, and Barry was given the Maine citizen by 3/10ths of a second... Patrick Tarpy won the Men's Maine citizen title... University of Maine sub-four minute miler Riley Masters placed 35th in 31:56.