Athletes of all ages shined at the 2015 BMO Vancouver Marathon
Over 340 runners honoured with age group awards in Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half Marathon and 8KM races
Vancouver, BC – July, 2015 – The BMO Vancouver Marathon this week acknowledged the top three finishers in each gender and age group, ranging from Under 19 to 80-84. First place runners were also awarded complementary entry into next year’s 45th anniversary event to be held on May 1, 2016.
Runners in the Marathon, Half Marathon and 8KM races – excluding Elite Athletes – were all automatically eligible. Additionally, the top three teams in the Marathon Relay for each the men, women and mixed teams were awarded prizes. All award recipients received a personalized bib with their name and finishing place.
“We had so many talented runners participate the 2015 BMO Vancouver Marathon,” says Charlene Krepiakevich, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Marathon Society, the non-profit that organizes the event annually on the first weekend of May.
“While the BMO Vancouver Marathon has grown into an inclusive event welcoming runners of all abilities thanks to race distances between 5KM and 42.2KM, we are happy to award these top finishers for their remarkable contribution and performances.”
Youngsters Nikola Maeda and Pasha Savinykh, international students attending Bodwell High School in North Vancouver, represented well in the U-19 category, both completing the Half Marathon in under an hour and thirty minutes.
“As the race started, we were motivated by all of the cheering people and the picturesque scenery,” says Maeda, first place in the female U-19 Half Marathon category, speaking on behalf of Savinykh as well. “The best part was the Finish Line… we sprinted with our full energy even though our legs were exhausted. I can say that it was the best morning of our lives.”
“The course is scenic, challenging and makes you want to run it again and again,” offers Vancouver local Dita Grunte, who finished first in the female 25-29 Marathon category. Running the event the past three years in a row, Grunte adds “It never gets easier, you only get better, stronger and you can always better your best!”
Takanori Haraguchi of Japan who won the Camosun Hill Challenge, a new innovative initiative that timed Marathon runners on a 1,230m climb on the Marathon course, also won in his male 25-29 Marathon category.
The event’s eldest runner, Iris McIntyre, placed first in her age category in the 8KM event. Also taking first place in the 80-84 age category was Dieter Kirste in the Half Marathon and Flora Young in the Marathon, running the beautiful point-to-point course with a time of 6:39:16 – far from the winning time of 2:18:37 by Elite Athlete Luka Chelimo, yet impressive in its own right.
A tandem from Florida, USA – Ryan Obernei and Paul McRae – won the new Marathon Relay. A team of friends in their fourties, Pamela Campbell, Maureen Curtin and Nancy Hancharyk of the Cordova Chasers won the female Marathon Relay, while locals Racket and Runners won the fastest mixed Marathon Relay team.
Below are all of the first place age category winners.
For the complete list of the top three finishers in each age category, visit bmovanmarathon.ca.
All first place age group finishers will be able to redeem their free entry into next year’s race when registration officially opens to the public this September, 2015.
Marathon – 1st Place, Age Group:
Female: Katharine Mills (20-24); Dita Grunte (25-29); Sophia Liu (30-24); Rachel Thornley (35-39); Joanne Normand (40-44); Rika Hatachi (45-49); Michiko Nishikori (50-54); Catherine Brower (55-59); Janet Green (60-64); Junk OIwaki (65-69); Jan Selman (70-74); Flora Young (80-84); and, Gabriela Maier Tolic (U19).
Male: Richard Hayes (20-24); Takanori Haraguchi (25-29); Patrick Reaves (30-34); David Fort (35-39); Cormac Hikisch (40-44); Michael Stockdale (45-49); Takeshi Okamoto (50-54); Dave Stephens (55-59); Mario Vargas (60-64); Paul Zablosky (65-69); Idar Karlsen (70-74); Yul Kwon (75-79); and, Kaj Rosberg (U19).
Half Marathon – 1st Place, Age Group:
Female: Carly Overman (20-24); Victoria Siemon (25-29); Ailsa MacDonald (30-34); Dana Hansen (35-39); Petra Graen (40-44); Kim McMullen (45-49); Melanie Sandberg (50-54); Margie Ritchie (55-59); Darcy Billinkoff (60-64) Lynne Decew (65-69); Dominique Koffel (70-74); Inez Price (75-79); and, Serina Nakamura (U19).
Male: Yohei Fukkiri (20-24); Lewis Kelly (25-29); Ryan Smiley (30-34); Paul Wellman (35-39); Spencer Riley (40-44); Larry Lorette (45-49); Fred Zalokar (50-54); Rob Barber (55-59); Marc Fontaine (60-64); Iain Fisher (65-69); Roland Delhomeau (70-74); Dan Murphy (75-79);
Dieter Kirste (80-84); and, Nikola Maeda (U19).
8KM – 1st Place, Age Group:
Female: Rebecca Staynor (20-24); Audree Lafreniere (25-29); Mel Russell (30-34); Erin Hochstatter (35-39); Tammy Reis (40-44); Claire Huxtable (45-49); Juliette Christie (50-54); Susan Gordon (55-59); Linda Bentley (60-64); Jeri Shantz (65-69); Maria Gutierrez (70-74); Gaily Koonar (75-79); Iris McIntyre (80-84); and, Angela Law (U19).
Male: Trevor McCullum (20-24); Mickael Flamment (25-29); Cameron Cook (30-34); Steven Jensen (35-39); Paul Geoffrion (40-44); Tyler Ginther (45-49); Adam Butler (50-54); Mark Pinckard (55-59); Ruben San Martin (60-64); Alejandro Amezcua (65-69); Gerry Gartner (70-74); Lynn Thompson (75-79); and, Austin Chang (U19).
Marathon Relay – 1st Place, Age Group:
Female: Cordova Chasers – Pamela Campbell, Maureen Curtin and Nancy Hancharyk.
Male: PRSjax – Ryan Oberneir and Paul McRae.
Mixed: Rackets and Runners – Dave Menis, Kelly Kovach, Clara Westwell-Roper and Dan O’leary.
For more ‘Races within the Race’ results click here