USVI’s David Demolishes BVI Sunrise Half Marathon Record

December 7, 2015 by

By Dean Greenaway / BVIAA

USVI's Ruth Ann David, left, established a new course record and was followed by the BVI's Kartina Crumpler and Virgin Gorda resident, Kim Takeuchi Photo: Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

USVI’s Ruth Ann David, left, established a new course record and was followed by the BVI’s Kartina Crumpler and Virgin Gorda resident, Kim Takeuchi Photo: Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway

Ruth Ann David of the U.S. Virgin Islands, demolished the four year-old Deloitte-Ogier BVI Sunrise Half Marathon course record on Saturday, while counterpart and defending champion Shane DeGannes-the only 3-peat winner in event history-saw his streak snapped. The race was presented by the BVI Tourist Board and the BVI Athletics Association.

David, who came within .10 of Meriel Stedman’s 1 hour 34 minutes and 09 seconds in 2012, wasted no time in showing her hand, as she was among the top five for much of the first half of the race, before charging home in 1:30.46. With victories in 2013 and 2013, but missed last year’s event, she joined the BVI’s Rachel McDonald as the second three times winner.

“I knew I could do it but I wanted to do one twenty something-1:29 at the highest-but it was okay,” David said. “I felt good actually, it was just that I slowed down after the eight mile mark because I wanted to push for the eight and I shouldn’t have done it, that was a bad tactic. After looking at the watch, I picked it up, was doing good then when the squall came through, it pushed me back a bit and I had to push through it.”

David, who was followed by the BVI’s Katrina Crumpler in 1:39.30 and Virgin Gorda resident Kim Takeuchi in 1:44.50, said she knows she can get under 1:30 and getting the record was special, something she always knew she could do. “I want to bring it down lower,” she said. “This is a nice course. This is the best Half Marathon I’ve ever run and I’ve run on five different courses.”

DeGannes controlled the race for the first half before St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Pamenos Ballentyne made his move and went on to win in 1:19.18. It was the fastest time since 2010 when Ballentyne was third in 1:09.50. DeGannes finihsed second in 1:24.09, followed by Virgin Gorda resident Vincent Fouriner in 1:24.19.

“Shane ran a very good first half, he set the pace which I’m very happy about and he was about 50m meters ahead of me until we made the turn together,” Ballentyne noted. “That’s how I planned to run the race, to take the lead at the halfway point. I had a good race and finished very strong. Shane also ran a good race.”

DeGannes said he welcomed leading Ballentyne in the first half and welcomed chasing him in the second half.

“I backed off a bit and he kept hammering just under six minutes pace,” DeGannes stated. “But, I’m not satisfied with the time. I always try to go under 1:20 here and I think Ballentyne did that. Once he ran away from me, I lost sight of him and hanged on to second place. I have St. Croix Half Marathon this weekend and I wanted to hold something in the tank.”

Race director Kay Reddy who has run in all ten editions said the event is growing and was happy with how things went.

“This event was just flawless, really have to give thanks to the Royal BVI Police Force who were out monitoring the route they were fantastic,” Reddy noted. “We had lots of spectators in the course so thank to the community for the support.”

Race founder Simon Cook who was 15th overall in 1:44.20, described the race that had 141 participants 89 of them as individual entrants the others on relay teams, as ‘absolutely awesome’ and it was great to see so many people out.

“When we started, we started in the dark in West End and there were no lights,” he fondly recalled. “Here this morning, we have the big lights on, (on the A. O. Shirley Grounds), the new track down and we had such good support on the road. I’ve been really blessed to be in the BVI and take part in such an awesome race.”

When told his vision lives on, Cook said apparently it does.

“You know, I didn’t run as a kid; I didn’t run when I was in my 20s,” he noted. “I used to suffer badly from anxiety and depression and started running and sorted that out. I came here, people were running and we did the Half Marathon and to see all these people out and enjoying themselves, living life, is just great, really great.”

Final Results:

Men

  1. Pamenos Ballentyne     1:19:18.
  2. Shane DeGannes   1:24:09.
  3. Vincent Fournier  1:24:19.
  4. Reuben Stoby  1:26:58.
  5. Julius Farley  1:29:12.
  6. Guy Williamson  1:31:05.
  7. Rodrigo dos Santos  1:35:18.
  8. Ian Montgomery  1:36.56.
  9. AlexanderP.I. Dale  1:37.37.
  10. Jacques Roux  1:37:46.
  11. Curwin Andrews  1:38:54.
  12. Simon Cook  1:44.20.
  13. Michael Killourhy  1:47:13.
  14. Ishwar Persad  1:48:58.
  15. Richard Morgan  1:50:15.
  16. Michael L Sheesley  1:51:04.
  17. Garbriel Obregon  1:51:40.
  18. Russell Crumpler  1:51:50.
  19. Adrian B. Dale  1:52:15.
  20. Claude Walker  1:52:47.
  21. Adam Holdt  1:53:46.
  22. Shaun Reardon John  1:54:03.
  23. Shane P. Donovan  1:55:34.
  24. Adam De Monte  1:57:04.
  25. Christopher Farmer  2:00.38.
  26. Daniel C. Mitchell  2:03:16.
  27. Guy-Paul Dubois  2:03:30.
  28. Ray Wearmouth  2:08:38.
  29. Jonathan Addo  2:10:13.
  30. James Drury  2:12:13.
  31. Dennis Versoza  2:14:29.
  32. Dr. Garfield Neita  2:19.06.
  33. Jim W. Cullimore  2:34:11.
  34. Howard Moore  2:38:31.
  35. Liam J. Hardie  2:44:34.
  36. Bill Kinkead  2:48:05.

Women

  1. Ruth A. David  1:30:46.18.
  2. Katrina Crumpler  1:39:30.
  3. Kim Takeuchi  1:44:50.
  4. Rebecca A. Paull  1:45:56.
  5. Maria Mays  1:46:34.
  6. Rosmond A. Johnson  1:48:04.
  7. Caitlin Goodwin  1:51:54.
  8. Rachael F. McDonald  1:52:34.
  9. Melissa Brunner  1:52:49
  10. Katy E. Allen  1:52:58
  11. Jenny L. McIvor  1:53:29.
  12. Ami L. Sweeney  1:55:20.
  13. Gillian Plaxton  1:55.56.
  14. Tameka Davis  1:57:08.
  15. Claudia Ferrari  1:59.19.
  16. Kay Reddy  2:01.01.
  17. Lauren H. Julien  2:01.29.
  18. Ni Made Oniasih  2:03:04.
  19. Anna M. Kinkead  2:04:54.
  20. Judith Haycraft  2:05.21.
  21. Elaine McCann  2:06.52.
  22. Sarah Hayes  2:07.20.
  23. Marianne Cave  2:08.27.
  24. Deborah Bell  2:08:35.
  25. Kerry-Ann dos Santos  2:09:04.
  26. Natasha H. Ruscheinski  2:09.04.
  27. Chloe Harris  2:09.25.
  28. Melisande F. Rowe  2:11:36.
  29. Rhiannon D. Jones  2:13:13.
  30. Camille McCutcheon  2:16:00.
  31. Zoe J. Bickerton  2:18:02.
  32. Laura Dore  2:21:56.
  33. Clair Burke  2:24:30.
  34. Debbie Ridgeway  2:26:08.
  35. Natasha C. Gunney  2:27:00.
  36. Karrina Stead  2:37:38.
  37. Barbara M. O’Neal-Rhoden  2:42:09.
  38. Nedy Ador Dioncio  2:46:55.
  39. Jenny A. McConnell  2:50:16.
  40. Shirley Patricia Liburd  2:50:22.
  41. Jill R. Farley  2:57:50.
  42. Amber Walker  3:05.04.

Also participated: Lisa O. Brown, Meredith MacKie

Power Walkers:

Men: 1. Steven Bridson, 2:50:35.

Women: 1. Linda Li, 3:12:35.   2. Sophie J. Bennett, 3:12.40.

Oldest Participants

  1. Bill Kinkead   2. Jim Cullimore

Veteran Male:  Curwin Andrews.  Female:  Kay Reddy

Corporate Cup Relay:

  1. Harneys 1: (Gregory Boyd, Ian Montgomery, George Weston), 1:49:41.69.
  2. Grant Thornton: (Sam Ouriach, Paul Frey, Simon Cross), 1:58:10.
  3. Appleby Adam and the Ants, (Adam Holdt, Judy Haycraft, Andrew Willins), 2:00:13.
  4. Harneys 2: (Jessica Brodrick, Natalie Bell, Macia Payne), 2:02:32.
  5. Team Krys: (Robert Shiffman, Sean Cordes, Sarah Duncan), 2:03:46.
  6. KPMG Spartans: (Stephen Langford, Lucinda Ford, Lovat Carnelly), 2:08:07.
  7. Deloitte1 (Dylan Bobb, Tia Beckmann, Sophia Addas), 2:09:02.
  8. Deloitte 2 (Aurelie Legagneux, Shevon Williams, Maria Kristina Balangatan), 2:15:10.
  9. Team Carey Olsen: (Sharon Mungall, Rachael Matthews, Andrew Chissick), 2:22:07.
  10. BDO Binder: (Jovan Van Heerden, Ryan Geluk, Florencia Taray), 2:36:22.
  11. Harneys 3: (Shonda Alfred Leacock, Rahel Worede, Richard Parchment), 2:37:17.
  12. KPMG Formidables: (Catherine Jackson, Kerry George, Khoyisha Stoutt), 2:56:51.
  13. Deloitte 3: (Lennesha Morgan, Carlene Romney, Delice James), 3:04:40

Team Relay           

  1. Tek Dat: Marvin Flax, Julien Johnson, Chris, Barbara Pinnck-Smith, 1:52:00.
  2. Team Elizabeth Ricardo, Richie Paul, Jules Potgeiter, 1:55:50.
  3. Team Guy-Paul Dubois & Dara Smith, 2:07:39.
  4. Team Katie Morley & Kata, 2:21:09.

Corporate Challenge         

  1. Maples (Guy Williamson, Katrina Crumpler, Jenny McIvor), 5:04:04
  2. KPMG (Jacques Roux, Russell Crumpler, Christopher Farmer), 5:30:14
  3. Ogier (Alex Dale, Michael Killourhy, Ray Wearmouth), 5:33:28
  4. Appleby (Adam Holdt, Judy Haycraft, Chloe Harris), 6:08:32
  5. Cedar Grade PTA (Anna Kinkead, Rhiannon Jones, Garfield Neita), 6:39:13.

Costume – Guy-Paul Dubois – Bavarian Lederhosen and Claudia Ferrari & Elaine McCann – Santa’s Elves

Traveled the Furthest to Participate – Elaine McCann (Scotland)

Spirit of the Event – Team USVI – we love you Guys!

Best Water Stop – Sensus/BVI Tourist Board (we love you too)

Filed Under: Athletics Tagged With: , , ,

Men, Women’s Battles in Saturday’s BVI Sunrise Half Marathon

December 4, 2015 by

By BVIAA

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Male and female participants in Saturday’s race will be competing for the BVI Tourist Board top prize of $1,000. Here, BVI Tourist Board Director Sharon Flax-Mars, right, and events coordinator Cindy Rosan-Jones, presents a check to BVI Athletics Association president Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway.

With 117 persons pre registered so far for Saturday’s 10th annual Deloite-Ogier BVI Sunrise Half Marathon presented by the BVI Tourist Board and the BVI Athletics Association, this year’s edition will see the fastest race in the last five years.

Final registration is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. at the Multipurpose Sports Complex on Friday. On Saturday, the race begins at 6 a.m. on the A. O. Shirley Grounds and will also finish there, after traversing to Port Purcell, down to Pockwood Pond and return for a total of 13.1 miles.

The race is the first event of the BVI Athletics Association’s 45th anniversary activities that continues with association’s 7th Awards Gala on Dec 29. Events run through July with the hosting of the OECS Track and Field Championships.

For the last three years, St. Thomas’ Shane DeGannes has dominated the event. This year DeGannes will have a bevy of challengers led by St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Pamenos Ballentyne. Ballentyne was third in the fastest race run here during the 5th edition run in conjunction with the OECS Half Marathon in 2010, when he ran 1:09.50, as the course record of 1 hour 07 minutes and 38 seconds was established.

Ballentyne, DeGannes, Reuben Stoby and Vincent Fouriner are expected to be the leading protagonists seeking to bag the $1000 top prize, offered by the BVI Tourist Board. Another $500 is on offer if they dare eclipse the 1:07.38 mark, while the top woman will also bag $1000 and could take home another $250 for getting under the 1:34.09 course record.

The top five men and women will also win cash as well as the first runner over 45 years of age and the oldest finisher.

“I’m looking to win the BVI Sunrise Half Marathon, that’s my main goal,” Ballentyne said. “I’m training for the Trinidad and Tobago Marathon on January 17, so BVI is really part of my preparation program. My main goal is to win and run a good time.”

He’s coming off a second place finish in the NACAC 10K on home soil behind a Kenyan. “It was a good race,” he noted. “St. Vincent has a lot of hills. Right now I’m running good, not in my best shape, but I’m in enough shape to win the BVI Sunrise Half Marathon.”

DeGannes who tuned up for his title defense at the Foot Locker Nationals in North Carolina on Saturday with a second place finish in the 5K in 16:19, said he has been preparing for the BVI race.

Stoby who has dominated the local scene said he has been putting in the work. “I expect the competition to be stiff,” he said. “I’m aiming for around an hour and 20 minutes. First time I did it, I did 1:35. I think I’ve improved tremendously over the last couple of years and have put in a lot of hard work without a doubt and I feel confident I can run a fast time.”

Fourier is looking to get under 1:25. “1:20, that’s fast,” he said of Stoby’s goal. “But, every race we do, we do our best and we’ll see what happens.”

BVI’s Katrina Crumpler will seek to defend her run against St. Thomas’ Ruth Ann David, who has won the event two successive year’s before Crumpler and came within 10 seconds of the 1:34.09 fastest women’s time. Then there’s Rosmond Johnson and Melissa Brunner among others who will be seeking to place in the top five finishers, as the women too will have their battle on the road.

Race founder Simon Cook said its great that the event is still going and getting stronger each year.
“There are so many people out running during the week now with all different abilities which is great and people are enjoying it,” noted Cook.  “Kay (Reddy) and the team have done a super job building it up. I didn’t envision it would carry on like this. It’s great that these other running races are going on as well. The 10K’s, 5K’s, 2 Miles and the Tortola Torture, long may it continue and I think it will. A lot of people are doing running races and Marathons.”

Organizers are asking for the cooperation of motorist on the coastal roads between 6-8:30 a.m. on Saturday

Filed Under: Athletics Tagged With: , ,