Gilbert Okari and Alevtina Ivanova Win 34th Annual Falmouth Road Race
Third consecutive crown for Okari; 2004 champion Ivanova reclaims her title

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Posted Monday, 14 August, 2006

FALMOUTH, Mass. - Gilbert Okari of Kenya claimed his third consecutive title after he crossed the finish line alone at the Falmouth Road Race presented by CIGNA. The 28-year old Kenyan broke the tape in 31 minutes and 53 seconds, which is 45 seconds off his course record, 31:08 set in 2004, on the 7-mile course from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights. Kenyan men took the first seven places overall. Americans took 10th, 12th and 13th places.

Alvetina Ivanova, age 31, from Russia won her second Falmouth crown, finishing in 35:43, besting three-time Falmouth winner, Catherine Ndereba, age 34, of Kenya by one minute and 13 seconds. Twenty-six year old Edna Kiplagat, of Kenya followed closely behind in third with a time of 36:51.

The field of 10,233 entrants enjoyed early fall-like weather with bright sun, blue skies, and temperatures in the high 60's. Just before the 10:00 am start the runners and spectators alike were treated to a military fly-over by a U.S. Coast Guard Falcon jet and two Massachusetts Air National Guard F-15's based at Otis Air Force Base. As a result of the near perfect weather, 8,256 runners crossed the finish line, the largest Falmouth field ever to do so.

In the Men's Division, a group of 20 runners passed the Nobska Light first mile in a relatively conservative 4:41. Leaders included Kenyans Okari, three-time Falmouth winner John Korir, William Chebon Chebor, James Koskei, and Luke Kipkosgei. Between miles one and two, as the course wound through the woods, the men continued to share the work running a steady, tactical race. The pack passed mile two in 9:24; a leisurely 4:43 split. As the pack began its cruise along Surf Drive, lined with a flotilla of sightseeing boats, Chebor began to push the pace. At mile three the leaders posted a 13:58 with a slightly faster 4:35 split. Just past the four mile marker, after the leaders clocked 18:22 with an ever-faster 4:24, Okari made his move, putting in a strong, steady surge stringing out the pack with Tom Nyariki and John Korir on his heels. Nothing was holding Okari back. He steadily improved his lead to 10 seconds, then 20 seconds clocking 22:44 at five miles and 28:15 for 10K on his way to a crushing win in 31:53. Nyariki finished second in 32:03, Korir followed in 32:39 for his third consecutive third-place finish and three Falmouth crowns.

Edwardo Torres, age 25 from Boulder, Colo., finished 10th overall and led the American men in a time of 33:27 greatly improving his 2004 26th place finish. Twenty-nine year old fellow American, Peter Gilmore of San Mateo, Calif., finished second in the division and 12th overall in 33:32. Immediately following, in 13th place overall, was Mbarak Hussein, age 41, of Albuquerque, N.M. finishing in 33:37. Hussein collected prize money in two categories by winning the Master's Division while finishing third in the American Men's Division.

Ivanova, who ran her own race, never acknowledged her competitors and took the women's race virtually wire-to-wire. The Russian led Ndereba and Kiplagat posting 5:01 at mile one, 10:09 at mile two, 15:15 at mile three, 20:38 at mile four and 25:26 at mile five. Catherine Ndereba, three-time Falmouth and Boston Marathon champ, sized up Ivanova as she passed by. She immediately saw that the Russian was running strongly and was not going to be challenged on this day.

In the American Women's Division former Providence College standout Amy Rudolph, age 32, placed first in her inaugural Falmouth appearance and fifth overall in 37:02. Also, in her first Falmouth run, 24 year old Victoria Jackson of Lake Bluffs, Ill. placed second and seventh overall in 37:31 followed immediately by Elva Dryer, age 34 of Albuquerque, N.M. in 37:52.

In a time of 37:59, former South African Colleen DeReuck, age 42 of Boulder, Colo., repeated her "three-peat" from 2005. She collected prize money in three women's divisions - ninth place overall, fourth place American and first masters. Russian Tatyana Pozdnyakova, age 51, placed second in the Master's Division in 39:26 adding to her second place masters finish in 2005 and first place masters in 2000, 2002 and 2004.

This year's Men's Wheelchair top three played musical chairs with their standings. Patrick Doak, age 38, of Concord, Mass. improved his 2005 second-place finish by winning the Wheelchair Division in 26:36. Forty-seven year old, Gary Brendel, of Sterling, Mass. also improved his 2005 third-place finish by placing second in 26:50. Chad Johnson, age 30, Charlestown, Ind., placed third in 27:23, inching out four-time Falmouth winner and defending champion, Tony Noguiera, age 38 of Glen Ridge, N.J. who clocked an identical time. Mina Mojtahedi,, age 33 of Finland, won the Women's Wheelchair Division in 45:06 with Harrilyn Beehner, age 59 of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., finishing second in 50:48.

Among notable Falmouth finishers and Olympians this year were three-time Falmouth winner Bill Rodgers, age 58, of Sherborn, Mass., two-time winner Frank Shorter, age 58, of Boulder, Colo., and six-time Falmouth winner, Joan Benoit Samuelson, age 49 of Freeport, Me., who finished 28th overall in the Women's Division with a time of 42:30.

This year marked CIGNA's inaugural presenting sponsorship. Karen S. Rohan, president of CIGNA Group and Dental Insurance finished the race in 51:06. Karen has run Falmouth nine times, this year she ran her personal best by over three minutes. CIGNA provides group, disability, life and accident coverage in the U.S. The organization is one of the top-five providers in disability management and insurance with solutions that focus on helping employees return to a productive work life as quickly and safely as possible.

Related info:
Tollefson wins Mile for Second Consecutive Year

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