Kevin O'Neil, Elizabeth Foster Storm to Victory at Amica Marathon

Lonergan & Hillery Capture UnitedHealthcare Half Marathon

Necessity is the mother of invention. photo George Ross

NEWPORT, R.I. - Heavy Rains, cold temperatures and a fierce wind coming off the water didn't stop thousands of runners from lacing up their sneakers and competing in the Amica Marathon on Sunday in Newport, R.I.

North Kingstown's Kevin O'Neil separated himself from the rain-soaked pack early on and stormed past the fleet of runners to capture the 2009 Amica Marathon. O'Neil, 39, won the 26.2 mile race in 2:42.50. Scott Bessette of Mystic, Conn., was the runner up, finishing in 2:44.05. He crossed the finish line just a fraction of a second ahead of Portsmouth's Danny Gough, 41, who was clocked at 2:44.06.

Elizabeth Foster, 22, of Ellington, Conn, was the top female finisher in the Amica Marathon. Foster, who was sixth overall, was clocked at 3:03:53. Monique Wolanin, 40, of Pomfret Center Conn. took second among the women with a time of 3:24:01.
Eric Lonergan, 24, of North Kingstown was the victor in UnitedHealthcare Half Marathon. The former North Kingstown High and Rhode Island College standout had a winning time of 1:10.34.

Former Providence College standout Trish Hillery, 42, was the top female in the UnitedHealthcare Half Marathon. The Greenville resident's winning time was 1:26.36.06. She placed 13th overall.

Both Lonergan and Hillery won the Willow Tree Half Marathon at the 2009 Cox Providence Rhode Races in May.

Nick Digani (Hoboken, N.J.) and Tom Stults (Boston, Mass.) teamed up to capture Marathon Team Relay. The 26-year-old runners were clocked at 2:46:08.20
Overall, thousands of runners battled the harsh weather conditions and participated in the 2009 Amica Marathon on Sunday. Runners - ranging in age from 10 to 80 - came from as far away as Belgium to compete in the event.

Amica Insurance is the Title Sponsor of the Amica Marathon. Proceeds benefit Providence Ronald McDonald House and the March of Dimes.

About Amica Insurance
Amica Mutual Insurance Company, the nation's oldest mutual insurer of automobiles, was founded in 1907. The company, with corporate headquarters in Lincoln, R.I., is a national writer of automobile, homeowners, marine and personal umbrella liability insurance. Life coverage is available through Amica Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary. Amica employs more than 3,200 people in 40 offices across the country.

About Eident Sports Marketing
Eident Sports is a full-service event management and sports marketing company based in Providence, R.I. Eident has several properties in the region, ranging from turn-key sporting events to sponsorship sales alliances with key partners. For more information on Eident's events and offerings, please visit eidentsports.com