Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K

Portland, ME

August 1, 1998

Complete Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Results

Mabitle Tops Men's Field (28:18); Ndereba Captures Women's Crown (32:15)

PORTLAND, Maine, August 1, 1998 - The maximum field of 3000 runners led by a star-studded, international contingent of world-class athletes, launched the inaugural Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K road race today in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

Winning the men's open division of Maine's largest road race was Johannes Mabitle of South Africa with a time of 28:18. In a tremendous race to the finish, Mabitle edged out two Kenyan runners, Peter Ndirangu and William Kiptum, both of whom finished in 28:19. Catherine Ndereba of Kenya was the top women's open finisher with a time of 32:15. Just two seconds behind was Libbie Hickman of Colorado; Helen Kimaiyo-Kipkoske of Kenya was one second behind Hickman.

In the masters competition, Steve Plascenia of Oregon topped England's Keith Anderson, 29:37 to 29:43. Former multi-time Boston Marathon winner Bill Rodgers of Massachusetts outran all age 50+ runners with a 32:55 clocking. Washington state's Kim Jones, 34:35, captured the female masters' honors. Ruth Wysocki of California placed second in 34:46.

The USATF-approved 6.2-mile run started at Crescent Beach and ended at Portland Head Light, the nation's first commissioned lighthouse. Runners competed for a minimum total purse of $50,000 in equal cash awards and prizes in four categories: Open; Masters; Wheelchair and a Maine-only division.

'The quality of both the men's and women's field was tremendous,' said Joan Benoit Samuelson, founder of the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K and winner of the first-ever Women's Marathon at the 1984 Olympics. 'I'm very proud that we've quickly established this race as a world-class event that will offer runners and spectators the opportunity to see some of the top athletes in the sport.'

Top males who competed included Kenyan Hezron Otwori, who won the Bolder Boulder (28:55) in `97; American Mark Coogan, who ran the fastest American indoor 5,000 meters in `96; Keith Brantly, winner of the '98 Pittsburgh Marathon (2:12:31); Kenyan Jackson Kabiga, winner of the '98 Paris marathon, and fellow countryman Joseph Kamau, the 2nd place finisher in the '98 Boston Marathon.

Topping the women's field was the USA's Libbie Hickman, who won the `97 Bolder Boulder 10K (33:25), Kenyan Catherine Ndereba who set the course record at the 1996, 7.1-mile Falmouth Road Race (35:37), Kenyan Gladys Ondeyo, who repeated as Tufts 10k champion in 1996-97, speedy Eyerusalem Kuma of Ethiopia, and Virginia's Cheri Kenah, who finished third in the `97 Crescent City Classic 10K.

'Peoples Heritage Bank is proud to bring this world-class event to Maine,' said William J. Ryan, Chairman & CEO of Maine's largest statewide bank. 'The entire community has come together to make this race a success, and we look forward to continuing this historic road-racing tradition on the shores of Casco Bay.'

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maine was the first beneficiary of the event's 'Shine the Light for Kids' program, receiving $20,000 from race proceeds. Each year, a different Maine-based youth charity will benefit.

'We are extremely grateful to Peoples Heritage Bank and Joan Benoit Samuelson for naming our organization as the 1998 beneficiary,' said Samuel Beal, Executive Director, Greater Portland Big Brothers Big Sisters. 'Their commitment to Maine's young people is truly commendable.' With 74 branches and $4.016 billion in assets, Peoples Heritage Bank is Maine's largest statewide bank.

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