(Victoria, BC – October 22, 2008) The 29th Annual Royal Victoria Marathon held on Sunday, October 12, set 18 age-class records, a new World Record and recorded the highest number of finishers the event has seen in the Half Marathon, 8K Road Race and Thrifty Foods Kids Run. The event reached its goal of 10,000+ registrations (for the four races - including the Thrifty Foods Kids Run) for the very first time at 10,495. A record number of finishers totaled over 9,110; Marathon – 2043, Half Marathon – 4269, 8K Road Race – 1,894 and Kids Run – 907.
Victoria’s Cheryl Murphy, who won the women’s division of the Marathon, set the F35-39 record in 2:43:00. The previous record was 2:47:11. In the F80-99 category a new World Record was established with Betty Jean McHugh finishing in 4:36:52. The previous record was 4:49:52 held by Helen Klein of California set in 2004 at the New York City Marathon. This new World Record accompanies Betty Jean McHugh’s F75-79 World Record of 4:10:07 set in Victoria in 2003.
Six age-class records were broken in the Half Marathon including one by Norm Tinkham of Maple Ridge, BC in the M45-49 category, finishing in 1:10:47. Norm shattered the previous record of 1:16:07 by 5 minutes and 20 seconds. In the men’s division of the Half Marathon, records were set in the M50-54 and M80-99 categories. In the women’s division of the Half Marathon, records were set in the F50-54, F55-59 and F80-99 categories.
In the 8K Road Race, four records were set in the women’s field led by top master Nancy Tinari, who finished in 28:44 in the F45-49 category. Further records were set in the F70-74, F75-79, and F80-99 categories.
Information on all age-class records and final results can be found at RoyalVictoriaMarathon.com.
The 30th Anniversary of the Royal Victoria Marathon takes place on Sunday, October 11, 2009.
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