Results...St.Croix International Marathon 01-01-08

   
Photos LtoR Start St.Croix International Marathon; 1st place finisher Jose Rodriquez; 1st place finisher Ruth Ann David; 2nd place finisher Matt Perry; 2nd place finisher Theresa Harper; 3rd place finisher Earnest Mitchell...

4th place finisher Wayne Nichols; 5th place Richard Jeanpierre; 6th Lloyd Henry; 7th Arcadi Alibes; 8th Scott Fredricks; 9th John Wallace; Charles Martin...

 
10th William Govi; 3rd female, Susan Daley; 11th Davheed Nelson... 

Small group of dedicated marathoners, local and international, do St.Croix marathon, first marathon in the world for the year… 

1-1-08 St.Croix, Virgin Islands--Not only does St. Croix offer the first sun rise of the year under the U.S. flag, it also brings light  for runners of the year’s first marathon in the world, the 6th St.Croix International Marathon. 

Twenty-two local and international runners registered for the race, sixteen started and fifteen completed it.  They were led by Jose Rodriquez of Puerto Rico and Ruth Ann David of St.Thomas.  Rodriquez, the third place finisher in 2006, took the lead at the ¾ mile mark and cruised to victory with a time of 2 hour 55 minutes and 39 seconds.  Out of the group including Matt Perry of London, England, Richard Jeanpierre, St.Croix, Lloyd Henry and Ernest Mitchell no strangers to the Virgin Islands, Perry took second place overall with time of 3:17.21; Earnest Mitchell improved on previous two year performances, finished third in 3:22.22; Wayne Nichols was fourth in 3:34.43; Richard Jeanpierre was fifth in 3:38.33; Lloyd Henry was sixth in 3:41.55; Arcadi Alibes of Barcelona, Spain was seventh in 3:56.49; Scott Fricks of St.Croix was eighth in 4:05.42; John Wallace of Longboat Key, Florida was ninth in 4:11.46; William Govi was tenth in 5:40.52; Davheed Nelson was eleventh in 7:16.26; Charles Martin (no official time). 

Ruth Ann David, who always goes to the lead at the start of the race, regardless of who’s in the race, was there for most of the first mile before being passed by Rodriquez who settled into a six minute per mile pace for up to approximately ten miles at which point his lead was well ahead of  David who was still in second place overall after the nine mile mark.  Unlike last year when David faltered in the final miles of the race and was taken to the hospital for treatment for dehydration, she came back again and held on to take first place overall for women in 3:35.06.  Theresa Harper, the four-time winner of the race and recovering from major injuries over the past months, finished well in second place with a time of 3:47.13; Susan Daley of Chicago, missed the race last year due to a detour around an accident in route to the Plaza Extra (west) start, finished third in 6:59.09. 

The top runners shared $2,600.00 in prize money. The two top women Ruth Ann David and Theresa Harper, ran times that qualified them for the Boston Marathon.  Earnest Mitchell, Wayne Nichols also qualified for Boston.  St. Croix was John Wallace’s 296th marathon run in 88th country.  William Govi of Italy made St.Croix his 676th marathon and Davheed Nelson, the founder of the "Last Poets" completed his first. 

The next race on the V.I.Pace Runners calendar is The Annual Children Race on January 4 at 10am at the start of the Children’s Parade in Fredriksted, followed by the Annual 3Kings Mile on January 5 at 10am at the start of the Adult’s Parade in Frederiksted.

 For information logon to: http://virginislandspace.org or email wallacewilliams@msn.com

 

 Ballantyne, Bohlke and Harper make history in St. Croix International Marathon…

January 1, 2007 St,Croix, Virgin Islands--The St. Croix International Marathon is the first marathon to be run in the “New Millennium—2001; it is the first marathon in the world to be run in the new year.  

Three very good marathon runners, Pamenos Ballantyne of St. Vincent and The Grenadines and the top marathon runner in the Caribbean; Billy Bohlke the top marathon runner in the Virgin Islands and Jose Rodriquez from Puerto Rico, the winner of the 2006 Virgin Islands Half-Marathon—Race Against Drugs in St. Croix on Thanksgiving weekend, ran stride-for-stride for the first sixteen miles of the 5th St. Croix International Marathon (Millennium Marathon).  The bright moon, overcast skies and flat course, made the conditions as ideal as possible for marathon running in a sub-tropical environment.  The competition between the lead runners as they demonstrated the basic beauty of marathon running mechanics, was as good as it gets.  Ballantyne, a sub 2:20 marathoner, used the race as a final tune-up for the Trinidad Marathon to be run later in the month where he has won seven times and is the defending champion.  At the 18 mile point, as the race turned around at Fort Frederik for a second trip to Hamms Bluff and back, Ballantyne broke away from Bohlke to win in 2 hours 40 minutes, 28 seconds and the fastest marathon ever run in the Virgin Islands.  Bohlke, who hasn’t had the opportunity train much since the marathon at the CAC Games in Cartagena, Colombia, which was run under extreme conditions and returning home a week ago after serving the past five months as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force in Afghanistan, looked very good and finished second in 2:50.25, the fastest marathon ever run by a V.I. runner on a V.I. course. Jose Rodriquez finished third in 2:55.20 after taking third in the Guadeloupe Marathon in Puerto Rico less than a month ago in 2:37; Ernest Mitchell, a V.I. National Team Masters runner, was fourth in 3:22.50; Richard Jeanpierre of HOVENSA masters runner was fifth in 4:00.15 and Lloyd Henry of the Virgin Islands was sixth in 4:15.35 and Charles Martin of the Virgin Islands was seventh in 4:56.15. 

Theresa Harper eased into the running early in the race on one of the most beautiful courses in the world as she chased Ruth Ann David who was running her first marathon and who actually lead the race as she crossed the mile mark in 5 minutes 33 seconds. That  pace

would jeopardize her race by forcing her to the emergency room for recovery. Harper won the race for the third year in a row with a record 3:40.21, the fastest marathon ever run by a female on a V.I. course. 

The race was sponsored by the West Indies Corp., (Gatorade and Aquafina); Plaza Extra, Attorney Joel Holt with support from Bohlke International Airways, HH Tire, Oliver Exterminating, Carib Dynamics. It was sanctioned by the Virgin Islands Track and Field Federation and affiliated with the Association of International Marathons (AIMS).  The 5th St. Croix International Marathon is dedicated to Larry Williams, race supporter. 

 

                        

previous month January 2006 next monthDallas, Harper win St. Croix International Marathon

Jan. 3, 2006 – St. Croix organizers started the St. Croix Marathon on New Year's Day in 2000 to be the first run in the new millennium and they kept up the tradition this year by running the first marathon in the world in 2006.
     According to a press release, the conditions this year allowed former Olympian Calvin Dallas to make a comeback to win the 26.2 mile road race with a time of 3 hours 5 minutes and 9 seconds ahead of last year's winner Steve Burkholder who ran second in 3:10.29.
     The pre-dawn start at Plaza Extra in Estate Plessen on Queen Mary highway heading west had Dallas breaking away from the small but serious field of marathon runners with the tight group including Burkholder. Lloyd Henry, Mike Klein, Richard Jean Pierre, and Ernest Mitchell in pursuit.
     By the five- kilometer mark near the Whim Museum, Dallas appeared to have widened the gap going past the four mile mark in Hannah's Rest only to see his margin shrink as the runners made the turn at Fisher Street and headed for Veterans Drive and the five-mile mark with Burkholder and Henry determined to make it a three-man race. Still dark, the runners still couldn't enjoy the
     beauty of the water front course until later as they made their way to the newly renovated Vincent Mason Pool. The return to town, past the seven-mile mark, saw Burkholder close the gap on Dallas as both of them headed down King Street for the Hamm's Bluff turn-around.
      For the next eleven miles the two ran stride for stride until Dallas pulled away at around mile twenty on his second trip to Hamm's Bluff. Battles for the remaining positions and the prize money awards of $5000 in total no doubt influenced Klein, Henry, Jean Pierre and Mitchell as they switched positions as the race progressed with Klein moving from sixth to third in 3:17.50, Jean Pierre from fifth to fourth in 3:31.04. Lloyd Henry took fifth place 3:40.47, Ernest Mitchell was sixth in 3:44.34, Allen Buckingham was seventh in 4:47.58 (his first marathon), Leopold Fredrick was eight in 5:35.40.
     The top three females in the race were lead to finish line by defending champion Theresa Harper in 3:57.44. Heidi Snow was second in 4:52.57(her first marathon)and Moira Morrison was third in 5:42.
     The runners finish the grueling 26.1 mile race just as a cruise ship docked at the pier. Some of the on-looking tourists expressed interest in knowing if the race was an annual event.

MEN:
1  Calvin DALLAS              ISV  3:05:09
2  Steve BURKHOLDER           ISV  3:10:29
3  Mike KLEIN                 ISV  3:17:50
4  Jean PIERRE                ISV  3:31:04
5  Lloyd HENRY                ISV  3:40:47
6  Ernest MITCHELL            ISV  3:44:34

WOMEN:
1  Teresa HARPER              ISV  3:57:44
2  Hdidi Snow		      ISV  4:52V
3  Moira Morrison             GBR   5:42

 AIMS

 

                        

   

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Burkholdler of St. John and Harper of St. Croix Win 3rd St. Croix Millennium Marathon--the first marathon in the world for 2005...

1/1/05--St.Croix, Virgin Islands--It was dark on Saturday, New Year’s Day when a small group of serious and dedicated marathon runners toed the line for the start of the 3rd St.Croix Millennium Marathon.  The new course provided all that was needed for the runners to actually enjoy the effort of running the required 26.2 miles of the historic and scenic west end of St. Croix.  In the early going Kurt Hallock of San Diego, California and Richard Jean-Pierre who recently moved to St.Croix from Canada, set the pace on the long and strait stretch of Queen Mary Highway; a few meters back were Leopold Fredericks, of Frederiksted, Fabian Constable of St. Lucia and Steve Burkholder, St. John and then Theresa Harper, Mike Klein, Gunnar Sanden of St.Croix, were in pursuit.  At five miles at the bakery in Frederiksted the two front runners appeared to dominate the field as they stepped up the pace on the Veterans Drive south to along the shore to the pool and a quarter of the way through the race at 6.2 miles.  Anticipated crowds of people welcoming in the new year were not there. Some $3,000 in prize money for the top finishers would be theirs as each of the marathon runners would benefit from  the support which included V.I.Police, V.I. Cycling Federation cyclists, sponsors, V.I.Pacer Runners volunteers, among others.

 And so it would be at the mid-way point of the race where Burkholder could be heard to say to Leopold Fredericks running with him stride for stride, “let’s go get them” and off he went with a couple of surges to put him in front of the race as he came back to Fort Frederik and head for Ham’s Bluff turn around again.  Other places in the race changed also with Fredericks, Klein, Harper moving up and Hallock and Constable dropping off the a bit as Burkholder won the race with a time of 3 hours 15 minutes, bettering his New York City Marathon time by a half hour; Richard Jean-Pierre held on for second place in 3:23; Leopold Fredericks improved on his last marathon in St. Croix by a half hour also was third in 3;29; Mike Klein was fourth in 3:35 and 62 year-old marathon veteran Gunnar Sanden fifth in 3:40; Kurt Hallock took sixth in 4:08, Fabian Constable seventh in 4:26; Errol Chichester 4:42 to complete his first marathon and 62 year old Larry Williams, completing his 66th marathon in 4:59 for eighth place. 

Theresa Harper made it two in a row as she is now the top local distance runner from the mile to the marathon with her winning time of 3:48. Two other women, Louise Stapleton, who initially decided that she would just try the race as a long training run, took second for women in 4:59 and Susan Daley who has traveled all the way from Chicago each time for the race, she is with a group that aims to run a marathon in each state, her time for third place was 6:15.

Note:  Two runners in the race over 60 years of age, Larry Williams and Gunnar Sanden have a combined total of more than 100 marathons between them.  

The St.Croix Millennium Marathon is the first marathon held under the U.S. flag and likely the first in the world for the new year.

The next V.I.Pace Runners event is The Children Race on Friday January 7 at 10am at the start of the Children’s Parade followed by The 3Kings Mile on Saturday January 8 at 10am.  The Children Race starts at the corner of Fisher St. and King St. and Finishes at Fort Frederik.  The 3Kings Mile starts at Claude O. Markoe School and finishes at Fort Frederik.

For information: call 340-777-0258 or logon to http://virginislandspace.org or http://virginislandspace.com

Results St. Croix Millennium Marathon  1/1/03

 St. Croix, Virgin Islands—North Shore--The field of runners in The 2nd St. Croix International Marathon was small.  A mixture of runners, all dedicated to test their limits on a truly beautiful running course situated on the north shore St. Croix that provided rolling hills and a bit of head wind on an out-and-back configuration.  Two-time Virgin Islands’ Olympic marathon runner Calvin Dallas at 50 years old was basically unchallenged as he cruised to the finish line which is just a stone’s throw from the historic point where Christopher Columbus visited on his second voyage to the “new world”.  It is viewed as where natives of the western hemisphere and Europeans had their first physical confrontation.  Theresa Harper took charge early and finished her third marathon in 3:48 and now looks toward the spring and Boston.  Gunnar Sanden and Leopold took second place honors as they had the first tie in a Virgin Islands marathon, their time was 3:42.30.  Veteran Jo shim, the winner of the race in 2001, took second with a 4:02.14.  Bill Lease of Harve de Grace, MD made a special trip to St. Croix for the race and is putting together of marathons for the year, was third 3:57.29.  Susan Daley of Chicago, also traveled to the island for the race and for the second time, finished third in 6:34.54 after a dnf for the first one.  Jo Shim, Theresa Harper and Leopold are now eligible for the $1,000 raffle by the Virgin Islands Track and Field Federation for runners who complete the Run St. Croix series which consists of the Veterans Day 5K, the Virgin Islands Half-Marathon, The 2nd St.Croix Marathon and The Three Kings Mile.

 St.Croix Marathoners Make History

St.Croix, Virgin Islands 01/01/01--A small group of dedicated marathon runners made the second marathon ever held in the Virgin Islands a historic one. The St.Croix International Marathon, run New Year's morning with a start time of 5:00 a.m. at the Sunterra Carambola Beach Resort, is listed as the only official marathon in the world, held on the first day of the "new millennium". V.I.Olympian, Marlon Williams, competing in what might be his last marathon, was the overall winner with a time of 3 hours 8 minutes and 24 seconds. He was the only participant who has competed in both St.Croix races (the first held in April in 1979 when he finished third with a slightly faster time). He has since competed in over 30 marathon, including three Olympic Games marathons. Jo Shim was the overall female winner with a time of 3:42.54. A veteran marathoner, Shim has proven over the years to be one of the Virgin Islands' strongest marathon runners ever and has attained international ranking as masters performer. Leopold Fredericks of St.Croix, was successful at his first attempt at the marathon and finished second in 3:15.57; George Cannon a St.Croix attorney and a veteran marathoner, took third place in 3:16.18; Peter Alter of St.John and organizer of road races on that island, was fourth in 3:38.37; Kevin Burton after completing his first marathon in Minnesota in October, was fifth in 3:47.25; Rey Ruiz, in his first marathon, was sixth in 4:47.46 and St.Croix attorney Tom Alkon, met the challenge of the hills, the heat and the humidity of St.Croix's north shore and finished seventh with a time of 5:42.37.

Zina David of St.Thomas was the second female finisher with a gallant effort and a time of 3:57.53; Kathy Mc Murtrie of St.John, a strong third in 4:16.20; and Pam Lee from Memphis, Tennessee, was fourth in 5:49.50.

Three runners from Chicago, Susan Dailey, James Hahikian, and John McEnroe, perhaps victims of the severe weather change, and Theresa Harper, of St.Croix, who is recovering from injury and the weather transition, did not finish. Gunnar Sanden, a veteran of over 40 marathons, had a late and unofficial start, yet put in a solid performance with a time of 3:28.48 which puts him high on the over 60 category in the international masters ranking.

 

      Marlon Williams and Jo Shim

 

George Cannon and Leopold Fredericks

 

Peter Alter

 

 

Zina David

 

 

These marathoners make history by running the first marathon in the world for the new millennium...