The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

As time starts to expire for registration, organisers have been more than pleased with the numbers expected to compete at the fourth annual Sunshine Insurance Marathon Bahamas this weekend.

“Things are looking really great. From all accounts, it looks like we will really supersede our numbers from last year,” said public relations officer Veronica Duncanson.

“As of January 10, in the system we have over 800 for Saturday’s Susan G Komen Race for the Cure. We know those numbers have significantly increased since then.

“Last year, we had about 1,300 persons on race day and this year we hope to supersede those numbers. The biggest area that we have been particularly pleased with is the relay where in the system, we have about 35-40 teams. What that means is that people have registered for the Susan G Komen as a team, either in support of someone who is surviving from breast cancer or in memory of someone who is passed. So we are very encouraged by those numbers.”

Duncanson said many of the teams are coming from business houses, church groups and civic groups. They will all get a chance to compete for prizes for the team with the largest participation, the most energetic and the most creative.

As for Sunday’s marathon and half marathon, Duncanson said they have already received more than 900 entries, which will probably allow them to finally break the 1,000 barrier.

Out of that number, there are just over 200 entered for the full marathon. Last year, we had about 80 persons who participated in the full marathon.

One of the new aspects to this year’s marathon on Sunday, according to Duncanson, will be the introduction of the Scotiabank high school relay segment. Through their sponsorship, Scotiabank has secured the participation of 15 relay teams from the junior and secondary private and public high schools along with the College of the Bahamas.

“Four years into an event, the word pleased is an understatement,” was how Duncanson described the increase in the numbers registered so far.

As an added feature, marathon runner Glen Bain has decided to offer $1,000 to any Bahamian who wins the marathon. Sidney Collie came close to winning the title last year when he fell short to American Bryan Huberty.

Grand Bahamian national champion Delroy Booth has the fastest time, but so far he has not yet registered, but officials are hoping that he will do so by tonight’s deadline.

Saturday’s Susan G Komen Race for the Care is a 3.1 mile run/walk that starts at the front of St Matthew’s Church (Church Street) to the bottom of the west Paradise Island bridge, finishing west of Atlantis, Royal Towers.

The 26.2 mile marathon and the 13.2 half marathon will start simultaneously at the oceanfront at Junkanoo Beach 6am Sunday. They will both finish at Arawak Cay.

While Huberty took the overall title in the marathon, American Angela Cobb was the first female finisher.

The top Bahamian male was Collie and the first Bahamian female was Cheryl Rolle. The overall winner of the half marathon was American Cobi Morles. The female winner was American Jessica Crate.

The first Bahamian male finisher was Mackey Williams, while Jessica Murray came through as the first female finisher.