The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The 8th edition of Sunshine Insurance’s Marathon Bahamas Race Weekend featured an increased number of participants and several new winners that headlined the field in 2017.

The overall winner, first to cross the finish line at Arawak Cay, was Leigh Schmit of Northampton, Massachusettes in 2:52:24 seconds. Two years after finishing the race in second place overall, the 44-year-old Schmit took top honours this year by outracing defending champion Amos Desjardins of Alexandria, Virginia.

Desjardins took second in 3:04:55, nearly 10 minutes behind his winning pace of 2:56:32 set last year.

The top overall female finisher was 33-year old Chen Lo of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Relatively new to the sport, it was her eighth time contesting a marathon and her first visit to the Bahamas.

Lo, who finished in 3:17:57, said she was impressed with her entire experience in the Bahamas and plans to return to compete in the near future.

“It was a beautiful course. It was hilly at the beginning but it didn’t take much adjustment and I loved it. The weather was perfect and the humidity was low, which is the conditions we really want. I’m was happy I was able to make the most of it,” she said, “It was my first time in the Bahamas and my first time running in the Bahamas. It was very organized and everyone involved in the event was pleasant. It created a real atmosphere you love being around. I will be back to compete here and I would recommend other runners to come here and do the marathon. It’s just such a great place to be, I can’t think of anything better than running in paradise.”

The first Bahamians to cross the finish line were Antoine Bosfield in 3:04:55 secs and Sidney Collie 3:012:20 secs.

The first Bahamian female finisher was Suzy Eneas, 13th overall in 3:36:43 secs. 

The Master’s division was dominated by the husband and wife duo of Roni and Mari Kauri.

Natives of Finland, both 48-year-olds were among the top eight finishers in the event.

Roni finished fifth in 3:14:00 secs while Mari was eighth in 3:28:02 secs.

 “I would say it was typical Caribbean conditions which is pretty great. It was cool in the morning, which was perfect. It was cool and comfortable while we in the midst of the difficult parts of the run and it got warmer as things went on, so that’s perfect,” Roni said.

Mari added: “It was okay. It was more windy than I thought it would be, which made things just a little bit tougher but I really enjoyed it.”

Both veteran runners, Roni was competing in his 103rd marathon while Mari ran her 52nd marathon.

“People like to use the term destination marathons nowadays and this event, this venue, it falls in line with that because to me this is perfect. It’s very close to downtown, they beach is right here and the organisation is very very good. You can walk from hotels to the attractions to see the city,” Roni said, while Mari added, “It was very well organized, even down to something as simple as registration, which most people may not think about, but it was a major attraction to us.”

Now relocated in Sammamish, Washington, the couple stopped short of guaranteeing their return to defend their titles in 2018 but encouraged other runners to add Marathon Bahamas to their yearly schedule.

In the half-marathon Jonathan Volpi continues to dominate the Marathon Bahamas course.

Volpi, 33, returned to clinch his fourth victory in the last five as he crossed the finish line in the 13.1 mile half marathon in 1:14:43 secs.

He finished ahead of his winning time of 1:15:03 secs set last year.

“It’s a good race and it’s not too far away,” said Volpi, in his reason for returning for the event. “It’s a completely different atmosphere with an unique crowd of spectators. Plus, we had a lot of international competitors here this year. So it’s a lot of fun.”

Local runner Keithrell Hanna, 43,  finished second to Volpi once again in 1:21:21 secs.

“The competition was tight. The gentleman from the United States, I tried to beat him, but he was just running and running. He was at a pace a little faster than mine. But I couldn’t catch him. I just thank God for getting second place. I like the competition. I hope that I can use this to get better and better because one day I hope to run the marathon in the Olympics for the Bahamas.”

Hanna won the event in 2015 while Volpi’s first place finishes came in 2013, ’14, ’16 and ’17.

Florencia Morales, 38, of Argentina was the top female finisher in the half marathon in 1:29:44 secs.

A wide cross-section of local participants take part in the marathon relay.

The relay is a four-person team event with pre-set running distances of 6.2, 6.9, 5.6 and 7.5 miles. 

In the male category, the Bald Eagles team of Jason Maynard, Desmond Maynard, Nikita Sumner and Bradley Thomas took first place in 3:09:26 secs.

Bahamas Youth Network (Eveng Jolmis, Leonardo Swain, Jude Vilma and Daniel Weightman) was second in 3:27:04 secs and GBPA Warriors (Keithrell Hanna, Leroy Pinder, Max Williams and Robert Williams) was third in 3:35:54 secs.

In the female division, the GBPA Pacers (Maybell Bridgewater, Cosetta Hall, Shareka Hanna and Gwenique Musgrove) returned as champions in a time  of 4:13:28 secs. UoC (Shaneka Cartwright, Marcia Constantakis, Sherell King  and Kelly Weightman) was second in 4:13.43 secs and Mellow Yellow (Alexandria Gatis-Davis, Karla Lisgaris, Susan Saunders and Jennifer Treco) finished third in 4:38:17 secs.

In the Co-Ed team division, Jay Fitness (Yunelis Lightbourne, Donovan Rolle, Tamika Roberts and Cameron Roach) took first in 3:26:23 secs).

Run Dat (Pearline Ingraham, Gayla McPhee, Mandahl Neymour and Melvin Rolle) were second in 3:44:27 secs and Scallywags (Simon Townend, Jacqueline Townend, Nicola Wright and Chris Wright) finished third in 3:54:27 secs.

One of the highlights of Marathon Bahamas is traditionally the High School Relays segment.

The St. Anne’s Blue Waves team of of Omavi Collison, Phillip Armbrister, Vincent Gardiner and Reagan Cartwright finished first overall in 3:09.40 secs.

The Westminster College Diplomats (Rotavieo Adderley, Joshua Forbes, Tamiko Taylor and Brandon Bastian) finished second in 3:19:04 secs and the St Augustine’s College Big Red Machine (Tario Beckles, Gabrielle Thompson, Tyson Moss and Ryan Bethel) were a close third in 3:19:06 secs.

Shelly Wilson, vice president of Sunshine Insurance and a board member of Marathon Bahamas,  said the fifth edition of the High School Relays continues to make a difference in the lives of young Bahamian men and women.

The event continued to receive support from Scotiabank, the Windshield House and Parts Locator and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

“Hopefully you will see this populated with schools across the United States, that is the next step,” said Evon Wisdom of the Ministry’s Sports Unit, “We will continue to explore opportunities for exposure for our student athletes in as many avenues as we can. This event is in line with that thought process and it continues to expand each year.”

The marathon route began at Junkanoo Beach (west of downtown Nassau) heading east through downtown Nassau over the western Paradise Island bridge and immediately returning over the eastern Paradise Island bridge. The route continued east to Montagu Beach with a westward turn onto Shirley Street all the way to Cumberland Street north.

At Bay Street, the course continued to the west, hugging the northern shores of Cable Beach, Delaporte and West Bay Street with the turnaround ¼-mile west of Compass Point returning to the most eastern entrance to Arawak Cay for the  oceanfront finish.

The half marathon also began in the same fashion as the full marathon, but the turnaround was at the second roundabout on the new Cable Beach strip before it returned to Arawak Cay for the finish.

As for the relay, the exchange zones and distances: leg 1 – 6.2 miles - start in front of McDonalds, Downtown; leg 2 – 6.9 miles - McDonalds to east of Sun Fun Resort (in front of the ‘castle-type’ oceanfront house –green/white); leg 3 – 5.6 miles - East of Sun Fun Resort to turnaround point (west of Compass Point) to Cave’s Height and leg 4 – 7.5 miles - Cave’s Height to Arawak Cay.

Race Weekend began with the hosting of the Susan Koman 5K run/walk, which started at Montagu Beach and finish east of the old Paradise Island bridge adjacent to the Police Station.

Spencer Deleveaux was the first male finisher in the run in 17:36 secs and Sophie Hill took the females’ category in 23.50 secs.

Marathon Bahamas is sponsored by Sunshine Insurance, the Ministry of Tourism, Atlantis, Focol, BTC, Arawak Homes, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Cleveland Clinic, Dasani (CBC Bahamas), NAD, Royal Star Assurance, Scotiabank and Subway among many others.

Proceeds from the event go to assist the Cancer Society of the Bahamas, the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, the Sister Sister Support Group and the Cancer Support Group of Grand Bahama.

Sunshine Insurance (Agents & Brokers) Ltd, with MARSH, its international affiliate, in its role as the lead sponsor and organiser for Marathon Bahamas, has fostered a strategic partnership between Marathon Bahamas and Susan G Komen for the Cure, the global leader of the breast cancer movement and the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists - a partnership that could significantly impact the health of Bahamians, especially in the areas of breast cancer and other women’s health issues.

“Sunshine Insurance has been doing this since 2010 and it began the initiative we started because we obviously care about the public’s health,” Wilson said. “Recognising the challenge that cancer presents in the Bahamas, we started this initiative to raise education and awareness as it relates to cancer. The Susan G Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure specifically addresses breast cancer, however Marathon Bahamas raises funds for many other charities beyond breast cancer. Really our focus has been on creating that awareness and changing the lifestyles of Bahamians. It is an annual event, not only to raise money for the beneficiaries but also to bring attention to the dreaded disease that affect so many of our Bahamian people.”