Stevenson, one of Canada's top female marathoners, established an eight
second lead over a group of four runners by 1K and then hung
on to win by 5.3 seconds over Kingston's Paula Wiltse, 16:567 to 17:2.0.
London's Lanni Marchant, a member of the Ottawa Athletic
Club Racing Team placed third in 17:08.6. Marilyn Arsenault of Victoria, BC,
another Masters runner, was fourth in 17:31.8. Cynthia
Wilson, a top triathlete, who recently won the Milton and Muskoka triathlons
placed fifth in a personal best time of 17:41.4.
After a month of rain and frequent thunderstorms, runners were greeted by
sunny skies and calm winds for the third edition of the
race, named after Emilie Mondor - one of Canada's top female runners, and
the first Canadian woman to break 15:00 for 5K and an
Athens Olympian - who was killed on a car accident in September of 2006
while on her way home to Mascouche, Quebec for a high-school
reunion.
Emilie Mondor's parents were present for the race honouring their late
daughter who was training for the marathon at the time of her
death with the goal of representing Canada at this summer's Beijing
Olympics.
290 runners completed the race, 50 more than took part last year. 38 women
ran under 20 minutes almost double the number of sub
20:00 female performances in all of the 5K races in Ottawa to-date this
year.
Paula Wiltse's time of 17:02 is a new Canadian Masters record for the 40-44
age-group. One of those who broke the 20:00 mark was
Paula Hickman of Ottawa who turns 58 in July!
Runners were competing for $7,650.00 in prize money including $100 "primes"
for the leader at each kilometer - all taken by
Stevenson.
The Tri-City team of Stevenson, Wiltse and Arsenault took first place team
honours while two teams from the Ottawa Athletic Club
Racing Team took second (Marchant, Wilson and Liz Maguire) and third
(Michelle Schuler, Jacqueline Sandoz and Lisa Balerna).
There was also an accompanying 1K run for children 12 and under with 86
competitors.
Stevenson holds the course record for the race at 16:28.7, set in her win in
2006.
The Ottawa Athletic Club Racing Team, a local women's running club, took 17
out of the 38 sub 20:00 performances , four in the top
ten, third overall and third Masters and the second and third place team
awards.
Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - June 21, 2008 Results:
Open: 1. Nicole Stevenson, Toronto, ON 16:56.7 ($1,400) *
2. Paula Wiltse, Kingston, ON 17:02.0 ($1,500) *#
3. Lanni Marchant, London, ON 17:08.6 ($500) *
4. Marilyn Arsenault, Victoria BC 17:31.8 ($900) *#
5. Cynthia Wilson, Gatineau, 17:41.4 (*PB) QC ($300) *
Masters:1. Paula Wiltse
2. Marilyn Arsenault
3. Liz Maguire, Ottawa, ON 18:08.6 ($350)*
4. Leslie Sanderson, Ottawa, ON 18:12.0 ($250)
5. Beth Primrose, Brockville, ON 18:23.7 ($150) *
