Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Local runners survive weather, Vancouver marathon

More than 10,000 runners took to the streets of Vancouver on May 5 to take part in the Adidas Vancouver International Marathon. Almost 4,000 ran in the full marathon of 26 miles (42.2 km), while more than 6,000 others raced the half marathon.

More than 10,000 runners took to the streets of Vancouver on May 5 to take part in the Adidas Vancouver International Marathon. Almost 4,000 ran in the full marathon of 26 miles (42.2 km), while more than 6,000 others raced the half marathon.

For the third year in a row the full marathon went to Ulli Steidl, a German runner who lives in Seattle. Steidl averaged one mile every 5:14 to finish in a time of 2 hours 17 minutes 1 second. Stephen Ariga of Nairobi was second in 2:27:00, and Ian Fraser of Port Townsend, Washington, third in 2:29:00.

Angela Strange of Toronto was the top woman in 2:45:46. Joan McGrath of New Westminster was second in 2:48:08, and Mai Aoki of Japan third 2:54:05.

Several dozen locals raced in the marathon and half marathon with impressive results.

According to Daniel Havens, who was 57 th overall and eighth out of 291 runners in the men’s 45 to 49 category with a time of 3:00:35, the weather could have been better on race day.

"The weather just threw everything at us, rain, wind, snow," said Havens. "I was coming across the Burrard Street Bridge and the hail came flying down. I was feeling pretty sore at that point, but the hail hurt even more so it took my mind off my body, so it was actually kind of a good thing. The sun did come out at the end of the race."

It was only Haven’s second marathon, but he still managed to shave more than 18 minutes off of his previous time.

"I learned enough from the first marathon, that I could finish it and still have a bit left. I knew I could push it more," said Havens, who is currently training for the Ironman Canada in Penticton at the end of the summer.

Ian Goard was the top Whistler runner in the marathon, finishing 32 nd overall and eighth out of 359 competitors in the 30 to 34 age group with a time of 2:55:17.

Walter Wallgram was 33rd in the men’s 45 to 49 race and 342 overall in 3:26:09.

Didier Toutain was 481 st in 3:32:13, or 83 rd out of 335 in the men’s 40 to 44 division.

Shane Robilliard was 600 th , or 66 th out of 225 in the men’s 25 to 29 division in 3:37:00.

With a time of 3:39:13, Whistler’s Stephanie Rochon was 662 nd overall, the 95 th woman, and 28 th out of 330 competitors in the 25 to 35 age group.

Gail Gafka of Whistler was 883 rd , the 159 th woman, and 28 th out of 291 in the women’s 35 to 39 division with a time of 3:45:26.

In 3:46:12, Allison Megeney was 909 th overall, the 169 th woman, and 38 th out of 355 in the 30 to 34 race.

Sarah Bonner was 1090 th , 228 th among women, and 58 th overall in the 25 to 29 age group with a time of 3:51:24.

Mae Palm, running in her 100 th career marathon, was 1163 rd overall, first among 14 women in the 60 to 64 age group, and the 253 rd woman with a time of 3:53:07. She chose the Vancouver marathon to be her 100 th so friends and family could be there to celebrate.

In 4:30:01 was Natalie Brasier, 2479 th overall, 880 among women, and 19 th in the 25 to 29 age category.

From Squamish, Gindy Bir was 568 th , 75 th among women and 12 th out of 291 runners in the women’s 35 to 39 race with a time of 3:35:59.

Coco Jonzon was fifth in the women’s 45 to 49 race out of a field of 173 entries. Her time of 3:47:21 was good enough for 948 th overall and 185 th among women.

Daniel Stiner was 2043 rd overall, and 141 st out of 2223 in the men’s 50 to 54 race with a time of 4:15:39.

The half marathon went to Norman Tinkham of Maple Ridge with a time of 1:10:00. Todd Pehowski of Vancouver was second by 50 seconds, and James Sheremeta of La Jolla, California, third in 1:12:00.

Audrey Nelson-Wagenaar was first among the women in 1:25:57. Lisa Hamelin of Langley was second in 1:26:10. Claudia Olivares of Mexico was third in 1:26:22.

From Whistler, Bryan Hawkey was 422 nd , or 63 rd out of 213 in the men’s 25 to 29 race with a time of 1:42:04.

Che Koroll was 564 th , and 81 st out of 213 in the same division with a time of 1:45:01. Micah Koroll wasn’t that far behind, landing in 702 nd overall, 90 th in the 25 to 29 group, with his time of 1:47:19.

With a time of 1:48:29, Tim Elford was 773 rd overall, and 96 th in the same group with a time of 1:48:29.

Diane Duggan was 18 th out of 345 in the women’s 45 to 49 race and 883 rd overall with her time of 1:49:58.

Georgina Titus was 935 th , 299 th out of more than 3,000 women, and 53 rd out of 571 in the 35 to 39 race in 1:50:42.

Darlene Samer was 68 th out of 555 in the women’s 25 to 29 group with a time of 1:51:16. She was 986 th overall.

Karen Wylie finished in 1:55:54 to finish 1373 rd , and 113 th out of 618 in the 30 to 34 run.

Tyson Stolbert, running the men’s 25 to 29 race, was 133 rd in 1:55:55, or 1375 th overall.

Amy Margison ran it in 1:59:01 to finish 1724 th overall and 160 th in the women’s 25 to 29 race.

Tracey Crus was 2422 nd in 2:06:53 to finish 253 rd in the 30 to 34 age group.

Jill Jacques was 2470 th , and 33 rd in the women’s 50 to 54 race with a time of 2:07:22.

Cyndi Lewis was 2929 th, or 319 th in the 25 to 29 race with a time of 2:12:06.

Mike Knapton was 3291 st in 2:15:58 and Darlene Knapton was 3293rd in 2:15:59.

Jane Frazee, with a time of 2:16:32, was 3321 st ; Jane Oddleifson was 2:25:57 for 3897 th ; Lynne Venner was 2:41:09 in 4341 st ; Heather St Arnaud was 2:41:10 in 4342 nd ; and Shelley Toutain was 3:19:33 in 4660 th .

From Squamish, Russ Lamb was 135 th overall and third out of 147 entrees in the men’s 50 to 54 division with a time of 1:33:31.

Colin Eves was 407 th and 27 th in the 45 to 49 group with a time of 1:41:44. Sandra Eves was close behind in 1:44:26 to finish 529 th overall, 115 th among women, and 22 nd out of 428 in the women’s 40 to 44 group.

Terry Mahnger was 655 th and 76 th in his 40 to 44 group in a time of 1:46:33.

Donna Jones finished in 676th, 17 th out of 3108 women, and 48 out of 618 in the 30 to 34 group in 1:46:49.

Chris Hood was 90 th in 1:50:22; Anne Bracey was 1391 st overall in 1:56:00; Lynn McLane was 1669 th in 1:58:33; Patricia De Melo was 1933 rd in 2:01:25; Gayle Lewis was 2053 rd in 2:02:42; Jeanne Taylor was 2472 nd in 2:07:23; Christine Watson was 2663 rd in 2:09:05; Allison Good was 357 th in 2:20:18; Kale Pauls was 3588 th in 2:20:18; Elaine Hunter was 3695 th in 2:22:05; and Joan Mason was 3968 th in 2:27:39.

From Pemberton, Dave Burke was 15 th overall and first in the men’s 40 to 44 race with a time of 1:19:21. Grace Chadsey was 1446 th overall and 76 th out of 428 in the 40 to 44 race in 1:56:26.

Connie Sobchak was 2734 th in 2:02:59; Lee-Anne Ridsdale was 2734 th in 2:09:57; Dawn Hunter was 2736 th in 2:09:58; Chrissy Robinson was 2775 th in 2:10:21; and Thomas Buchholz was 3572 nd in 2:20:09.

Arthur Gabriel of Mt. Currie was 587 th in 1:45:20 and Richard Shallard was 1352 nd in 1:55:34.