After a week’s delay due to poor weather last week, the BOC Handigas Run Series took off to a roaring and fun start on Saturday at Falefa Falls with the first run of the Series.
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But due to slips on the race course further up the Falefa Peninsula, the out and back 10km course was changed to three circuits of the 3.35km course and the 5km event to two circuits making the races slightly longer than was the plan.
Tini Alama aged 19yrs, Samoa’s record holder in the Half Marathon, easily took out the 10km event in the men’s category while Samasoni Nimarota (21) and Stewart Young (32) rounded up the top three placings. Tini’s time of 41mins 11secs for the distance was slow by his standards, but it was fast enough to give him a comfortable victory at Falefa.
Andrea Wilson claimed her maiden victory at Falefa and took out the women’s crown in 52mins. She ran a superb race ahead of many of the men. Lauren Treby (29) improved on her last Falefa race to finish second this time while her good friend Jess Watterson (26) finished third in her first race of the Series.
The 6km tussle was even more hotly contested. The outstanding performance in that field belongs to Fuli Fa’afouina (14) of Saoluafata with his gold medal performance. He was hotly pursued by an even younger contestant in Durant Webster (11) who finished second.
Tausino Fiaali’i (22) also of Saoluafata was third.
The women’s race in the 5km was won by Bronwen Burfitt (34) in a stunning run on the scenic course. She was closely followed by Sara Ferrandi in second place. Marie Claire-Tuzeneau, a Fullbright Clinton-Fellow, finished third.
Away from the podium finishers it was Jaap Jasperse who perhaps had the better time-to-years time ratio. He bettered his age in his race time, running 55mins for the 10km. Not bad for a 57 year old.
At the other end of the age spectrum, 2yr old Aolagi Jackson entered competed in her second event, being pushed along on the course by her mother Cherelle and others.
The next race of the Series is next month on the South Coast, on 28 March.
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