Top Runners from Around the World, New England and Maine Competing at this Saturday's Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine - This Saturday's Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race will see 4,000 Maine, New England and world-class runners - including both returning elite champions and the top four ranked women in the world - take on the winding 6.2 mile course along the Maine coast.

The elite field includes last year's champs, Joseph Kimani and Catherine Ndereba, both of Kenya. And three other women competitors - Lornah Kiplagat, Jane Ngotho and Elana Meyer - sit with Ndereba atop the current world rankings.

Course Record in Jeopardy in Women's Race

The ingredients are in place for exciting finishes in both the men's and women's races, and race officials fully expect a new course record in the talent-heavy women's race.

"This is going to be one of the strongest women's road races in the country this year. I think the 10,000 or so spectators who come to the race are going to be in for a real treat," said Mike McNamara, president and CEO of Peoples Heritage Bank.

The women's field is led by Ndereba, 28, the three-time defending Peoples Beach to Beacon champ, two-time and reigning Boston Marathon champ and the No. 1-ranked road racer in the world. But she is sure to face a stiff challenge from no less than three other competitors and her course record of 32:05, set in 1999, is in jeopardy. Fellow Kenyan Kiplagat, 27, the second-ranked road racer in the world with a personal best of 30:52, is considered the speediest of the elite runners entered. She beat Ndereba by 55 seconds while winning the Falmouth (Mass.) Road Race last August and has continued her strong running into this year, setting a course record at the famed Peachtree 10K. Others expected to challenge for the crown include Ngotho, 31, of Kenya, currently the third-ranked women in the world, and Elana Meyer, 34, of South Africa, an Olympic silver medalist in 1992 who is ranked fourth in the most recent world rankings.

Kimani, 28, who overpowered a strong field last year, is back to defend his title. His top competitor should be James Koskei, 32, who is ranked 8th in the world, one notch above Kimani. They competed against each other at the Bay to Breakers 12K in May, with Koskei winning and Kimani finishing fifth, 32 seconds behind. Olympian and two-time New York City Marathon champ German Silva, 33, of Mexico, and John Kagwe, 32, of Kenya, also a two-time New York City Marathon champ, also could challenge.

(Unofficial) Maine Road Race Champions to be Crowned

The Peoples Beach to Beacon is considered the jewel for Maine's top road racers and the winner each year wears the unofficial crown as the Maine Road Racing Champion.

In the men's race, defending champion Todd Coffin is out this year due to an ankle injury. The favorite is Byrne Decker, 34, of Yarmouth, who finished second last year and third in 1999. He won the L.L. Bean 10K and the Clam Festival Classic 5-miler recently, tuning up for the Peoples Beach to Beacon. Bob Winn, 42, of Ogunquit, who won the first two Peoples Beach to Beacon races, is always a threat. Andy Spaulding, 30, of Freeport, who finished second at the Clam Classic, and Michael Payson, 38, of Falmouth, the third-place finisher in last year's Peoples Beach to Beacon, also will push Decker.

Three-time defending champion Julia Kirtland, 36, of South Harpswell, returns on the women's side. She will face tough competition from Christine Snow-Reaser, 35, of Dayton, who has finished second in the last two Peoples Beach to Beacons, and Rose Prest-Morrison, 38, of Limerick, who finished third in 1999 and has looked strong this summer.

Fourth Year for Popular Race

This is the fourth year for the popular race, which was founded by Maine's largest bank, Peoples Heritage Bank, and Maine's most famous athlete, Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of the first Olympic women's marathon. The race director is Dave McGillivray, who also serves as race director for the world-renowned BAA Boston Marathon. Proceeds from this year's race will benefit the Kids First Center, a program dedicated to supporting Maine parents and children who are going through the transition of divorce or separation.

In addition to Peoples, other major race sponsors this year include Nike, Poland Spring, US Airways, MBNA and WCSH TV-6, which will have live cut-ins of the start and finish and air a half-hour show, "Bill Green's Maine," statewide on the night of the race.

The wheelchair entrants begin at 8 a.m. at the start line on Route 77 near Crescent Beach State Park and the race starts at 8:05. The ChampionChip will again be used to measure each runner's exact time electronically. Prize money of $50,000 is awarded to the runners, including $7,500 for the winner, $5,000 for the second place winner and cash prizes for the top 10 finishers. Other cash awards go to the top men and women's masters finishers, men and women wheelchair entrants and men and women from Maine. Also, age category winners will receive L.L. Bean gift certificates.
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