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For Immediate Release
July 31, 2006

Contact:
Julie McQuillan, TD Banknorth
(207) 828-7558
E-mail: jason@wolfenews.com

Jason Wolfe
(207) 741-2828

Web Site: http://www.beach2beacon.org

Top Runners in the World, New England and Maine Gathering for Saturday's TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine – Saturday’s ninth annual TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race has again attracted the top road racers in Maine, New England and around the globe to the stunning seaside course in Cape Elizabeth.

With 5,500 runners – an increase of 500 from last year – and as many as 10,000 spectators, the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K is one of the most prestigious – and fastest – road races on the circuit, attracting top world-class athletes and filling up more quickly each year.

Nearly $60,000 in prize money is at stake, including a $10,000 prize to the top man and woman. Also, Northeast Delta Dental is again sponsoring a $2,500 bonus for an open course record and $500 for a course record in the Maine category, providing added incentive in a race that has been the fastest 10K in the world in two of the past three years.

In recognition of the support shown by the Town of Cape Elizabeth and in keeping with a focus on youth, the race beneficiary for this year’s race is the Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation (CEEF), a non-profit organization that enriches learning for Cape youth by funding innovative projects. CEEF also works to serve as a resource in helping other Maine towns interested in starting education foundations. TD Banknorth, through the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation, will provide a cash donation of $30,000. For more information about CEEF, visit www.capeeducationfoundation.org.

"This race would not be the success that it is without the hard work of all involved, from the volunteers to the runners to the Town of Cape Elizabeth to the race organizers," said David Ott, president of TD Banknorth Maine who will complete his seventh Beach to Beacon this year. "We're looking forward to another great race day."

Okari Seeks Fourth Straight Men’s Title; 2004 Women’s Champ Back at Last

The vision of long-legged Gilbert Okari breaking the tape at the TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon has become a familiar sight for race fans. But the Kenyan, one of the hottest runners on the circuit, will have his work cut out for him to make it a four-peat.

Okari finished 3rd trying to defend his title at the Quad City Times Bix 7 in Iowa over the weekend (July 29), behind two fellow Kenyans who will toe the line in Saturday’s race – Lawrence Kiprotich, who won Bix in his first race on American soil, and Evans Cheryiout. That surprising result sets up quite a bit of intrigue heading into the Beach to Beacon.

“Gilbert has been dominant on the roads again this year, but he ran into a couple of guys who decided they weren’t going to be intimidated,” said Larry Barthlow, the elite athlete coordinator. “We’re going to see a very determined Gilbert Okari on Saturday because our race is special to him and he doesn’t want to lose here. But Lawrence and Evans are going to have something to say about that.”

Okari, who holds the Beach to Beacon course record (27:28 in 2003), already has won five top-tier North American road races this year, including the Lilac Bloomsday 12K, Bay to Breakers 12K, Cherry Blossom 10-Miler and Crescent City Classic 10K. He is currently third on Running Times’ world rankings.

Kiprotich is only 21, but is beginning to make waves on the international race circuit, winning a half marathon in France and a 10K in Brazil. Consider Bix his coming out party in America. Cheryiout is one of the few runners ever to break 60:00 in a half marathon.

And don’t count out Kenyan John Korir, who finished 6th at Bix but recently won a 10K in Green Bay and appears to be regaining the form that has helped him win 30 major road races since 1998. William Chebon, with top four finishes in all the major road races in July, also will be in the mix. And expect a good race from James Koskei, who holds the distinction as the last man not named Okari to win the Beach to Beacon with a 28:11 in 2002.

On the women’s side, 2004 champ Susan Chepkemei of Kenya is anxious to compete after visa issues prevented her from defending her title last year. The easy going Chepkemei, currently ranked 9th in the world, is having a strong season, including winning Bix this year and finishing 4th at the competitive Peachtree 10K and 2nd at the Utica Boilermaker.

She will be challenged by Russia’s Alevetina Ivanova, who finished 3rd at the 2004 Beach to Beacon and 2nd last year and will be looking to move up one more notch this weekend.

“I expect a duel between Susan and Alvetina, two of the toughest competitors we have ever had at this race,” Barthlow said. “This is Alvetina’s first race of the summer season after training in Russia, so she may have the fresh legs. But Susan is a real fighter.”

Lidia Simon of Romania, a former world champion and Olympian marathoner who finished 3rd at Bix, also is a strong contender, as is Romanian Luminita Talpos, who finished 4th at Bix this year and 2nd at the Beach to Beacon in 2003.

(Unofficial) Maine Road Race Champions to be Crowned

The TD Banknorth 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.

With an influx of young and talented Maine men, observers say this year’s field is the deepest and strongest ever assembled for a road race in the state.

The field includes Eric Giddings, 19, of South Portland, who shattered the course record with a 30:34 in 2005 and also won in 2003; Ethan Hemphill, 34, of Freeport, who has dominated the Maine roads in 2006, winning 10 of 12 races, and won the 2004 Beach to Beacon; Jeff Caron, 23, of Auburn, a recent University of Maine grad who beat Hemphill in a USTAF event in Massachusetts in June; Ben True, 20, of North Yarmouth, a Division I All-American cross country runner from Dartmouth; and Evan Graves, 24, of Bar Harbor, who has finished second the past two years.

And don’t overlook former Portland High standouts Ayalew Taye, 18, and Sintayehu Taye, 16, who now live in Cape Elizabeth but attend school in Massachusetts.

Even the Maine master’s category is loaded, with Dan Frenek plus former champions Michael Payson, Todd Coffin and Bob Winn, now all over 40 years old, expected to fight it out for the crown.

"This the deepest Maine field ever," said Race President David Weatherbie of Cape Elizabeth, himself a top Maine road racer. "There's been an infusion of younger runners who have really added to the excitement and the intrigue surrounding this event. A significant changing of the guard is taking place."

In the women’s race, 2005 champ Emily Levan, 33, of Wiscasset, returns to face stiff competition from Susannah Beck, 38, of Sedgwick, a native Maine elite runner who won the Maine title in 2004. Kristin Barry, 32, of Scarborough, coming off a nice win at the Yarmouth Clam Festival 5-miler, also should contend.

Ninth Year for Popular Race

The TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon attracts more than 800 volunteers and brings out an extraordinary effort on the part of the town of Cape Elizabeth. TD Banknorth is the lead sponsor of the race founded by Joan Benoit Samuelson, a running legend who won the first Olympic women’s marathon. She serves as a spokesperson for the bank’s “Shining the Light for Maine Youth” program.

The race director is Dave McGillivray, president of DMSE, Inc., a nationally recognized event management company. McGillivray also serves as the race director of the BAA Boston Marathon.

In addition to TD Banknorth, other major corporate partners include Nike, Hannaford, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maine, Poland Spring, WCSH TV-6, Maine Health and Northeast Delta Dental. For additional info about the race, visit www.beach2beacon.orgor call the race hotline at (888) 480-6940.

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 ocean-hugging course ends 6.2 miles later in Fort Williams Park at Portland Head, the most photographed lighthouse in the world.

Prize money of more than $60,000 is awarded to the runners, including $10,000 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 masters finishers, men and women wheelchair entrants and men and women from Maine. Also, age category winners will receive L.L. Bean gift certificates. For more information about the race, go to www.beach2beacon.org.

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