4-peat for Noriko; Allen wins half marathon

Female runners Noriko Jim and Terra Allen made Saipan proud after ruling their respective races during last Saturday’s 7th Saipan Marathon.

Jim topped the 10K race for the fourth straight time after crossing the finish line at Micro Beach in 44 minutes and 43 seconds, just one minute behind her 2011 winning time (43:43). The 41-year-old runner cut the tape just about three minutes ahead of Japanese Chemi Saito (47:14), while last year’s runner-up Akiko Miller, who ran with her son in a stroller, dropped to third, but eclipsed her 2011 time (48:27) after submitting 47:52.

Completing the Top 6 in the women’s 10K were Rika Katsuki (50:41), Sakiko Eda (50:50), and Kyoko Matsuda (51:09).

In the men’s division, Charles Epperson won after a blistering time of 37:45. He was the lone 10K finisher who timed in under 40 minutes and over a minute shy from breaking the 2011 record (36:36) of Japan’s Takasahi Aoyama. Epperson was no stranger to Saipan races, as two months ago, he ruled the 20K race in the 5th Marianas Coffee Trail Run.

The organizing Marianas Visitors Authority is still finalizing the list of the five other finishers who broke into the Top 6 in the men’s 10K race, which started at the American Memorial Park with runners heading north through Beach Road before making a turn near Hakubotan and returning to AMP.

Meanwhile, the women’s half marathon had a new champion in Allen, who completed the third longest race of the weekend in 1:50:45. Allen crossed the finish line about five minutes ahead of Japanese Sayuri Yuyama (1:55:20). Saipan triathlete Dawn Hammermeister came in at third with her 1:58:49, followed by Japan’s Harumi Kato (1:59:00), Kazue Usui (2:00:28), and Chie Tokuyasu (2:00:43).

In the men’s division, two Saipan runners made it to the Top 6 with Ronald Villafria placing second with a time of 1:30:01 and Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel coming in at third at the 1:35:08 mark. Japan’s Shohgo Tamura won the race with his 1:27:55. Rouning out the Top 6 were Takamasa Nishibashi (1:30:12), Yoshiharu Watanabe (1:31:25), and Kengo Usui (1:33:49).

The half marathon course started and ended at Micro Beach with runners heading first to Marianas Resort and Spa, and then to the northern part of the island along Beach Road up to the Oleai Beach Park and back to Micro Beach.

Age group winners in the 10K, half marathon, marathon, and ultra marathon will be published in Saipan Tribune’s Wednesday edition.