A large field of runners toed the line for the start of the first  Blenheim Trust 5k series this season on Saturday morning.

Forty-three runners and two fun/walk entrants made up the largest opener of the series.   

In the Male Division, Zebalon McLean took the lead early in the race with  former champion Steve Asson close behind.  However, Mr. Asson’s steady pace came through for the victory in the last 100 metres over Messers. McLean and Dale, while Brandon Folkes and Andrew Thompson rounded out the top five.

In the Female Division, newcomer Martine Allee mixed it up with 2010 champs Darwn Peters, Clare-Louise Whiley and Anne Monroe.  Ms. Whiley pulled ahead to win in more than a minute over her competitors.  Ms. Allee came  in second and Ms. Monroe edged out Ms. Peters at the finish line.

RESULTS:

Male: 1. Steven Asson, 19:20.13  2. Zebalon McLean,  19:41.24  3. Adrian Dale, 20:03.03  4. Brandon Folkes,  21:07.20  5. Andrew Thompson, 21:33.12  6. Anthony Thom, 22:03.43  7. Joe Standish, 22:51.12  8. Nicholas Clark, 22:56.50  9. Gath Hewlett, 23:02.14  10. Paul Hubbard, 23:31.34  11. Charles Kerins, 24:25.69  12. Howard Moore, 25:23.43  13. Lee Osborne, 25:32.17  14. Peter Wilmott, 26:46.07  15. Jamie Murray, 26:51.97  16. John Schultheiss, 28:04.81  17. Andrew Willins, 28:06.89  18. Tony Peters, 29:19.27  19. Michael Fay, 32:14.69  20. Xante Chalwell, 33:06.45  21. Filip Kreutzer, 34:39.78  22. Richard Parchment, 38:00.41

Female: 1. Clare-Louise Whiley, 22:03.72  2. Martine Allee, 23:08.05  3. Anne Monroe,  23:41.43  4. Darwn Peters,  23:47.46  5. Kay Reddy,  24:47.00  6. Cindy Rolli, 24:47.89  7. Joanna Wilkinson, 24:56.47  8. Rhiannon Jones, 24:56.73  9. Sally Blackmore, 25:12.63  10. Caroline Stillman,  25:12.87  11. Zoe Bickerton, 27:01.53  12. Michelle Jones, 27:20.19  13. Adenike Roberts,   27:28.78  14. Barbara Rhoden, 28:14.70  15. Lynette Ramoutar, 29:16.72  16. Emma Hunt, 29:33.10  17. Anna Kinkead, 30:15.38  18. Stephanie Russ Penn, 30:39.23  19. Shonda Leacock, 31:19.93  20. Maureen Peters, 32:02.80  21. Jo Osborne 36:05.67

Fun/Walk: Vanessa Simon, Maria Vieira