The battle for top spots and cash prizes should be an exciting one at this year's BMO Sunshine Coast April Fool's Run presented by Coast Cable, set for this Sunday, April 1.
In both the men's and women's fields, the top contenders are quite evenly matched, while a couple of top locals may also have a shot at the podium.
On the men's side, Shaun Stephens-Whale of Roberts Creek is expected to be in the lead pack with last year's second and fourth place winners David Palermo of Vancouver and Drew Nicholson of Surrey, along with 2007 and 2009 winner Graeme Wilson of Vancouver.
Wilson is the favourite to win the Masters 40-plus division, but the chase for the new second and third place prize money will likely unfold between Vancouver Falcons (VFAC) teammates Mark Bennett and Mike Palichuk.
The women's race is shaping up to be a close match between Langley's Lisa Brooking, Vancouver's Kristin Smart and triathlete Gillian Clayton of Vancouver. Though Brooking has the best half-marathon personal best (PB) of the bunch at 1:20:36, Smart ran a breakthrough 2:49 marathon in December and has been zipping off shorter distance PB's regularly this year, including a 1:22:20 "first half" half marathon.
Clayton, whose half-marathon PB is 1:23:06, was the top non-pro woman (fifth overall) at last August's Ironman Canada Triathlon in Penticton, blasting through the field in the marathon portion with an even split 3:14 on an extremely hot day; and she recently finished a stride ahead of Smart in 18:22 at the BMO St. Patrick's Day 5k in Vancouver. Brooking was just four seconds ahead of both women in the same 5k.
Local favourite Kimberley Doerksen won't be far behind the leaders this year, having recently run a new PB of 1:25:49 at the Disney Princess Half Marathon, a significant improvement over her 1:27:53 at last year's Fool's Run.
The Masters Women's 40-plus race will be a familiar scene, with another pair of VFAC teammates going head to head again as they did in 2009 -Rebecca Reid and Helen Ritchie.
Start time is 9 a.m. from the Gibsons and Area Community Centre, with an early start for walkers and three-hour-plus runners at 8 a.m.
On-line registration is closed but in-person registration is available during package pickup on Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Community Centre.
The 35th anniversary edition features a new finish line at Mission Point Park, a free children's run sponsored by Pastimes, a newly designed finisher medal, hot food at the finish line, enhanced volunteer support from BMO and a grand draw prize weekend getaway at Painted Boat Resort Spa & Marina.
The BMO April Fool's Run is race number four in the 2012 Lower Mainland Road Race Series. See www.foolsrun.com for more details.
- Submitted
