Maxford Pipe, right, outsprints Guy Williamson to win Saturday's Dive BVI 10K Series race on Virgin Gorda for his first victory over Williamson PHOTO: Todd Van Sickle
MAY 6—As officials gear up for the 3rd Virgin Gorda Half Marathon and 6 Miles Challenge by rolling out a tougher segment of the course, making it the most challenging race in the British Virgin Islands, they could not have asked for a better tune up than Saturday’s Dive BVI 10K Series race.
Competing on a segment of the May 17 Half Marathon course that includes Coppermine and Top of the Baths, Maxford Pipe defended his home turf by beating Guy Williamson for the first time in 42 minutes and 21.09 seconds to Williamson’s 42:21.10. Both are the territory’s leading runners of 2014.
“Any race that Guy runs in is normally fast and I’m happy that he came across,” Pipe said. “I wasn’t looking to beat him but hoping for the best and this is the first time ever beating him so it feels good.”
Williamson who plans to run next week’s Virgin Gorda Half Marathon, said Pipe pushed the pace as they have been doing on Tortola. “It’s good that we have the competition between the islands because it keep the benchmark of the races quite high and quite competitive, which is nice,” he said.
Race director Casey McNutt said plans have been going well and 46 have already pre registered. “I’ve got over a dozen already from St. Thomas booking accommodations and coming over,” she noted. “The new course is challenging and is named Beauty and the Beast. So, if you can conquer the beast you can do anything.”
The race will start in the Valley and the new segment will go towards Gorda Peak via Nail Bay. The race will take runners past Savannah Bay and Pond Bay up to Nail Bay.
George views, challenging course but great clean solid course and an awesome party at the top,” McNutt noted. “If you conquer the beast and you’re home all the way back down.”
The course will also take in the scenic Copper Mine route with its rolling hills going and coming. McNutt said Virgin Gorda has some of the most scenic and stunning views in the BVI and she loves the town.
“I’ve seen how many people like to push themselves in this community,” she pointed out. “They go to the 8 Tuff Miles on St. John; they come out in droves to the 5K here that goes up by the college and I see people looking for challenges so I wanted to maintain an integrity of the course and it’s something you have to train and fight for and there’s so much gratification when you finish. I think there’s no better way of being rewarded from this training than looking at the views from this course. It’s just an outstanding beautiful place.”
Final results. Men: 1. Maxford Pipe, 42 minutes and 21.09 seconds. 2. Guy Williamson, 42.21.10. 3. Ravi Sukhu, 44.26, 4. Ed Novek, 44.38, 5. Curwin Andrews, 48.08, 6. Ezron Simmons, 49.09. 7. Tim Charters, 49.17. 8. Aaron Gardner, 50.03, 9. Charles Kerins, 52.22. 10. Jermain Abrams, 54.40. 11. Patrick Ormond, 54.45. 12. Bob Belusko, 56.36. 13. Shane Donovan, 56.58. 14. Jeff Schoss 1.06.37. 15. Tamas Kelemen, 1.06.43. 16. Zoltan Birinyi, 1.26.15. Power Walkers: 1. Gerald Rose, 1.24.06. 2. Zeblon McLean, 1.24.07.
Female: 1. Joanne Singleton, 51.21. 2. Ni Made Oniasih, 51.54. 3. Vivian Toro, 57.16. 4. AJ Syrett, 1.04. 5. Tiffanie Housrn, 1.05.11. 6. Shariesma Madero, 1.05.24. 7. Jeff Schoss, 1.06.37. 8. Sara Schirmar, 1.06.46. 9. Tilly Whittle-Bruce, 1.07.11. 10. Claire Burke, 1.08.23. 11. Tara Murphy, 1.15.31. Power Walker: 1. Christina Yates, 1.35.22. 2. Andrea Miles- dnf