© Copyright - 2013 - Athletics Illustrated
Nine men ran under 15 minutes in the Synergy Health Management Bazan Bay 5k in Sidney, BC on Sunday, March 10th. The overall winner was former University of Victoria Vikes star athlete, Geoff Martinson of Victoria, BC who finished in a near dead-heat with Vancouver’s Ryan Brockerville – a Simon Fraser University grad and a current member of Point Grey Track and Field Club - in the time of 14:32. Third went to former University of Victoria Vike Clifford Childs who finished in 14:40. "I was hanging on. There was a much more competitive group this year," said Martinson, who set the current course record in 2012 with his time of 14:20.
See Geoff Martinson's post-race video interview here.
Childs led the race for the first two and a half kilometres before giving way to Brockerville, who led until the final 150 metres, where Martinson and Brockerville dueled to the end. "I led early because I wanted to take it out at a strong pace, we had such a competitive field," said Childs. Also in the race was Vike teammate Forrest Simpson who finished in 14:44, which was six seconds faster than four-time Olympian and two-time Olympic medalist Simon Whitfield (triathlon) and Vike’s Patrick Psotka who also finished in a virtual dead-heat at 14:50. They were followed closely by Matthew Sharpe in 14:52 and Kevin Friesen of Point Grey Track and Field Club who finished in 14:54.
Masters (40-plus) winner was Victoria’s Jim Finlayson, who finished in 14:55 however; the master’s story of the day came from Vancouver’s Kevin O’Connor (Point Grey) who demolished the provincial 45-plus age-group record of 15:32 with his time of 15:15. O’Connor was the second master overall and first in his five-year age-group, he was followed in by Craig Odermatt (40-44) in a time of 15:40 as well as two-time Olympian Bruce Deacon, he finished in 15:43 and second in the 45-49 age-group.
Top female finisher was National Triathlon Centre’s (NTC) Ellen Pennock in 16:28. Sabrina Wilkie of Point Grey Track Club finished second in a new personal best time of 16:41. Third went to NTC’s Alex Coates in 16:56. "I am very happy with my personal best today. It is a fast course and there was good competition in this event," said Wilkie.
A total of nine athletes ran under 15 minutes while 27 finished under 16 minutes and 51 finished under 17:00. There were a total of 748 finishers. The Synergy Health Management Bazan Bay 5k is race number five of both the Vancouver Island Race Series and the BC Timex Road Race Series.
Results: racedaytiming.ca