Oct 14 2007

Kaleden’s Scott Tremblay has ended hometown favourite Trevor Haaheim’s one-year grasp on the Okanagan International Marathon.

Tremblay covered the 42.2 kilometre course through the streets of Kelowna on Sunday morning to win the 13th edition of the OIM in two hours, 38 minutes, 27 seconds.

Haaheim settled for second best to Tremblay finishing 73 seconds back at 2:39:40.

The two runners kept each other within striking distance for much of the race, but Tremblay finally pulled away over the last two km.

“I ran as hard as I could for the day,” said Haaheim, 35. “I was running on borrowed time the last 10 km and I just don’t think I quite had the fitness.

“Scott’s a nice runner and he set a pace that I couldn’t quite hang on to.”

It was the first year the race had been run entirely north of Highway 97 due to construction of the new bridge and the absence of the bridge tunnel. The runners had to make two loops of the course which ran from City Park to the Glenmore area and back again.

Haaheim, who won last year’s marathon in 2:38:33, has been a contender the last several years finishing second in 2005 and sixth in 2003.

Tremblay, 33, who was third in Kelowna in 2004, is a national-class triathlete who finished 19th overall earlier this summer at Subaru Ironman Canada in Penticton.

Kelowna’s Martin McMahon turned in his best overall finish at the OIM taking fourth place in 2:57:58. McMahon also took first out of 106 competitors in the men’s 40 to 49 age division.

The top female finisher was Calgary’s Christy Lovig at 3:14:23.

In the 21.1 km (half marathon) event, Surrey’s Mark Sherman took first place in a time of 1:14:30.

Three-time marathon winner Sergio Pio of Penticton was second in 1:16:08, while Jeff Krar of Calgary was third in 1:18:16.

Kathleen Wood of Kelowna was the first woman to cross the line in the 21.1 km event in 1:26:23.

In the 10 km event., Edmonton’s Kevin Masters posted the best time at 34:59. Jonathan Bird of Calgary was second in 35:29, while Kevin Lindland of Calgary was third in 37:37.

Between the marathon, 21.1 km, 10 km, and walking races, more than 2,500 people finished the various events at the OIM.