2004   [ << Back ] [ Up ]

Cool Run for the Ferry

Men's race story submitted by David Polisi

August 28, 2004, Bowen Island — Under a misty rain and relatively cool temperatures, a determined group of runners marched up and away from the Snug Cove ferry terminal at the 10th Annual Run for the Ferry road race. Knowing the challenging hilly course that lay ahead, the pack was happy to sit back for a time and make their way up Government Road down towards Manion Bay and into Killarney and Meadow Trial during the first 2k. Once back on the road, the leaders found 5th gear—Vancouver's Simon Driver, led by New Westminster's David Polisi, increased the tempo leaving behind Vancouver's Luis Estrada, Matthew Fedoruk and Tony Skuce.

Driver and Polisi pushed through the hilly course with Driver taking over the lead at the 4k mark. Polisi took the cautious approach and saved his energy for the 5k return hoping to bring Driver back. Once past the 5k turn-around Polisi stepped up the pace and started to work on the gap that Driver had built, but Driver didn’t give any ground. Increasing the pace he took the victory home.

With 1st and 2nd tied up Estrada strode in for the 3rd place finish with Skuce taking 4th overall (just ahead of Fedoruk) and winning the Masters Division. Skuce was the 8th place Masters finisher at the Boston Marathon earlier this year and Run for the Ferry was his first race back after the Boston effort.

Second and third Masters men were Larry Nightingale of Gibsons and Mike Moon of Vancouver, with Nightingale placing 7th overall just behind Paul Skarsgard of Richmond.

Defending women's Open and Masters winner Nancy Tinari of Coquitlam had no challengers this year, cruising to a 9th place overall finish in 37:08, nearly seven minutes ahead of runner-up Heather Sherwin of Vernon. Tinari's time was a bit slower than her 2003 clocking, which she attributes to the fact that she knew this time that Margaret Butler was doing the 5k not the 10k, so didn't try to keep up with Butler in the first half.

Rounding out the Open women's top 3 was Carrie Holt of Vancouver in 44:24, not far ahead of second women's Master Susan Williams of Victoria. The next woman to arrive at the line was third female Master Joan Cochrane of Saskatoon.

Full results can be viewed on the Race Headquarters website. Photos are in the Series Photo Gallery.

Today's race moved Driver and Polisi into third and fourth place in the overall Series rankings, just two points apart—but fifth place Estrada could move ahead of both of them by placing at least seventh in the final event in Steveston next weekend. Polisi also has the advantage that his lowest counting score is zero, so whatever points he earns in race #14 will add directly to his total. First and second will be contested between West Vancouver's Colin Dignum and North Vancouver's Peter Cardle, who have only a five point separation, well ahead of the rest of the men.

Tinari's win on Bowen moved her into first place in the overall Series standings, seven points ahead of West Vancouver's Cindy O'Krane. Both need to race in Steveston on September 5th to make the minimum seven race requirement for awards eligibility. Behind them sit Darcie Montgomery of North Vancouver and Karen Warrendorf of Vancouver in third and fourth with enough races to qualify.

Next and final Series 2004 race is the Labour Day Weekend 8k, Sunday September 5th at the Steveston Community Centre. Series prizes will be presented in a separate ceremony following the race awards. Top four overall men and women receive cash prizes from Timex in the amounts of $1000, $500, $300 and $200, while top three age group winners will be awarded Mizuno gear from Rackets & Runners: shoes for first and second and a sports bag for third.

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