Utting and Jones Repeat as BC Marathon Champions

Oliver Utting and Catrin Jones successfully defended the BC Marathon titles that they won in 2013, at Sunday's 2014 GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon.

Traing partners Utting, Ed McCarthy, and Graeme Wilson ran the first 30K together, battling for third place overall. The race for the BC Championship then began as first 2012 Champion Wilson fell off the pace. And then McCarthy broke as Utting surged for the finish. Utting won the BC Championships and placed third overall in 2:29:02, almost a minute quicker than last year. McCarthy was close behind in 2:29:29, with Wilson a further minute back in 2:30:33.

For Jones, who has spent much of the last 12 months recivering from injury, it was a trimphant return to road racing. Like Utting, in winning the BC Championship she placed third overall. But hers was a solo performance almost the entire way. For much of the race she was second female, but was caught in the closing stages by American Eva Vail. With a time almost 4 minutes slower than last year, it was a bittersweet outcome. Jones' time was 2:46:51. 2010 ands 2011 Champion, Suzanne Evans was second in 2:59:53, and Amy Schneeberg third in 3:01:17.

Complete Championship results here.