Zoe Hamel was so enthused upon breaking through the finish-line banner tape to win the women’s title in the Royal Victoria Marathon on Sunday that she didn’t notice the honorary co-holder of the tape. It was Cam Levins of Black Creek, the Canadian and North Amercian marathon record holder who raced in his third Olympic Games over the summer in Paris.
Both athletes are coached by Jim Finlayson of Victoria.
“I was just thinking, get me through this. I was in second, and then caught up, and told myself to hold on for the last 10K,” said Hamel, 32, of her mindset in crossing the line in two hours, 47 minutes, 48 seconds.
“I finished third last year. Maybe I should not run next year and end on a high note,” quipped Hamel, a math and economics teacher.
The former NCAA Div. 1 tennis player for UNC-Asheville ran just to keep in shape for the tennis courts. The native of Sedan, France, is proving not bad on the roads, either. She ran races during her last teaching position, in Mostar, Bosnia, and continued upon coming to Pearson College in Metchosin two years ago.
Informed that the women’s world record of 2:09:56 was set earlier Sunday morning by Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich in the Chicago Marathon, Hamel replied: “That’s crazy — another world. I’m happy with my 2:47.”
Rozlyn Boutin of Vancouver was the second woman across in the Royal Victoria in 2:49:24 and Catrin Jones of Victoria third in 2:50:48. Christine Bant of Victoria (2:51:44) and Lissa Zimmer of Vancouver (2:53:30) rounded out the top five.
Craig McMillan, the men’s and overall 2024 Royal Victoria Marathon champion, returned to the race for the first time in 18 years and was across in 2:28:53.
The native of Johannesburg, South Africa, raced his first Royal Victoria in 2006 and ended his long absence from the Island with aplomb. In between, he has raced five of the six major marathons in Boston, New York, Chicago, London and Berlin, with only Tokyo left to go.
“I deny old age. You keep learning,” said the 47-year-old North Vancouver-based CFO of a mining company, who has contested more than 40 marathons.
“This was a fantastic race on a challenging course that was especially lovely and spectacular along the waterfront.”
Lance Risseeuw of Calgary was second in 2:31:10 and David Morrissey of Vancouver third in 2:35:55. Victorians Martin Odendaal (2:36:26) and Julien Forgeois (2:39:09) rounded out the top five.
The two Royal Victoria half-marathon champions Sunday, University of B.C. law student Andrew Davies in men’s and Makenna Fitzgerald of Calgary in women’s, both represented Canada in U-20 at the 2019 world cross-country championships in Aarhus, Denmark.
Sarnia-native Davies, who ran in U Sports for McMaster University, won the men’s half-marathon in 1:03:19. That was off Levins’ event record of 1:01:18 set last year, which eclipsed the former record held by two-time Olympic marathon fourth-place finisher Jon Brown.
But Levins and Brown are another class altogether. Levins could not race this year due to an injury post-Paris Olympics and was relegated to hon0rary duties on the day.
You can only race who is in the field and Davies came through with an outstanding effort Sunday to win by more than two minutes. He plans on practising corporate law. “Think Suits,” he quipped.
He’s not too bad in singlet and shorts, either: “It was nice weather and not too windy with lots of people cheering you along the course and that was nice to hear and gets you going.”
Brian Masterson of Seattle was second in 1:05:50 and Andrew Oslin of Bellingham third in 1:06:20.
Fitzgerald, who ran U Sports for Queen’s University, took the women’s half-marathon in 1:14:20 as she prepares for her first marathon, the California International in December in Sacramento.
“It felt incredible out there today with people cheering so loud along the route, which is so motivating,” she said.
Kiana Gibson and Ally Ginther, both of Vancouver, were second and third in 1:15:10 and 1:17:36, respectively.
Aaron Ahl of Calgary was the men’s 8K champion in 23:48 and Julia Hawkins of Vancouver the women’s winner in 28:06.
The 2,800 spots in the Royal Victoria Marathon, and 5,250 in the half-marathon, sold-out over the summer. The registration numbers across all races this year, including Saturday’s 5K and kids run, was 12,367, the third-highest total in the 44-year history of the event.
