CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (August 7, 2010) - Kenyan Lineth Chepkurui shattered the women's course record and Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia sprinted to the men's title in the 13th edition of the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

In the Maine Resident races, Kristin Barry of Scarborough reclaimed the women's title, while Patrick Tarpy of Yarmouth cruised to his first men's title.

The winners were among the record-setting 5,668 runners from 17 countries and 41 U.S. states who finished the picturesque 6.2-mile course.

Chepkurui confirmed her reputation as this season's most dominant road racer by clipping 26 seconds off the course record and becoming the first women to run a sub-31 10K on Maine soil with her time of 30 minutes, 59 seconds. Wude Ayalew, 23, of Ethiopia also broke the course record (31:07), but it was not enough on this day against 22-year-old Chepkurui. Edna Kipligat, 30, of Kenya took third (31:33). Defending champ Irene Limika, 30, of Kenya finished fourth (33:06).

Kipligat, Ayalew and Chepkurui, each ranked in the top 20 in the world, set a blistering pace early on, nearly staying with the lead pack of men for the first mile and distancing themselves from the other women. By the time they reached Fort Williams and the climb to the finish at the Portland Headlight, Kipligat had fallen off the pace, leaving Chepkurui to fend off a challenge by Ayalew. Legendary marathoner and two-time Olympic silver medalist Catherine Ndereba, 38, of Kenya, a five-time TD Bank Beach to Beacon champ and former course record holder, placed sixth (33:34). Heidi Westhover, 29, of Walpole, N.H. was the first American finisher with a 34:11, good for eighth place.

On the men's side, 25-year-old Gebremariam (27:40), known as G.G., entered the race as one of the hottest runners on the circuit and did not disappoint. He traded places for much of the race with runner-up Alan Kiprono (27:42),Wilson Chebet (27:45), and Stephen Kipkosgei-Kibet (27:51), all Kenyans, before relying on his well-known sprinter's kick at the finish. Two-time defending champ Ed Muge, 27, of Kenya ran a 28:08, a nearly identical time as 2009, but it was only good enough for fifth this year. Ben True, a two-time Maine Resident champ now training in Oregon, finished 12th (29:02) running as an elite - the first American to finish.

A lead pack of 13 elite runners set a slow pace early on, which perhaps hindered Gebremariam's shot at the course record 27:28. By Mile 3, Chebet, 25, a skilled half marathoner, began to push the pace and spread the pack, followed by G.G. as well as Kiprono, 20, and Kipkosgei-Kibet, 23, a pair of relatively unknown young Kenyans running on American soil for the first time. Chebet still held the lead at Mile 5 before Gebremariam exerted his will.

Race President David Weatherbie, who ran the race, said the picture-perfect weather made for ideal running conditions.

"We had an incredibly deep field of elite athletes and they really put on a show, but they weren't alone," Weatherbie said. "We also had 20 Maine resident men who ran sub-33 minutes, which is a prime example of the depth and quality of this year's race from top to bottom. The best weather in 11 years really brought out the best for all involved."