Kijima, 33, of Japan maintained his distance which was just over a hundred meters ahead of 46-year-old Masahiko Nagasaka, also of Japan, as he went on to cross the finish line first.
Kijima completed the 42.195-kilometer run in 2 hours, 53 minutes and 15 seconds to be the 2010 first place winner of the Saipan Marathon’s men’s division. Masahiko tried to pick up speed when the finish line at the American Memorial Park came in sight but still trailed by five minutes completing the course at 2:58.11 hours.
Settling for third place was Seijiro Satake who reached the finish line at 3:02.37.
Mochizuki arrived at the finish line following men’s first six finishers. The first female full marathon participant to cross the line, she came at 3:10.03 to win this year’s title in the full-marathon women’s division.
Just six minutes behind her was NMI’s Mamiko Berger who made it at 3:16.14 to win the second place, followed by
Kimberly King-Hind who completed the full-course in 3:34.53 to settle for the third place.
Toyoko Yabutani was the oldest runner among women completing the full marathon but she was not the last to reach the finish line. There were still more than 10 runners behind her when the 80-year-old female runner reached the finish line at 7:02.01 hours.
She even came past one much younger runner at the Quarter Master and Beach Road intersection.
67-year-old Masahiko Iida was the first man in the 60-and-up division to finish the course with four hours and 35 seconds.
On the other hand, Lennosuke Suzuki who participated in the 10K run was the youngest runner. He made it to the finish line at 1:25.54.
In men’s half marathon, 28-year-old Kennichi Yamauchi won the first place with 1:17.24 hour beating 42-year-old Masaaki Nakahara by over two minutes.
11-year-old Kotaro Matsunaba was the first finisher in the 14-and-under with 2:41.58.
NMI’s Reylynn Sapong, 15, was the youngest finisher in the women’s 10K run making it at 57.08.
In women’s half marathon, 34-year-old Mari Ozaki was leading by almost half an hour against everybody as she made it at 1:19.39 to win the first place.
Finishing second was Mike Okamoto, also 34 years old, who hit the finish line at 1:34.45.
35-year-old Takeshi Aoyama beat NMI’s Ronald E. Villafria by five minutes to top the men’s 10K run. He made it at 37.51 minutes while Villafria came at 41.22 minutes.
In women’s 10K run, 39-year-old Noriko Jim finished the course in 41.33 minutes followed by Masako Uyama who made it at 47.57 minutes.
Aside from the Marianas Visitors Authority, the annual sports event which was covered by two international media entities
was sponsored by Oakley, Delta/Northwest Airlines, Timex, Hotel Association of the Northern Marianas Islands, DFS Galleria, and Northern Mariana Athletics. Other supporters of the event are the Division of Parks and Recreation, Department of Public Safety Traffic and EMS units, Commonwealth Health Center, Hawaiian Rock Products, American Memorial Park, Department of Public Works, and numerous volunteers.
Aid stations were manned by staffers from Mariana Resort & Spa, Palms Resort & Spa, Aqua Resort Club, IT&E, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Pacific Development Inc, Hafadai Beach Hotel, Tasi Tours, Fiesta Resort & Spa, Saipan Grand Hotel, World Resort Hotel, Coral Ocean Point, and Pacific Islands Club Saipan.
Also making in-kind contributions in support of the event were Country House Nippon, Stars & Stripes Sea Logo, Aqua Resort Club, Kinpachi Restaurant, Islander Rent A Car, Marfega Trading, Furusato Restaurant, Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, Palms Resort Saipan, Thai House Restaurant, Shirley’s Cafe, Saipan Shipping, Hafadai Beach Hotel, Pacific Subsea, Tasi Tours, Modern Stationary, Canton Restaurant, 360 Revolving Restaurant, J.C Tenorio Ent., Big Boy’s Marine, Budget Rent A Car, Triple J Wholesale, Avis Rent A Car, Sand Castle, and Island Apparel.
