First place winner Satoshi Emoto finished the 6th Annual Saipan Marathon in two hours 44 minutes and 52 seconds as the overall finisher of the race followed by Noriko Hirao who crossed the finish line after three hours 14 minutes and nine seconds to top the female division and finish 6th overall.
More than 800 participants, 1600 shoes, graced this occasion with the start off time as early as 4:30 a.m. for the marathon, 5:45 a.m. for the half-marathon, and just before dawn at 6 a.m. for the 10K course. The course commenced and ended at American Memorial Park.
Not only did the 6th Annual Saipan Marathon attract international interest but international media groups as well. During the awards banquet of the prestigious race was attended by the Acting Governor of the CNMI Eloy S. Inos and Mayor Donald Flores who were the guests of Honor to present the opening remarks of the awards banquets.
Crews from four television stations and two magazines in Japan came to the Northern Mariana Islands last Saturday to cover the 6th Saipan Marathon, bringing an estimated $800,000 in international ad exposure for this island’s resort destination.
Following the 6th Annual Marathon was the 2011 XTERRA Saipan also labeled the “Crown Jewel” by many competitors.
In this competition United Kingdom’s Pro-triathlete Sam Gardner defended his championship title after clocking in at two hours 53 minutes and 46 seconds while USA’s, and Defending XTERRA World Champion, Shonny Vanlandingham dethroned 6 time XTERRA Saipan Champion Renata Bucher after crossing the finish line at three hours one minute and nine seconds.
Pro-triathlete Sam Gardner, Shonny Vanlandingham, Renata Bucher, Austria’s Carina Wasle, Japan’s Takahiro Ogasawara and Paul Chetwynd, USA’s Suzie Snyder, Saipan’s Mieko Carey, England’s Daz Parker, and Brazil’s Denilson Freitas.
Following the 2011 XTERRA competition came the more grueling and demanding Tagaman Saipan competition where Sam Gardner defended his en route title after clocking in at three hours five minutes and 43 seconds having to limp to the finish line after crashing north towards the Banzai Cliff.
It was another surprising win in the female division as USA’s Suzie Snyder bagged the coveted first place seat after reaching the finish line faster than anyone else at three hours 20 minutes and 40 seconds to beat XTERRA Japan’s Champion and Saipan’s very own Mieko Carey who clocked in seven minutes and 11 seconds after Snyder at three hours 27 minutes and 30 seconds.
Austria’s Carina Wasle defeated Switzerland’s Renata Bucher, who had to settle for fourth place, by four minutes and 42 seconds crossing the finish line at three hours 28 minutes and 55 seconds followed by three hours 32 minutes and 13 seconds respectively.
