Eco-friendly marathon - Finnish Mari Kauri, Kenyan Shadrack Tanui winners |23 February 2015

Competing for the first time in the Eco-friendly marathon, Kenyan Shadrack Tanui and Finnish Mari Kauri are the male and female winners of this year’s eighth race.

Kauri, who reached the finish line at Beau Vallon in 3 hours 46 minutes 30 seconds (3h46:30), said she is happy with the win although she did not expect it.

“I did not expect to win as I only wanted to cross the finish line. It was tough as the weather was very hot,” said the 46-year-old whose husband Roni Kauri was ranked fifth in the men’s race with a time of 3h22:09. The couple’s two children took part in the 10km races.

Mari Kauri, who completed her 51st marathon, takes the title from Swedish Anneli Sōdergårds who triumphed in a time of 3h48:30 last year.

She is also the fifth winner of the marathon after South African Joanne Elizabeth Jones won the inaugural race in 2008 in 4h09:45. Seychellois Simone Jaffa won the race for three consecutive years – 2009 (3h30:19), 2010 (3h37:31) and 2011 (3h39:10. In 2012, victory went to South African Monica Neuling (3h36:41) and she retained the title in 2013 (3h33:44) under her married name Monica Vorster.

Kenyan Shadrack Tanui took the honours in the men’s race with a winning time of 2h38:22.

“This is my third marathon and it is the toughest I’ve run. It’s very hilly and humid here, but I hope to be back again next year,” said the 28-year-old who succeeded Seychellois Simon Labiche who did not take part in the energy-sapping race this year.

Tanui becomes the first foreigner and third winner of the marathon after Seychellois Simon Labiche 2h41:25 (in 2008), 2h37:38 (in 2009), 2h44:09 (in 2010), 2h46:3 (2011), 3h02:02 (2013) and 3h03:15 (in 2014) and James Barra 3h06:49 (in 2012).

In fact, the top three places were taken by Kenyan runners with Paul Kibet Simbolei (2h45:25) and Moses Mbugua (3h08:48) taking second and third places.

G. G.