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Guillaume Ruel and Lindsay Sword took home the top prizes in the Sure Guernsey Marathon.
The main event has attracted an increasingly international field as it continues to grow, while the supporting relays and mile race again swelled the numbers.
Pictured: Race winner Guillaume Ruel.
Ruel travelled to Guernsey from Coutances in Normandy and in taking first place in 2:31.29 smashed the course record.
His brother Pierre-Antoine was second in 2:35.53.
Pictured: Pierre-Antoine Ruel was second.
“It was an amazing race, amazing route, I discovered the island thanks to this marathon,” said the winner, before heading off on a cool down run to catch the boat back to St Malo.
Ruel, the European 50km and French 100km record holder, was using the race as part of his preparations for an 100km world record attempt in Japan on 30 June and settled in to that pace on the scenic route around Guernsey’s coast.
He has taken second and third place in the Jersey Marathon and will travel there again in the Autumn aiming for the win.
Ruel plans on coming back next year to take the record down further.
Pictured: Ethan Woodhead was the leading local runner in third with a new PB.
Ethan Woodhead was the leading local runner, finishing third in a time just 24 seconds over his 2 hours 40 mins target but with a new PB.
“I wanted to get that podium,” he said.
“So I’m very pleased that I got that, but it wasn’t easy.”
The race begins with a tough climb of Le Val des Terres, it was Woodhead’s first time running up the hill, before the runners get a chance to settle into a rhythm on the flatter sections through St Martins village and out to the airport.
Pictured: The marathon begins with a tough climb.
By the filter at the Green Hut the leading French pair began to pull away, leaving Woodhead isolated for the rest of the race.
He listened to some advice from the side of the road where Guernsey Athletics coach Paul Ingrouille was giving splits.
“As soon as I hit that 20 mark it feels like everything slows down and I'm always checking my watch.”
Woodhead heads to the London Marathon next Sunday.
Pictured: Cheers and applause for Lindsay Sword, the first woman home.
A shocked Lindsay Sword won the women’s race in 3:22.31.
“I was just expecting to finish the race, I wasn’t expecting to win it,” she said.
She has struggled with injury for the last five weeks, so went in targeting a 3:30 clocking.
“I felt good coming up to halfway and I just knew that I could push on a bit more.”
When she raced over 20 miles last year, Sword could not imagine doing another six.
“But once I hit the 20 miles today, I was quite happy with it. I felt strong enough to continue.”
Pictured: Ethan Woodhead and Lindsay Sword.
Coming down the finishing straight with the cheers and appplause ringing out, including from boyfriend Woodhead, she was holding back the tears.
“It's tough training and you do a lot of it yourself. It's nice to see that everything you sacrifice to put in the hard work actually pays off at the end of the day.”
Second place in the women’s race went to American Courtney Holmes (3:33.12) and third was Susie Armstrong (3:43.02).
Pictured: Second-placed Courtney Holmes.
Travelling over from Denver, Colorado, it was Holmes' first time in the island visiting her mother-in-law.
“I didn't have any expectations. I went in a little blind, but it was amazing. It blew me away. Stunning, definitely challenging with the wind and the hills, but I had a good time.”
The marathon was also a chance to raise money for charity.
Among those fundraising for the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation was Miles Hardill, whose brother Jake was born 11 weeks early in 2010.
“I've raised more than I could have imagined, about £1,500 pounds so far. So I'm actually buzzing with that and smashed my time as well today.”
He finished around 3 hrs 36 mins, some nine minutes faster than his target.
“I kept getting worried throughout the race, ‘you're not going to finish, you’re going too fast’, but then they just managed to keep it up.”
Hardill took a controlled approach to the race, even as others kept coming past him in the early stages.
The last 3km was tough, he said: “I think everything was cramping as I came over the lines”.
Pictured: Emil Friedrich wins the Marathon Mile comfortably.
Emil Friedrich won the Marathon Mile for the second year running.
Pictured: The start of the Mourant Relay Race.
Pictured: Colleen Irven on the opening climb.
Pictured: Danny Legg (107) and Adam Grogan (63).
Pictured: Visiting runner Jon Clays was fourth in 2:41.51.
Pictured: Stilt walkers entertain the spectators and runners.
Pictured: Race director Michael Quittenden at the finish line.
Pictured: The marathon mile finish.
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