Guernsey Marathon: Richard Friedrich and Rosie Williams top podium in refreshed event

261020 - Guernsey Marathon 2020 - Credit: Tom Coule/ITV Channel TV
Around 170 runners tackled the full distance, which started and finished on Castle Emplacement. Credit: ITV Channel TV

Richard Friedrich and Rosie Williams topped the podium as the new-look Guernsey Marathon made its delayed debut on Sunday.

The refreshed event, organised by a different team to the former Waterfront Marathon, was pushed back from its original March date because of the pandemic.

More than 100 local runners took on the full distance with Friedrich, whose impressive personal best of 2:19:27 saw him win the Munich Marathon nine years ago, crossing the line in torrential rain to take first overall, ahead of Nick Mann and Graham Merfield, in 2:41:55.

"If you win a race, it's a good day so I'm very pleased with the result", Friedrich told ITV News. "Apart from the last five minutes maybe, it was gorgeous conditions as well so great day".

"This is definitely the most scenic course I've ever run because a city marathon could never compete with the scenery following the coastline - it doesn't get any better".

"I don't want to say it's only scenic, it's not a slow course either and I think you can tell by the times people have run today it's a great course to run", he said.

Richard Friedrich and Rosie Williams were the men's and women's winners in Sunday's revamped Guernsey Marathon. Credit: ITV Channel TV

The event, which started and finished on Castle Emplacement in St Peter Port, saw runners head straight up the Val des Terres - one of the island's stiffest climbs - before winding their way around the coast.

On the women's side, Rosie Williams led home former European champion - and Friedrich's partner - Ulrike Maisch, taking the tape in 3:12:26 to go ninth on Guernsey's all-time list for the distance, with Vicky Carre completing the podium.

"It was an hour PB so that's exactly what I was aiming for - I'm absolutely over the moon with it", said Williams.

"I'd been training for the half and then stepped it up for the marathon, so I've been trying really hard and prepping as much as I could".

"I went into it thinking I've done as much as I could and see what happens so I was really nervous beforehand but actually it was amazing".

"It was a really good course, there was so much support out there as well which makes such a big difference", she said.

The '4 Non-Gingers' were first home in the five-person relay event. Credit: ITV Channel TV

There were also two and five-person relays events, and a fun run, with the '4 Non-Gingers' quintet of Warwick Helps, Chris Gillman, Tom Shaw, Rich Hann, and James Priest taking first in a highly-competitive field.

"We're very, very pleased - the first new Guernsey Marathon so very pleased to be champs, worked hard for it", said Helps.

More than 600 participants took part altogether, with a purely local field as a result of the island's current travel restrictions.

"We've certainly learned a few lessons", said race director Michael Quittenden, "but that's the nature of having the first one I've taken over".

"We're going to have a debrief next week and make a few tweaks, but we'll have much a similar thing and hopefully build on it".

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