Anna Eatherley led home a record field 625 participants in yesterday?s seventh Annual PartnerRe Women?s 5K.

The reigning May 24 Marathon Derby champion clocked 19 minutes and 28 seconds.

The whopping entry in yesterday?s popular charity run and walk, which started and finished at the Botanical Gardens in Paget, more than doubled the event?s previous entry, surpassing most other Bermuda road races in terms of sheer numbers ? despite the fact it?s restricted to females only.

?The response was awesome,? said race director Rosemary Jones. ?The numbers exceeded even our best expectations and took the event to a whole new level.

?In terms of entry fees, the phenomenal support of participants will also translate into a substantial donation for this year?s chosen charity, the Women?s Resource Centre.?

?PartnerRe is very proud of this event and its spectacular growth over the past seven years,? added Lisa Lewis, of the Bermuda-based global reinsurer. ?We see it as an opportunity for the whole community to benefit ? through both participation and sponsorship of a local charity.?

The race, which has raised more than $47,000 for women?s charities since 1998, was organised by Mid Atlantic Athletic Club with PartnerRe Ltd. as title sponsor.

Yesterday?s activities included a 3.2 kilometre race for girls under the age of 16; a 5K for women; family, corporate and school team races and a 5K walk.

?The conditions were good, though it was hotter than last year and it was a hilly, challenging course,? said five-time winner Eatherley, who missed her course record of 19.01 set last year.

?We had a lead group that went through the first mile at 5.40 pace, then I managed to get away on Rural Hill.?

Eatherley took an early lead and held it to the finish. Second-place honours went to new mother and this month?s Bank of Bermuda Triathlon winner Karen Smith, who finished shortly after Eatherley in 19.41 while Victoria Fiddick was third in 20.10.

Age-group honours went to Colleen Crowe (16-29), Alison Harvey (30-39), Maria Conroy-Haydon (40-49) and Peggy Couper (50-plus).

In the junior girls? 3.2K race, Amber Farrington won the under-11 division, Ellen Briers the 11-13 category and Melissa Spurling the 14-15 division.

Power-walker Jean Gardner won first place among the walkers in a time of 34.02, followed by Davina Dickinson in 34.44 and Linda Down in 35.58.

Bermuda High School for Girls, with 98 finishers, claimed the $500 schools? challenge prize offered by PartnerRe. Almost two dozen BHS staff also took part. Participants donated their cash win to the Women?s Resource Centre.

Among company teams, title sponsor PartnerRe had the most finishers ? 17 ? for the second year in a row but donated the Corporate Trophy to runners-up PriceWaterhouseCoopers, who fielded a team of 11 runners and walkers.

Emily and Caroline Black won the Family Run Team (5K/5K) while Lyn and Laura Norman won the 5K/3.2K category.

Prizes worth $8,000 were donated by supporting race sponsors.