Victoria Fiddick outran Anna Eatherley to top a record field of 699 competitors in yesterday?s annual PartnerRe Women?s 5K Run and Walk.

Fiddick finished the hilly course in hot conditions in a winning time of 19 minutes, 41seconds, followed by Eatherley in 20.08, and visitor Donna Karasic, of Baltimore, Maryland, in third place in 20.24.

?It was a long, hard 5K,? admitted Fiddick, 39, who overtook leader and five-time winner Eatherley after the one-mile mark at Lovers Lane.

?I?ve been doing a lot of running, but no speedwork, so I didn?t know what I could do.?

?I decided to go out pretty easy and then pick it up,? added Fiddick, runner-up in this year?s May 24 Marathon Derby. ?After I passed Anna, I opened up the gap and just tried to keep strong all the way home.?

Third-place finisher Karasic, a member of the Baltimore Road Runners Club, said she heard about the race while on holiday and decided to enter at the last minute.

?It was a great race,? said the 40-year-old, who completed the Chicago Marathon a week ago in a time of 3:19. ?Next time, get rid of the hills!?

The all-female event, presented by Mid-Atlantic Athletic Club with title sponsor PartnerRe Ltd, saw a total of 699 runners and walkers cross the line at the Botanical Gardens in Paget, making it one of the largest events on the local racing calendar.

Since 1998, it has raised more than $65,000 for women?s charities.

?We had a terrific turnout once again,? said MAAC race director Rosemary Jones.

?Women really enjoy this event, whether they?re doing it for the competition or the camaraderie. Their phenomenal support also boosts a good cause ? this year all funds raised will go to the Bermuda Heart Foundation to fight female heart disease.?

Age-group honours went to Chantal MacIsaac (16-29 years), Alison Harvey (30-39), Maria Conroy-Haydon (40-49) and Kath Jarvis (50-plus).

In the junior girls? 3K race, Sara Schroder won the 7-11 division, Rebecca Heyliger won the 11-13 category and Ellen Briers won among the14-15-year-olds.

Power-walker Jean Gardner was first in the competitive 5K Walk event, in a time of 32:24. She was followed by Shona Palmer and Davina Dickinson.

For the second year running, Bermuda High School for Girls claimed the $500 Schools? Challenge prize given by PartnerRe, with 132 finishers, but team members donated the prize back to Bermuda Heart Foundation. Other strong school turnouts included Saltus with 58, and Whitney Institute with 29.

Among the company teams, ACE Ltd. had the most finishers with 12 employees taking part. Other corporate teams included PartnerRe, Bacardi, Logic, Bank of Bermuda, and Magazine.

Prizes worth nearly $10,000 were donated by supporting race sponsors, including Continental Airlines, Butterfield and Vallis, Barritt?s, Dunkley?s, Pulp & Circumstance, C-Travel, Logic, HWP, Stefanel, Strands, Howe Enterprising, Body Shop, The Reefs, Waterloo House, Fairmont Princess Hotel, Miles, Sportseller, Kodak Express and Little Theatre.