Lindo's-to-Lindo's 10K yesterday came within a whisker of being the second largest single road race on the Island next to the May 24 Derby when 298 official finishers completed the 6.2 mile course.

That was just 10 less than completed January's International Race Weekend 10K, and is a noteworthy achievement considering a number of competitors dropped out and at least one finisher forgot to wear a timing chip.

The growing popularity of the event is underlined by the fact that the number of finishers in the 10K has doubled since 2006.

The current Lindo's 100-Day Health Challenge played some part - not least in the number of four-mile walkers who showed up for the competitive and non-competitive walks that were held in conjunction with the road race. More than 1,000 walkers made the trek from Lindo's Family Foods in Warwick to the Lindo's store in Devonshire.

It all made for an impressive sight as the hundreds upon hundreds of mostly green t-shirt clad walkers wound their way along Middle Road and South Road to Brighton Hill and the finish.

Ahead of the walkers were the runners, who had a longer route and the formidable challenges of Collectors Hill and Chaingate Hill to overcome before reaching the finish.

With a slightly altered course - the start line brought forward 30 metres and the finish pushed back the same distance - this year's race was destined to produce 'new' course records.

Chris and Ashley Estwanik did not disappoint and were on hand to set times that will take some beating in future years.

Humid conditions that have dogged the event for the past two years were again evident as temperatures rose to the low 70s and runners felt the heat once they broke from the relative shade of Middle Road about a mile-and-a-half into the race.

It was Chris Estwanik who took the field out and established a lead by the top of the first rise on the course. Behind him was visitor Ken Samoei, of Kenya, who is currently studying in North America.

Samoei was a surprise entrant in this year's Fairmont-to-Fairmont road race, where he placed third behind Estwanik and Lamont Marshall.

Yesterday, Samoei and his Bermudian US college friend Chayce Smith, provided the chasing interest as Estwanik forged ahead towards victory in 31 minutes 28 seconds, marginally slower than his International Weekend 10K result, but on a tougher course.

Samoei finished strongly but was a distant challenger in 33.37, with Smith just under a minute-and-a-half further behind.

Fourth overall, and first woman, was Ashley Estwanik in 37.04, which kept her ahead of first male master Peter Mills.

An impressive 17 runners broke the 40-minute mark.

Second in the women's race was Victoria Fiddick, reprising her runner-up place from last year to finish 18th overall in 40.04, while Deanna McMullen was third in 42.26.

This year's event was raising awareness for the Diabetes Resource Centre.

Full results

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