Russian Edvard Tukhbatullin ended Moroccan El Afoui Boubker’s five-year winning streak in the International Race Weekend Marathon yesterday after making a decisive move at 20 miles.

The 35-year-old had traded spurts with the defending champion. Boubker had pushed on the up-hills but was not strong enough to break his rival.

And with a best time of two hours, 12 minutes for the 26.2 mile distance, Tukhbatullin, 35, was never likely to fade despite the hills and the heat. The Russian pulled away and stopped the clock at 2:23:28, the fastest winning time since 2004.

Tukbatullin is also the first Russian winner for six years.

Speaking through interpreter Elena Makolova, the 2002 and 2003 women’s champion, he said: “Today I started with the intention of winning. I ran together with the Moroccan man (Boubker). He tried to push on the hills, so I pushed in different places.

“At about 30K (19 miles) I thought it was 50/50 which of us was going to win. But I was feeling I could do it and so I started to push ahead at 32K and worked hard. Then I knew I was going to be okay.”

He felt the conditions were good on the first loop of the course but became harder and hotter the second time around. Tukhbatullin said he hoped to be invited back to defend his title.

If he does return he may find himself up against a rejuvenated Boubker, 38, who vowed to return to Bermuda and break Andy Holden’s 27-year-old course record of 2:15:20.

As well as winning the previous five marathons, Boubker also won in 2000. He was not at full fitness this year because of the pressure from studies to become a qualified university teacher.

After finishing second in 2:24:49, he said: “I’m very tired and not in good shape. I can only congratulate the winner. But I will be back next year in good shape and I will try to break the record.

“I ran with the winner most of the way. But if I have not trained hard I can’t resist him all the way. After 23 miles I could not resist.”

Third finisher was Kenya’s Fred Getange, 36, in 2:26:13.

In the women’s race a pair of Russians and a pair of Ukraine athletes set the pace and ran close together until Sarmosova Venera, 27, broke clear in the final miles to claim victory in 2:46:26, the 10th fastest women’s time for the course.

However, she needed immediate medical attention for muscle cramps in her legs after crossing the finish line.

Russian athletics manager Andrey Baranov said: “They ran together for 17 miles and then Venera put in a spurt on a hill and created a gap which got bigger and bigger. She was very relaxed but in the last mile it was difficult for her as she had cramps.

“She realised in the last mile she was not in danger.”

At the 17-mile marker the leading women were on course record schedule but despite her break from the others, Venera was unable to maintain the pace.

Runner-up Svitlana Revyakina, 32, (Ukraine) was pleased with her performance, crossing the line a minute-and-a-half behind Venera.

It was only her second marathon, having debuted in Istanbul in November where she ran 2:45. According to an interpreter one of the problems the Russian and Ukrainian athletes have encountered in Bermuda is getting hold of food that matches their normal diet.

However, Revyakina said she loved the race and wanted to return in 2008.

Third home, Viktoria Ganushina, 27, a further two minutes in arrears, having realised at the half-way point that the others were running slightly too fast for her fitness level, leading to her decision to drop behind. Reigning champion Svetlana Baygulova, 32, (Russia) was fourth in 2:51:36.

First local Peter Mills, 41, dramatically collapsed after running an impressive time of 2:50:27 for ninth overall. He had called on every ounce of his strength in a bid to break 2 hours 50 minutes and his exhausted body gave way as he literally hit the rubber finish mat. However, after being given medical attention he was back on his feet.

Mills led home an impressive group of four Bermuda-based runners who finished sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth among the men.

He ran in the company of Danny Kendall and Simon Ashby for much of the race before deciding to dig deeper in his bid to break 2:50.

“We ran with the leading women for the first half. It was a good, disciplined pace and then one of the Russians said something to the other and off they went,” said Mills.

“We reformed the group, Danny, Simon, Mark Morrison, the fourth Russian woman and myself. Then Mark faded. I was trying to keep us going at 6:40 mile pace. I wanted to go ahead and felt brilliant at 16 miles and thought if I was going to do it I had to make a move.”

Boosting his energy with jelly beans, he pushed on but “everything gave way at 25-and-a-half miles.”

Mills, Kendall (seventh) and Ashby (eighth) now intended to compete in April’s Boston Marathon. Ninth-place went to Brett Forgesson.

First local woman Dawn Richardson, 35, ran a strong 3:13:22 a month after competing in the Las Vegas Marathon. Her time might have been quicker had she not ducked into the toilets at the Front Street passenger terminal as she completed the first lap.

She said: “I want to thank the organisers for putting on an event far superior to the Las Vegas marathon. The pasta party was better than the one they have for the London Marathon, and I want to thank all the spectators who stayed out to support us on the second lap.”