Karen Adams ran as predicted and won the women's division of the Marathon Derby for the second year in a row.

But few would have expected the 34-year-old to brush aside her challengers -- a group including the likes of former champions Sandra Mewett, Debbie Butterfied and Jane Christie, as well as in-form triathlete Julia Hawley -- with such ease.

Adams finished in one hour, 26 minutes and 42 seconds followed by Christie, the first master, in 1:32:14 and Hawley in 1:36:17.

Mewett, who now resides in New Zealand and was something of a controversial entry after organisers waived the six month residency rule to allow her to compete, established her authority by leading over the early miles.

But once Adams cruised past at White Hill, she never looked back.

"I tried to find an even pace throughout,'' said Adams. "Sandra took it out and I managed to pass her after a while. I was a bit nervous. I thought I would rather stick behind her and see what pace she would continue to do, but she slowed a little on the hill.'' Despite falling hard during a training run last week, which left her badly bruised, Mewett appeared as though she might be a formidable challenger during the early going.

"I noticed a big bruise on her left leg. I think that probably hampered her and made it a bit of a task as the race progressed,'' added Adams.

After reeling in the eight-time champion, Adams was never seriously challenged although she admitted to feeling exhausted as she entered Hamilton.

"The last mile or so I got a little tired. I felt a little dehydrated, the weather was not too bad, there was a nice breeze. But it was a little more humid than the last couple of days have been and that took a lot out of you.'' Second placed Jane Christie said she loved the conditions and applauded Adams for running so well under them. But Christie said she never saw much of the winner.

"I didn't see her, maybe just at the starting line,'' said Christie. "I saw Sandra as I started to go up Burnt House Hill. I overtook her just a little after the seven-mile mark and I really felt good at the time. I later saw Julia and I passed her and took it on from there.

"The heat and humidity weren't bad. In fact, the conditions were perfect.

There was a little bit of a breeze in our face the whole way.'' Mewett said she was "on a high'' during the early part of the race and went out faster than anticipated. But she said she had never intended to challenge for first place even though she was in good shape when she arrived in Bermuda last week.

"I ran a ten-miler in Hawaii a few weeks ago, but I never intended to go out for anything today,'' said Mewett. "But as it was I went out of Somerset on a high. I felt like I had adrenalin coming out of my ears. But I never had any intentions of challenging these girls. I eased back after White Hill. I could have run hard if I wanted to but I didn't have to prove anything.'' Mewett had planned to be on the Island for a social function and said that since it coincided with the Derby she decided to enter.

"As long as I knew I was going to be here around this time I decided to run.

I would have fully understood had people not wanted me to run because I understand what rules are all about. I am really grateful and honoured that I was allowed to run,'' she added.

Mewett said the scrapes and bruises from her accident had been uncomfortable, but didn't prevent her from running well.

"It might have affected me if I had run hard all of the way, but that wasn't my goal. This is not my race, it's somebody else's. It is a race that is in my heart. The spectators and the whole community are so receptive.'' Meanwhile, there were fears for Hawley when she was carried away by medics to a nearby ambulance after struggling over the finish line. But she quickly recovered and was not taken to hospital.

"I felt pretty bad about mile eight or nine and it was pure guts that kept me going. I told myself that if I am going to collapse on this course it will be at the end and that's what happened,'' said Hawley.

"I made it and collapsed and blacked out. I don't know how I made it that far, but I did it. This race is just so hard. I trained for it hard by doing the triathlon and other road races, but I guess this race is just a tough one to crack.'' KAREN ADAMS -- First female finisher for the second successive year.

OH DE PAIN! -- An exhausted Julia Hawley is carried to the medical tent after collapsing across the finish line.