Anna Eatherley left the rest of the women's field out of sight as she gained her third Marathon Derby triumph.

The red-hot favourite dealt best with the steamy conditions in a race which for many became an ordeal by humidity and she finished in 12th place overall, more than eight minutes ahead of her closest challenger Lynn Patchett.

Eatherley's time of 1:24:48 was more than a minute and a half slower than her 1999 winning time and nearly five minutes outside Sandra Mewett's record time of 1:19:56, which she needed to break to earn a $5,000 bonus.

Eatherley said the 88 percent humidity had been a major factor in how she had run the 13.2-mile course.

"I started out at a good pace and I really felt it after two miles and I thought `oh, man, not today','' said Eatherley.

"So really, it was a bit of a struggle for me all the way -- I never really felt great. I was hoping for a personal best time, but it was never going to happen. It was a hard day.

"This is the race I train for all year, it's THE race in Bermuda and it's great to win.'' Eatherley, who first won the May 24 race in 1993, last year clinched her second victory in 1:23:08.

"I consider I'm in better shape now than last year, but I ran a slower time, so I guess the conditions were kind of tough,'' said the mother-of-two. "I assume it affected everybody.'' Eatherley's rapid start left her opponents trailing and they never got close to catching up. Eatherley herself said she was never aware of how far ahead she was.

"Normally people tell you you're a minute ahead or or someone's behind you, but this time it was weird, no-one said anything about the women's race so I didn't know what was happening.'' Eatherley said she would now be taking a break from running. "This is where my training schedule ends and now I'll sit down and think about what to do next.'' But she added: "I'm not having any thoughts of retirement.'' Second-placed Patchett, who finished 34th overall in 1:33:09, felt it had been one of those days when runners tended to take it steady for fear of not reaching the finishing line.

"I ran the first two or three miles very conservatively and I was listening to my breathing pattern and I thought, `I'm going to stick to this pace' and I was happy with just getting that second position,'' said Patchett afterwards.

This was Patchett's fifth May 24 race and she hoped one day she would be the woman to break the tape.

"I hope I will win it some day,'' said Patchett. "This is the be-all and end-all of road racing in Bermuda and it's a great experience.'' The third woman to reach Bernard Park was Georgia Belboda, whose time of 1:34:56 was enough to earn her 39th place overall.

And just over a minute further back was fourth-placed Annette Hallett, whose run of 1:35:56 also gave her the female masters' title.

One notable absentee was the 1998 winner Jane Christie, who withdrew before the start because of illness.

Eatherley's third victory takes her above two-time winner Christie in the May 24 roll of honour, but she still has a long way to go to catch eight-time winner Sandra Mewett and seven-time winner Debbie Butterfield.