By JERRY STEWART | Monterey County Herald
In her homeland, Belainesh Gebre sometimes runs at altitudes as high as 7,000 feet above sea level.
At Sunday’s sixth annual Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay , the 20-year-old Ethiopian found herself running along the shoreline, and the results showed.
After breaking from a pack at around the 9-mile mark, Gebre, who now lives in Arizona, went on to win the women’s Big Sur Half Marathon title, clocking a time of 1:13:11 over the 13.1-mile course.
“It feels great to win here,” said Gebre, who after crossing the finish line looked as if she could’ve kept on running to Salinas. “I’ve been training and feel that I’m in good shape. Being at sea level, it made things a little easier.”
Like Kenyan men’s winner Wesley Ochoro, Gebre had been hoping to break the course record (1:12:18, set by Jennifer Rhines in 2006). Instead of problems with her shoes and blisters, however, Gebre was slowed down by gusty winds that at times reached up to 20 mph.
“The more we got towards Pacific Grove, the windier it got,” said Gebre, who earlier this year won the 20K Dam to Dam race in Iowa with a time of 1:12:33. “The wind slowed me down.”
While Gebre distanced herself from the field coming down the final miles, so too did 23-year-old Kenyan Hyvon Ngetich.
Ngetich, who ran a personal best half marathon time of 1:11:53 in Boca del Rio, Mexico earlier this year and like Ochoro won the OC Half Marathon, stayed with Gebre until the last mile, placing second with a time of 1:13:47. Coming in third with a time of 1:16:08 was fellow Kenyan Jacquline Nyetipie.
“It got pretty windy out there at times,” said Ngetich, who like Gebre was making her Big Sur Half Marathon debut. “She (Gebre) just went ahead of me towards the finish line.”
On the local front, Monterey’s Alexis Smith, 33, placed ninth with a time of 1:23:40.
Others placing in the top 25 included Seaside resident Sheri Abramonte (1:30:12) and Salinas’ Teresa Scattini (1:31:59).
Smith captured the women’s 30-34 division crown. Also taking home a division title was 67-year-old Carmel resident Hansi Rigney, who won the women’s 65-69 group at 1:47:47.
In the women’s 16-19 division, Carmel’s Quinn Harris placed fourth at 1:40:07, while in the women’s 45-49 division Pacific Grove’s Stella Smith also took fourth at 1:35:07.
Other top local female finishes included Lynn Moncher of Seaside (1:45:14) placing third in the 55-59 division, Salinas resident Katherine Mattson (2:08:39) placing fifth in the 60-64 division and 71-year-old P.G. resident Beverley Schmidt (3:00:21) placing fifth in the 70-74 division.
Top women overall 1 Belainesh Gebre, 1:13:11 2 Hyvon Negtich, 1:13:47 3 Jacquline Nyetipei, 1:16:08 4 Lauren Johnson, 1:16:47 5 Kari Bertrand, 1:18:08