Linden Peters grabs second Dasani Community 5K Series victory

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

Running unchallenged, Linden Peters won his second Dasani Community 5K Series race on Saturday in 19 minutes, 18.8 seconds. The 3.1 mile race went from the Bobby’s Roundabout to the Port Purcell Roundabout and returned to finish with a lap around the Government’s Central Administration Complex. Darwn Peters avenged and earlier loss to race director Stephanie Russ Penn with a 10 seconds victory in the women’s division.

“I was just looking to have nice race, a good run and encourage more people to come,” Peters said. “Zebalon (McLean) and I got out and the wind was affecting us but we got through it. When we turned around, the wind wasn’t affecting us at all and I just took it from there.”

Penn said she thought the race went very well. “We had more people. We had an increase by three and any increase at all is always positive,” She said. “More so than that, we had a different mix of runners. If we get the people who ran last time and the new people next time then we are certainly well on our way.”

Penn said she might have run faster than in the first race but she made tactical errors. “Darwn definitely beat me this time,” Penn conceded. “She moved on me and I couldn’t make up the ground. Maybe next time I’ll try and stay a little closer.”

Darwn said she felt good in the race, but the last lap around the Government’s Complex was tough and very windy. “I decided to pick up some speed heading towards the finish, which wasn’t actually where I thought it was,” she noted. “But, I was able to maintain that pace and hold Stephanie off.”

Organizers thank the Rotary Club of Road Town, BVI Red Cross, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force and volunteers for their assistance with the race. The next race in the series is on April 24, starting and finishing at the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds with a turnaround at the Prospect Reef Roundabout.

Final results. Men: 1. Linden Peters, 19 minutes, 18.8 seconds. 2. Zebalon McLean, 21:00.0. 3. Nicholas Clark, 21:32.9. 4. Clifton Forbes, 22:54.1. 5. Denley Simmons, 25:02.5. 6. Mark McKenzie, 26:24.1. 7. Steve Augustine, 26:45.6. 8. Joseph Smith, 27:16.8. 9. Charles Crane, 27:30.7. 10. Courtney DeCastro, 37:04.9. Dnf. Merrick Andrews.

Women: 1. Darwn Peters, 23:10.2. 2. Stephanie Russ Penn, 23:21.3. 3. Jacquline Wilson, 26:59.0. 4. Simone Dabreo, 28:25.4. 5. Nelliville George, 28:42.7.