Costa Blanca's Benidorm went to the races

MORE than 3,600 runners from 38 countries competed on the Costa Blanca in Benidorm’s half-marathon and 10-kilometre race. They were run on an urban circuit along the Levante and Poniente promenade that has been approved by Spain’s Real Federacion Española de Atletismo and both accumulated points for the federation’s calendar of races. Benidorm’s mayor acted as the official starter and returning runners were encouraged by a light show and an advanced aromatisation system that distributed faint scent of jasmine.
The half-marathon was won by 42-year-old runner Ouais Zitane in a time of 1 hour, 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Next past the line was Andres Mico Martinez, a veteran runner from Ontinyent (Valencia) Kilometro 42 Athletics Club (1 hour, 9 minutes and 44seconds). Third in was David Gimenez Solaz from the Utiel (Valencia) Athletics Club (1 hour, 11 minutes and 56 seconds. The women’s category went to Noelia Valle, also from the Utiel Athletics Club who took 1 hour, 30 minutes and 58 seconds, followed by Sonia Tirado from Benidorm Athletics Club (1 hours, 32 minutes, 03 seconds) and Joanne Stanfield from Trentham Running Club (1 hour, 32 minutes, 25 seconds). Young Dutch runner Philippe Massac and took the 10-kilometre race with a time of 31 minutes, 28 seconds, improving the course time by 23 seconds. First in the women’s category was the Italian Giulia Vettor with a time of 37 minutes, 29 seconds.