Saipan Tribune

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Friday, September 07, 2012

Banzai Memorial run tomorrow

The seventh edition of the POWERade Banzai Memorial Off-Road Half Marathon and Fun Run will take place tomorrow.

Registration starts at 5:15am, while the event begins at 6am. There will two races-the half marathon and 8-kilometer fun run-but entrance fees are the same at $10 per runner.

All proceeds of the weekend races will go to Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel's team that will compete in the Guam Ko'Ko Road Race next month.

“If you see a bunch of kids running up hills, through trails, on the track, and along the roads, chances are that they belong to the Jack Kabiriel's training team. Jack is an accomplished runner who figures to win just about every running event held in the Marianas. While he represents the CNMI with pride overseas, he always returns home to provide structured practices that teach local kids about the benefits of hard work and dedication. Next month Jack wants to provide some of his top performers the opportunity to travel off-island and compete in a huge event to broaden their competitive field,” said event organizer Brad Ruszala in an email to Saipan Tribune.

Meanwhile, runners in the off-road half marathon will go first and head out Banzai Cliff area towards the Last Japanese Command post. They will then turn right along Chalan Pale Arnold for the coral road that will bring them to FEBC site.

Half marathon racers will then go to a t-intersection at the top of the road and turn right for another coral road behind the Marianas Resort Golf Course until they reach the 1,000,000-gallon water tank, where they will turn left along the paved road. When they reach the intersection that leads to the old radar station, runners will continue straight onto the coral road that will lead them down past the firing range and Kalabera Cave.

The course will continue along that coral road and up to the final paved section when they reach the Bird Island overlook. Next, they will turn right at the intersection that leads down to the Grotto and take leave of the road with a left hand turn onto the Santa Claus Lane.

The trail will intersect with the Fun Run course along the road to Cowtown. From that point, half marathon and fun run participants will follow the course below the Cowtown Raceway for the final mile and a half to the finish line at Banzai Cliff.

The short course runners will start the same way but will turn left when they reach the Last Japanese Command Post and turn left again at the fork in the road that leads to the Cowtown Raceway.

Last year, Keum Bae Ji and Mieko Carey shared top honors in the half marathon with the former winning the men's division with a time of 1:37:41 and the latter ruling the women's field after clocking in at 1:50:46.

In the fun run, Chad Lowe had the fastest time with his 29:39, followed by Alexander Racoma (33:54) and father and daughter Daniel (1:04:33) and Soleil Lamar (1:04:34).

For more information about Saturday's race, contact Ruszala at 287-2723. (Saipan Tribune)