Kip Kangogo and Fawn Whiting Win Royal Victoria Marathon Titles
Veteran runner Kip Kangogo won the 46th Royal Victoria Marathon on Sunday, finishing the 42.2-kilometre course in two hours, 24 minutes, and 28 seconds, the Times Colonist reported. The victory marked the first marathon win in Victoria for the 47-year-old Lethbridge, Alberta resident, who previously secured three Times Colonist 10K titles in 2010, 2012, and 2014. Michael Zahara of Calgary finished second in 2:28:30, while Alex Bowns of Maple Valley, Washington, took third in 2:32:15 along the waterfront course spanning Dallas Road and Beach Drive.
Record Participation Draws Thousands to South Island Streets
A record 17,596 participants registered for the weekend events, exceeding last year’s previous standard by more than 2,000 entrants, according to Royal Victoria Marathon general manager and race director Cathy Noel. The turnout included 4,927 runners in the marathon, 7,389 in the Outway Half-Marathon, 3,396 in the Westland Insurance 8K on Sunday, 1,124 in Saturday’s Island Savings 5K through Oak Bay, and 700 children in the Thrifty Foods Kids Run. Race organizers noted that 10,000 of the participants traveled from off-Island, leading to fully booked accommodations across the city.
Sibling Rivalry and Boston Qualifications Highlight Women’s Marathon
Fawn Whiting of Duncan crossed the finish line first among women, clocking a time of 2:48:48. The 40-year-old physiotherapist ran alongside her triplet brother, Dan Whiting, for 36 kilometres before pulling ahead, with both wearing shirts bearing the phrase “Sibling Rivalry.” Charlotte McNair of Banff finished second among women in 2:49:27, and Tessa Ladner of Calgary placed third in 2:52:02. Both Whiting siblings qualified for the Boston Marathon and dedicated their race to their late triplet brother, Kevin, who died in an avalanche.
Elite Half-Marathon Victories and Medical Incident Response
Natasha Wodak claimed the female Royal Victoria half-marathon title in 1:14:32, marking her fourth championship in the event following prior wins in 2011, 2012, and 2018. Brandon Vail won the men’s half-marathon in 1:05:39, Matthew Travaglini of Calgary won the men’s 8K in 23:48, and Chloe Hegland of North Saanich won the women’s 8K in 27:39. Meanwhile, CHEK News reported that BC Emergency Health Services responded to a medical incident near Quebec and Menzies streets at 11:18 a.m. Sunday, deploying two ambulances and a bike squad to transport one patient to the hospital in critical condition.
Charity Program Reaches $2.7 Million Milestone
The Royal Victoria Marathon CHEK Charity Pledge program raised $180,000 for 25 island causes this year, bringing its total funds raised to $2.7 million since 2005. The race weekend also featured notable performances from athletes including blind runner James Kwinecki, who completed the course in 3:13:58, and Olympic racewalker Evan Dunfee, who walked the marathon course in 3:24:59. Tom Howard, the 78-year-old Olympian who won the first two Royal Victoria marathons in 1980 and 1981, greeted his 19-year-old granddaughter, Annika Strom, at the finish line after she completed the half-marathon.