Kenyan double in appalling weather conditions in the Marseille-Cassis classic

Cassis, France – Kenya dominated the 32th edition of international Marseille-Cassis Classique (20.308m) as Philemon Limo and Diane Chepkemoi outclassed their Ethiopians rivals in extremely wet weather conditions.

The Marseille-Cassis Classique is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race.

MEN

Kenyan outsider John Kyui, winner of the 2006 edition, went out hard immediately from the start of the race which took place at the Stadium Velodrome in Marseille, taking an early lead several metres ahead of a pack of 17 runners. One of the favourites, Tanzanian Samwel Shauri, second last year, was behind this group and appeared already out of contention.

After about 5km, in the Carrefour de Lumini, Kyui was caught and France's Abraham Kiprotich took the lead. Heavy rain and a strong wind decimated this group reducing it to just 9 individuals before the ascent of the Col de la Gineste (327m climb), and a Kenya-Ethiopia match was confirmed as just four runners emerged in the lead after this the hardest part of the course.

The wind then calmed down as Philemon Limo, Robert Ndiwa, Belete Assefa and Yrsaw Tegene took to the road along the Mediterranean Sea. At the midway point, on top of the Gineste, the quartet ignored the first refreshment station.

After the Plateau de la Carpagne, Limo injected some acceleration in the long downhill stretch a move, which was to be fatal for the race ambitions of Tegene.

Now as the wind and rain blew even harder than ever, Belete, 20, was hiding behind his Kenyan rival with the hope of becoming the first Ethiopian man to win the Marseille-Cassis Classique. And with some 8km to go Ndiwa was running a few metres behind this leading duo.

48min after the start, Belete was showing the first signs of fatigue and was starting to check over his shoulder to evaluate the opposition. In contrast 3km before the finish, Limo was still displaying a long and easy-looking stride and was on his way down to Cassis.

The Côte des Pompiers, the last difficult section with a short but brutal climb increased the leader’s gap. Belete, with a lack of concentration missed a turn and had to retrace his steps, and was now definitively out of contention for the victory, while in front, Limo managed to avoid potentially slippery puddles of water on the corners of Cassis’ flooded roads.

 ….

RESULTS

MEN
1 Philemon Limo KEN 01:01:35
2 Belete Assefa ETH 01:02:30
3 Robert Ndiwa KEN 01:02:35
4 Yrsaw Tegene ETH 01:03:31
5 Abraham Kiprotich FRA 01:04:16
6 Abraham Niyonkuru FRA 01:04:17
7 Stephen Kiprotich UGA 01:04:19
8 Luka Kanda KEN 01:04:31

WOMEN
1 Diane Chepkemoi KEN 01:10:36
2 Beleynesh Oljira ETH 01:12:26
3 Jane Kiptoo KEN 01:12:51
4 Ermebt Bedada ETH 01:13:11
5 Josephine Kimuyu KEN 01:14:28
6 Aline Camboulives FRA 01:19:25
7 Olena Burkovska UKR 01:20:12
8 Delphine Ader FRA 01:20:54