Iconic American road race, founded by Olympic hero Joan Benoit Samuelson, focusing attention on The Telling Room, a nonprofit helping Maine children find their voices through writing

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (July 30, 2019) – With the 2020 Olympics less than a year away, the 22nd running of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race features a world-class field of runners with dreams of gold in Tokyo.

This year’s group of nearly 40 elite athletes—including 2018 women’s champion Sandrafelis Chebet-Tuei of Kenya, promising young Kenyan Gilbert Kimunyan, and American Olympic hopefuls Scott Fauble and Amy Cragg— will be followed by more than 6,500 mostly recreational runners, cheered by thousands of spectators who flock to the picturesque TD Beach to Beacon course for this iconic summer road race.

Maine native and running legend Samuelson, winner of the first Olympic women’s marathon in 1984, founded the TD Beach to Beacon to realize her vision of creating a major international road race in her home state. The route follows the same coastal roads that the unassuming Samuelson trained on in Cape Elizabeth. With her reputation, plus top-notch organization and strong community support, the TD Beach to Beach is known and appreciated as a world-class event with small-town charm.

In 2018, 6,526 runners from 19 countries, 43 states and more than 270 Maine cities and towns finished the race. Thousands of spectators cheered runners along the route and at the finish. The race debuted in 1998 with 2,408 finishers.

The elite athletes will compete for more than $90,000 in prize money, with $10,000 awarded to the winners in the men’s and women’s open races and payouts to the top 10 runners overall, courtesy of title sponsor TD Bank. Also included is a $23,000 purse for American men and women, sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts, split evenly among the top five American men and women with a $5,000 top prize.

With Tokyo 2020 in View, TD Beach to Beacon 10K Field Filled with Olympic Hopefuls

2018 winner Jake Robertson will not be returning to defend his title, leaving the men’s field wide open and filled with runners who have their eye on the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Favorites in the international field include Kenyans William Malel Sitonik, 25, who set a personal best this year in the half marathon, and Gilbert Kimunyan, 21, who posted personal bests in the 10,000 meters and 10K this season. Brett Robinson, 28, one of Australia’s top distance runners, had a 2:10:55 finish at the 2019 London Marathon—the fastest by an Australian in 15 years and enough to score an automatic qualifier for the 2020 Olympic team.

Among the Americans, Scott Fauble, 27, who ran 2:09 at the Boston Marathon this year, is one of the favorites to make the American team in Tokyo. Bashir Abdi, 30, of Belgium and Callum Hawkins, 27, of Great Britain, have likely punched their tickets to Tokyo thanks to strong performances this year at the London Marathon; Abdi set the Belgian record at the London Marathon (2:07:03) and Hawkins earned an automatic qualifier in London with a 2:08:55 finish.

In the women’s division, 2018 winner Sandrafelis Chebet-Tuei, 21, of Kenya returns to defend her title against a strong field, including favorites and fellow countrywomen Joyciline Jepkosgei, 25 and Caroline Chepkoech-Kipkirui, 25, who is currently ranked number 2 in the world in road running. Britain’s Charlotte Purdue set a PB at London, earning her an automatic qualifier for Tokyo.

Several Americans are expected to contend in an impressive women’s field. Amy Cragg, 34, bronze medalist from the 2017 World Championships, is one of the favorites and is expected to make the Olympic team.  She will be pushed by her teammate, Emily Infeld, 29, who won a bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships for the 10,000m.

Joining the TD Beach to Beacon 10K field is American Sarah Reinertsen, 44, American paratriathlete and former Paralympic track athlete who was the first female leg amputee to complete the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. She holds a world record in her classification in the 400m, was women’s World Paratriathlon Champion in 2003, 2007 and 2009. In 2006 she won the ESPY for Best Female Athlete with a Disability and USAT Best Female Physically Challenged Triathlete of the year.

(Unofficial) Maine Road Race Champions to be Crowned

The TD Beach to Beacon 10K attracts the state’s top road racers, who vie in the Maine Resident races each year for the unofficial title of Maine Road Race Champion. Defending champion Ryan Smith of Farmington will have his work cut out for him as he battles Dan Curts of Ellsworth, Will Geoghegan of Brunswick, and two-time Maine champion Jesse Orach of Auburn (2016-2017).

Michelle Lilienthal of Portland will also be back to defend her Maine Women’s title while seven months pregnant. The talented women’s field will include the best high school runner in Maine, Sofie Matson of Falmouth, as well as Tracy Guerrette of St. Agatha, Leah Frost of Portland, Erica Jesseman of Scarborough and Christina Berkow of Portland.

Local Support Makes TD Beach to Beacon 10K a Success

The TD Beach to Beacon 10K  is overseen by its 60-member volunteer Organizing Committee, led by Race President David Backer.  Local residents from all walks of life, plus police, fire, medical and municipal officials serve on the committee to plan the event. Maya Cohen of Cape Elizabeth coordinates the more than 800 volunteers who are central to the success of the race.

Local residents also open up their homes for the elite athletes as part of a “home-stay” program that is second to none. In addition, the Town of Cape Elizabeth is especially helpful – providing police, fire and emergency services and staff to help ensure the event runs smoothly.

The TD Beach to Beacon also has a long history of commitment to the environment with a focus on recycling, reuse and eco-friendly activities. In 2016, the race achieved Evergreen Certification, becoming the first major road race of its size in North America – and only the sixth event ever worldwide – to earn the distinction from the Council for Responsible Sport, which conducted a rigorous review of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K environmental and social sustainability programs. The TD Beach to Beacon is aiming to earn Evergreen Certification again in 2019.

The TD Beach to Beacon, set for August 3, draws runners from throughout the region and the world to picturesque Cape Elizabeth. The race begins near the Crescent Beach entrance on Route 77, winds along tree-lined streets and past breathtaking ocean vistas and ends in Fort Williams Park at the historic Portland Head Light, the most photographed lighthouse in the world.

More than $90,000 in prize money is awarded to the top finishers and place winners in the various categories for men and women, and a separate $30,000 donation is provided each year by the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, to The Telling Room, the race beneficiary.

The Telling Room, a nonprofit organization that believes the power of creative expression can change communities and prepare youth for future success by building confidence, strengthening literacy skills, and providing real audiences for their students. The Telling Room (www.tellingroom.org) will receive a $30,000 donation from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, and also benefit from fundraising and publicity connected to the race.

In addition to TD Bank, the title and lead prize money sponsor, other corporate partners who help make the TD Beach to Beacon possible are Nike, Hannaford, Poland Spring, MaineHealth, IDEXX, Northeast Delta Dental, L.L.Bean, NEWS CENTER Maine, Olympia Sports, ON Semiconductor, Spectrum Health Partners and Unum.

“Year after year, the TD Beach to Beacon is a life-changing event for so many people, and we are honored to sponsor it once again,” said Larry Wold, President of TD Bank in Maine, who is one of the 111 legacy runners. “We are proud to support this year’s beneficiary, The Telling Room, and applaud its mission to empower youth through writing and share their voices with the world.”

For additional information about the race, visit b2bdevelopment.wpengine.com,

and find the TD Beach to Beacon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media Contact: Angie Helton at 207-653-0365 or angie@nemediaassociates.com.

# # #

# # #

Elite Athlete Field for 2019 TD Beach to Beacon 10K (as of July 30)

Women

Joyciline Jepkosgei, Kenya, Bib #100

Caroline Chepkoech-Kipkirui, Kenya, Bib #101

Emily Infeld, USA, Bib #104

Amy Cragg, USA, Bib #105

Sandrafelis Chebet-Tuei, Kenya, Bib #107

Kaitlin Gregg-Coodman, USA, Bib #109

Charlotte Purdue, United Kingdom, Bib #110

Lily Partridge, United Kingdom, Bib #111

Tish Jones, United Kingdom, Bib #112

Jess Piasecki, United Kingdom, Bib #113

Aisling Cuffe, USA, Bib #114

Becky Wade, USA, Bib #115

Allie Kieffer, USA, Bib #117

Katie Newton, USA, Bib #119

Dawn Grunnagle, USA, Bib #131

Sharon Lodeki, Kenya, Bib #152

Rosie Donnegan, Australia, Bib #99

 

Men

 

Andrew Bumbalough, USA, Bib #2

William Malel Sitonik, Kenya, Bib #3

Jairus Kipchoge-Birech, Kenya, Bib #4

Emmanuel Bor, USA, Bib #5

Gilbert Kimunyan, Kenya, Bib #7

Callum Hawkins, United Kingdom, Bib #8

Bashir Abdi, Belgium, Bib #9

Derek Hawkins, United Kingdom, Bib #10

Noah Droddy, USA, Bib #12

Scott Fauble, USA, Bib #13
Colin Bennie, USA, Bib #15

Abdi Abdirahman, USA, Bib #16

Thomas Toth, Canada, Bib #17

Chase Weaverling, USA, Bib #18

Brett Robinson, Australia, Bib #19

Dan Curts, USA, Bib #20

Chris Derrick, USA, Bib #21

Reid Coolaset, Canada, Bib #25

Will Geoghegan, Bib #26