Run Barbados 2018: Come for the Run, Stay for the Fun

By: Sasha Gollish

Another season of Run Barbados has come and gone. Known for its slogan Come for the run, stay for the fun, It’s a weekend filled with running, rum punch, and good friends.

Since 1984 Alan Brookes has been attending this annual event, which has seen growth and attendance from a variety of countries increase. This year the announcer had so much fun screaming the names of the various countries from Canada, to the UK, Denmark, Germany, Brazil, Columbia, plus all the the other Caribbean countries that were in attendance. Not to mention the local Bajan’s who really know how to have fun while they’re running.

The event, which starts just to the south-east of the famous Garrison on the beaches of Carlisle Bay and opposite the prestigious offices of the Prime Minister’s Office. Depending on the distance you want to run – they have everything from a mile to a full marathon – you get to explore the beauty of downtown Bridgetown, wind through a Unesco World Heritage site, the historic seaport, and continue down the west coast “where spectacular vistas of the Caribbean Sea can be enjoyed from various vantage points.”

Canadian’s have been coming to this event for years. In 2016, when Natasha Wodak and Lanni Marchant crossed the line being bested by the Trinidadian gal, Tonya Nero, the video went viral on YouTube. Since then the Canadian contingent has returned and were once again a dominating force in the overall results (see below).

If you’re looking for an early season escape from winter consider adding the 2019 Run Barbados event to your calendar. Trust me, you will not be dissapointed. Plus if you win any event from the 10k and up, you win a trip back for you and a friend!

The 2018 results include:

The Signia Fun Mile (Friday evening)

Women

1. Natasha Wodak CAN (4:58)
2. Sarah Inglis* (5:00)
3. Julie-Anne Staehli CAN (5:12)

Men

1. Yves Sikubwabo CAN (4:34)
2. Michael Marantelli AUS (4:34)
3. Matthew Wright BRB (4:37)

The Cave Shepherd 5k Run

Women

1. Julie-Anne Staehli CAN (17:24)
2. Gillian McCabe CAN (18:47)
3. Briony Shaw AUS (20:49)%

Men

1. Dario Grandison BRB (16:45)
2. Samuel Maynard BRB (17:16)
3. Ronaldo Rock BRB (18:05)

The Columbian Emeralds International 10k Run

Women

1. Natasha Wodak CAN (35:05)
2. Sasha Gollish CAN (37:24)
3. Lisa Murray-Smith GBR (44:19)

Men

1. Yves Sikubwabo CAN (31:29)
2. Michael Marantelli AUS (31:45)
3. Chris Balestrini CAN (32:43)

The Fortress Half Marathon

Women

1. Sarah Inglis* CAN (1:24:35)
2. Sasha Gollish CAN (1:24:58)
3. Natasha Wodak CAN (1:25:00)

Men:

1. Yves Sikubwabo CAN (1:08:39)
2. Santiago Zerda COL (1:08:55)
3. Michael Marantelli AUS (1:11:32)

The Cave Shepherd Marathon

Women

1. Fanja Felix FRA (3:06:42)
2. Sjaelan Evans TTO (3:19:49)
3. Sarah Williams GBR (3:35:20)

Men

1. Paul Schmidt DEU (2:30:58)
2. Craig Pilsbury GBR (2:40:08)
3. Helmuth Noesner DEU (2:52:33)

Full results can be found at Sportstats.

*for those of you who don’t know Sarah, while Scottish she is an adopted Canadian!

& Technically Sasha Gollish was 3rd in 18:48 with Gillian but there was a glitch in the results!