It took Victoria runner Matt Sharpe seven seconds longer to finish the Bazan Bay 5K race on Sunday, Marc h 6, than last year’s overall winner.
Sharpe, who runs with Running Room Athletic Club (Victoria), finished the Sidney race in 15:18 — slightly slower than last year’s top finisher, Stefan Daniel of Calgary.
The weather saw a decline in race day turnout — 552 registered runners on Sunday compared with 618 last year.
The overall pace was also slower at an average time of 26:30 to complete the five kilometre route along Lochside Drive. The 2015 average pace was 25:26.
Last year’s top female runner, Hilary Stellingwerff, repeated her victory on the weekend. Stellingwerff, who runs for New Balance/Speed River of Victoria, posted a time of 16:53. In 2015, she finished in 16:26.
In second place overall Sunday was Frontrunners Victoria runner Brent McMahon. Second among the women was Emily Setlack of Cold Lake, Alberta.
The Bazan Bay 5K is the fifth race in the Frontrunners Island Race Series. To find out more about the series, or to register for the next events — Comox Valley RV Half-Marathon on March 20 and the Sooke River 10K on April 3 — visit vira.bc.a.