enlarge Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

Luminita Talpos of Romania has the women’s title in sight Saturday, entering the final stretch in Fort Williams. Behind her is Stephen Monsulick of Kents Hill.

LUMINITA TALPOS
AGE: 34
CITIZEN OF: Romania
RESIDENCE: Boulder, Colo.; Romania
BEST 10K: 31:54
OF NOTE: A familiar face at Beach to Beacon over the years, she is in top form, claiming her first victory in Cape Elizabeth a week after finishing second at the Bix 7-miler in Iowa. She finished third in 2006 (32:26), fifth in 2005 and set a personal-record 31:54 in a close second in 2003. Also placed fifth in 2001. A member of the Romanian national team and one of the premier road racers on the U.S. circuit, she placed second (26:04) at the Crazy 8's 8K in July. Recorded a career-best 2:27:32 while finishing sixth at the Osaka Ladies Marathon in 2003. Her career includes victories at the Bay to Breakers 12K, the Cherry Blossom 10-miler and the Vytra Women's 5K.

Talpos, 34, covered the 6.2-mile course in 32 minutes, 20.3 seconds, far off the record set a year ago by Alevtina Ivanova of Russia, who wasn't entered. Talpos earned $10,000.

"I don't have a strong finish but I have a quick tempo at the start," said Talpos, who served as a rabbit at the 2006 New York City Marathon.

"I pushed the start and finished safe. I kept a good safe pace all the way through."

Talpos, who has trained in Boulder, Colo., for several years, finished third last year.

That followed fifth- and second-place finishes.

It was a two-women race early. Talpos, who won the Vienna City Marathon in Austria in April, contended with Wude Ayalew Yimer of Ethiopia, who had beaten her last weekend in the Bix 7-miler at Davenport, Iowa.

But Yimer said she was bumped by a male runner about four miles into the race, lost her stride and faded to finish fourth in 32:41.5.

"I didn't see the push but he was definitely crowding her," said Candace Karu, the editor-at-large of Running Times magazine, who was a passenger on a motorcycle ahead of the division leaders.

At the time, Yimer was running in the lead pack that also included Talpos and Ukraine's Nataliya Berkut.

"She and Nataliya were duking it out and they were going head to head," Karu said.

"It was a good race until then. It looked like he was clearly at fault."

The top male master, Jason Cakouros, 42, of Milton, Mass., was the runner in the incident.

Cakouros grew up in Woolwich, attended Morse High and graduated from Cheverus High.

"I was on the absolute left-hand side of the road," Cakouros said.

"She came up and passed me and then cut me off. I put my hand out to keep from falling and made contact with Yimer's back, causing her to stumble.

"I felt terrible about it. I'm a track guy from way back so I understand some jostling, but it's a road race. There's no reason to cut someone off in a road race."

Berkut, who went on to finish second in 32:28.5, was buoyed by the people who turned out to cheer the runners along the route.

"American people (are) very, very good," she said. "Ukraine people (do) not show to watch sportsmen run. They stay home and sleep and watch on television."

Some of the lead runners said the humidity made the race a struggle.

"I have problems with my throat," Berkut said. "Maybe it was the ocean. I had little energy."

Jessica Ruthe of New Zealand finished third in 32:39.7.

The first American to finish in the elite division, Elva Dryer of Gunnison, Colo., was fifth in 32.53.7.

Also in the top 10 were Galina Aleksandrova (32:56.1) of Russia, Diribe Alemu (32:59.6) of Ethiopia, Genet Getnah (33:01.6) of Ethiopia, Susan Chepkemei (33:14.5) of Kenya and Blake Russell (33:16.5) of Marina, Calif.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com