Beauchesne, Nixon victorious at 25th CompassBank Cape Cod Marathon

FALMOUTH, Mass., Oct. 27, 2002 - Eric Beauchesne of Chelmsford, Mass., ran away from the field to win the 25th CompassBank Cape Cod Marathon for the second straight year in a time of 2:27:59.

In the women's division, Sarah Nixon of Mansfield, Mass., came from behind for her first win at the Cape Cod Marathon in 2:53:58.

Both Nixon and Cornell picked up $1,500 in first-place prize money for their victories.

Beauchesne, 32, beat his winning time last year by 17 seconds and finished nearly 10 minutes ahead of second-place finisher Greg Cornell, 42, of Pascoag, R.I., who finished in 2:37:35. Cornell finished first in the master's division.

A member of the Greater Lowell Road Runners, Beauchesne becomes just the second man to win the Cape Cod Marathon twice, joining Craig Fram of Plaistow, N.H., who won in 1996 and 1997.

Beauschesne said after his victory that he had not intended to run the Cape Cod Marathon again next year, but he is rethinking his plans given his chance to become the first three-time men's winner in race history.

"I guess I don't have a choice. I wasn't going to, but now I have to," said Beauchesne, who took over the lead at about 19 miles and then ran alone the rest of the way.

Nixon, 38, who had been running in third late in the race, made a late surge to take first among women. She took over first place from Veronica Kanga, 31, of Sturbridge, Mass., in the last quarter-mile of the race. Kanga finished in second in a time of 2:54:34 in one of the most competitive women's races ever at the Cape Cod Marathon.

Nixon said she passed third-place finisher Charlene Lyford around 21 miles, but could not see Kanga ahead of her until she had just two miles to go. Spectators encouraged her by telling her she was gaining ground. "It was getting exciting," said Nixon.

She caught Kanga making the final turn onto Main Street with about 400 yards go and then sprinted for the finish.

She already knows what she is going to do with her prize money. "I'm taking my check and going to London," she said, for the London Marathon in April.

Nixon, a member of Merrimack Valley Striders, won the race just two weeks after she finished first at the B.A.A. Half Marathon in Boston.

Begun in 1978, the Cape Cod Marathon is one of New England's longest-running marathons. This year's race served as the USATF-New England marathon championship for the 15th time.

In the simulataneous Dunkin' Donuts Relay, the Quarterdeck Racing Team of Falmouth won in 2:32:51. The women's relay winner was the Heartbreak Hill Striders of Cambridge in 3:05:24.

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