Phurba Tamang has been running the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon for three years and he has won all three, this time beating his own time by running downhill from Base Camp to Namche in a lightning 3 hours 41 minutes and 31 seconds.

The world's highest marathon race has been organised every year for the last 10 years, and has participants from all over the world with 93 foreigners and 62 Nepali runners this year.

In the women's race, Ang Futi Sherpa won the title for the fifth time in 5 hours 14 minutes 44 seconds ahead of Mingma Lama who finished it in 5 hours 15 minutes 56 seconds while Tashi Jangmu Sherpa was third at 5 hours 43 minutes 23 seconds.

Tamang, who also won the race in 2009 and 2010, took the lead right from the start and maintained it till the finishing line for the third time. He had to drop out in last year's race for health reasons. Kumar Rajbhandari finished a close second with a time of 3 hours 54 minutes 51 seconds and defending champion Sudip Kulung Rai finished third at 4 hours 54 seconds.

"I want to compete in the race next year and make a new record by winning the marathon the fourth time," says Tamang who also took a $1,000 cash prize.

Similarly, American James Scott won the male category for foreigners clocking 5 hours 22 minutes 07 seconds. Kelsang Dorjee of India finished second at 5 hours 38 minutes 22 seconds. Ryan Wolfarm of USA finished third with a timing of 5 hour 48 minutes and 07 seconds.

Similarly, Tsering Palma of India won the women category for foreigners clocking 6 hours 25 minutes 33 seconds. Annette Wolfrom of Germany finished second at 7 hours 16 minutes 50 seconds. Jinnifer Waldren of USA finished third with a timing of 7 hour 37 minutes and 40 seconds.

In the half-marathon category for foreigners, 29-year-old American Tempe Caldwell clinched the title a timing 2:55:34. Anthony Hull of Australia finished in the second position with a timing of 3:12:12 and Joseph Kurt Kowalchuk Canada finished in the third position with a timing of 3:37:08.

"The Everest marathon is a unique adventure sport and serves as a big boost to Nepal's tourism industry just at the end of the mountaineering season," says marathon organiser Shikhar Pandey.

Besides the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon, there is a separate event called the Everest Marathon that has been organized for the past 15 years along the same route and the next event is in November.

The marathon marks 29 May International Everest Day to mark the first ascent of Mt Everest by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953.

http://www.everestmarathon.com/home

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