(January 10, 2010) Adriano Bastos weathered the elements and a late-race challenge Sunday to snag his sixth consecutive Walt Disney World Marathon present by CIGNA and seventh overall. Likewise, Lisa Mizutani won the women’s title for the second straight year.

 

Unlike last year when Bastos, 31, led the 26.2 mile race virtually from start to finish, the colorful Brazilian battled temperatures in the low-30s and was pushed much of the race by several competitors, creating the tightest finish among Bastos’ seven victories at Disney. With about three miles to go, Bastos opened a small lead and crossed the finish line at 2:22:08 – 33 seconds ahead of fellow Brazlian Fredison Costa (2:22:41). Jay Lumpkins of Ocoee, Fla., was third (2:24:24).

 

“The real challenge wasn’t the cold weather, but it was the fact that I had someone challenging me for first place,’’ said Bastos, whose goal is to win 10 straight Disney Marathons. “This is the first time that I felt that I had runners at the same level with me. I was scared. I thought my streak might be broken.’’

 

Mizutani, 24, of Japan won just as easily as she did a year ago, this time crossing the finish line in 2:51:20 - more than five minutes ahead of Christa Benton of St. Petersburg, Fla (2:56:43).

 

Matthew Dobson of Jay, Fla., was the top men’s Masters Division finisher (runners age 40 and over) with a time of 2:38:15 and Terri Rejimbal won the women’s Masters Division with 3:14:26. In the wheelchair division, Krige Schabort of Cedartown, Ga. (1:42:35) and Shirley Reilly of Tucson, Ariz. (2:22:30), both won the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, for the second straight year.

 

The Disney Marathon capped a weekend of endurance events at Disney, including the Disney Half Marathon, the Disney-Pixar Up and Away Family Fun Run 5K, Disney’s Kids Races and a Health & Fitness Expo. In all, more than 55,000 runners registered for events throughout the weekend, making this the largest Disney Marathon Weekend since the event’s debut in 1994.

 

Registration for the 2010 Disney Marathon Weekend (Jan. 6-9, 2011) begins Monday Jan. 11, 2010. To register for the marathon or for any Disney endurance race, visit www.disneyworldmarathon.com or www.disneyenduranceseries.com