Bermuda's Queen of the Road recaptured her crown yesterday - her last Marathon Derby victory before becoming a Master.

Anna Eatherley bounced back from relinquishing the women's title to Lynn Patchett last year to be the first female across the line at the National Sports Centre in one hour and 28 minutes. She was also 19th overall out of 460 runners who set out from Somerset at 9.30 a.m.

Patchett finished in 1:29.00 while the surprise package was third-placed Kim McMullen. The Canadian expatriate, who relocated here within the past year, completed the tough course in 1:33.31.

"I just ran a steady race, more like I normally do. I am not a tactical runner at all. I just go out steady and try to hold it. I don't do any surges or anything like that. I just go out there and run.

"Last year I didn't run too sharp because I wasn't feeling well. I wouldn't run this race again not feeling 100 percent. That wasn't a good idea," noted Eatherley.

"It's a hard race. I've said it before, it's like running a (full) marathon. You feel the same at the end as you do in a marathon."

The winner said she was never really cognisant of where her arch rival Patchett was because "everyone was giving me different reports (on her)".

"I knew she was there or thereabouts but I had no idea exactly where."

Savouring her fifth May 24th triumph in ten years, the 39-year-old mother of two would not speculate on the chances of repeating her success as she crosses the Masters (Over-40) threshold next year.

"It's an important race and it takes a lot of training. I'm not sure if I'll stick out next year because I'll be a Master. Maybe I'll be first in the Masters," she chuckled.

"Anything could happen. You never know. Everything has to go right on the day but things can go wrong and they do."

Patchett said she gave her utmost effort - but it was only second-best.

"I did the best I could today, that's all I can say. Fail or succeed, I make no excuses. I ran as hard as I could. I gave it a go but it wasn't my day. I'll come back next year."

She noted it was a reverse of last year as Eatherley gained a lead on her "between miles four and five", the same place that Patchett took control of last year's race.

"I tried to get her back. I made a bit of a go at it and then I just tried to keep her in sight, figuring she went out pretty quickly in the first mile and that would be to her detriment closer to the end of the race, but she ran strongly. I just kept pushing and tried to have my own steady race and stay focused."

The 36-year-old, who placed 21st overall, struggled with the last three miles.

"I was looking at my splits and I thought I just have to dig in and finish.

Patchett's new workmate, McMullen, also found the going hard as the stadium beckoned.

"I felt really good until I hit Front Street. The last couple of hills were killers," said the physiotherapist frankly.

The newcomer was thrilled to be in top three women and credited her performance to solid training.

"I was mainly a mountain-bike racer when I was at home but I've always done some running - marathons - but I have not focused on my running in a while.

"Recently I've been training for a Half Ironman Triathlon . . . a lot of endurance (training) and running because I have to do a half-marathon in that race."

Expect to see and hear more of this athlete as yesterday has peaked her interest in competing more on the Island.

"This is the biggest race in Bermuda and everyone's so excited about it. I had a lot of fun. It makes me motivated to work on my running and see if I can challenge the other two who were ahead of me," said McMullen who was 32nd overall.

Maria Conroy-Haydon (72nd overall) took the women's Masters title in 1:43.17 while Peggy Couper was first among women 50-59 in 1:51.59 and Margaret Burgess-Howie, first among women 60 and over in 2:09.48.

At the other end of the age spectrum, 18-year-old Shar-Dae Whitter was first among the women 16-19 in 1:52.24.