Track star Ashley Couper easily conquered her competition as she smashed the course record to take first place honours in yesterday?s ninth annual PartnerRe Women?s 5K.

The 28-year-old middle-distance specialist and Front Street Mile champion dominated the hot, hilly race from the start, clocking a blistering time of 18 minutes and 26 seconds ? more than a half-minute faster than Anna?s Eatherley?s 2003 record of 19.01.

Couper, an NCAA competitor, Nike farm team runner and Stanford University track coach who holds the Bermuda national record in the 1500 metres, led a record field of 885 runners and walkers in the popular all-women charity event, which started and finished in the Botanical Gardens.

?I didn?t feel as if I was in my best shape, but I just tried to keep it together,? said Couper, who flew through mile one in 5.45. ?The first mile was really fast ? I kept telling myself to take it easy.?

Eatherley, 43, returning to top road-racing form after almost a year?s absence due to a hamstring injury, chased down 2005 winner Victoria Fiddick after the first mile and a half, surging into second place as the pair tackled the eastward climb up Rural Hill on South Road.

A five-time winner of the event, Eatherley held her lead to finish second in 19.34. Fiddick placed third overall in 20 minutes flat.

?I was really pleased with my time, I felt good,? said Eatherley, who had also entered the team event with her 11-year-old daughter, Rebecca.

For her part, Fiddick?s race also marked a return from various injuries, including a broken toe that kept her out of running shoes for most of the past two months.

?Coming back from injury, I couldn?t really expect too much,? admitted the 40-year-old Swede. ?It wasn?t my best time, but I?ve only had two weeks of running before this race, and that isn?t enough to make a serious challenge.?

The race saw a high turnout of the Island?s top female runners, many of whom claimed age-group prizes.

Winners included Tara Oakhem, Caroline Darling and Anne Jakobsen in the 16 to 29 group; Joanna Shillington, Alison Harvey and Kelly Larrett in 30 to 39; previous event winner Karen Adams, Kathy Fulcher and triathlete Carolyn Conway in 40 to 49; and Dawn Ferguson, Ruth Kempe and Kim Mason in the 50-plus division.

The event, presented by Mid Atlantic Athletic Club (MAAC) with title sponsors PartnerRe Ltd., included a competitive walk and a fun walk for women, as well as a 3.2K race for under-16 girls.

In the junior division, Clementine Keyes won the under-11 category, chased by Molly Pilgrim and Julia Cooper. Rebecca Heyliger, who led the entire junior event, won the 11 to 13 category, with Jazmine Outerbridge second, and Rachel Fox in third place.

Among 14 and 15-year-olds, Emily Dunne grabbed top honours, followed by Ellen Briers and Danlia Martin.

?We?re very proud to have grown into Bermuda?s biggest racing calendar event,? said MAAC race director Rosemary Jones.

?Attracting 230 runners, period, to any road race on the Island is usually a difficult task ? but there?s something about our event that brings out that many women 5K runners alone. We also witness strong competition among our race walkers, as well as great camaraderie among all of our more than 800 participants.?

The event has raised more than $90,000 for women?s charities since 1998. All proceeds this year will go to the Bermuda Diabetes Association?s (BDA) campaign to fight gestational diabetes.