The race was, for all intents and purposes, over when Tracy Wright opened a lead of more than 100 yards on Jay Donawa in the Red Hole area of Harbour Road.

But the new champion didn't give any outward signs that victory was his in yesterday's Marathon Derby until Cedar Avenue when he raised both arms in response to the deafening applause from a large crowd near the cycle race finish line.

Then, just before turning onto the grass at Bernard Park, Wright removed his hat and a few strides from the finish tossed it into the air in celebration of his second Derby win and his first since 1990.

His time of one hour, 15 minutes, 18 seconds, was well outside Kavin Smith's record of 1:09.49 set last year, though Wright stressed that time was never a factor in his race strategy. He just wanted that second win.

"On Cedar Avenue I started to celebrate but towards the end of Cedar Avenue I started to feel a twitch in my muscles so I held back a little bit,'' explained an out-of-breath Wright at the finish line.

"I really didn't want to celebrate until I got to the park because the race is not over until you actually cross the line.'' As expected, the race came down to a Wright-Donawa duel after early pacesetter, newcomer David House started falling back at White Hill Field. He had been running with Wright at the head of the pack with Donawa just off the pace in third place before he caught the front pair just past the former Hitching Post store.

Heading towards the Port Royal Fire Station, Donawa opened a gap on Wright of about 35 yards with veteran Mike Watson about 80 yards back in fourth place.

Donawa appeared smooth and confident as he remained well in front at Jews Bay as Wright seemed to be lacking some 50 yards back.

"I was struggling in the early stages, maybe nerves, I don't know,'' Wright admitted.

"I was a little tight and my body wasn't warmed up and I couldn't get myself going like I wanted. But in that respect it saved me some energy for the latter stages.'' Wright gradually cut into Donawa's lead and outside Waterlot Inn they were neck and neck again for the climb up towards Heron Bay school. Wright moved a couple of strides ahead of Donawa at Riddell's Bay Shell station and surged ahead at the Market Place in front of another large crowd.

Burnt House Hill proved decisive as Wright dropped his head and dug deep to maintain his lead although Donawa still looked threatening.

Wright built his lead on Harbour Road as Donawa drifted back. And after Wright met a huge crowd on Crow Lane with a lead of about 100 yards, he continued to build his advantage along Front Street. And when Wright got to the Shopping Centre on Victoria Street, Donawa had just reached the top of King Street. He had long exerted all of his energy and to add insult to injury former champion Brett Forgesson came from out of nowhere to sprint past him just yards from the finish line to take second place.

Forgesson finished in 1:16.49 and Donawa in 1:16.54. Kevin Tucker (1:17.43) and House (1:18.06), a 38-year-old resident, completed the top five.

"I came for all or nothing today, so a close second is just as bad as a third,'' said a disappointed Donawa afterwards.

"Brett caught me up and I gave it my all. I knew he was coming but I thought I would hold him off.'' Donawa suggested a wrong tactic was used early in the race when he set the pace.

"Tracy and the other guy (House) dictated the pace and when I caught them up, they seemed like they didn't want to go and maybe I should have held back. I didn't and paid the price for it.

"I was always in contention, I felt. My thing was to try to keep Tracy within 100 yards and see what happened in the latter stages, to see if he died out so maybe I could scoop him up. But he kept running stronger.'' Forgesson was pleased with his strong finish. "I had been running with Kavin Tucker most of the way so it was more a battle for third,'' said the 1994 champion.

"I just got away from him around Front Street and I didn't really see Jay until we turned onto Church Street and it gave me something to work for in the last mile.

Wright on! From Page 25 "I guess I'm kind of disappointed because my legs were real sluggish in the first three miles. I couldn't get them ticking over and then all of a sudden they came right and I finished strong but I left far too much to do.'' Ronue Cann, fifth last year, celebrated his entry into the Masters category by beating Mike Watson for that title.

"I wanted to place better than I did last year and it was always my plan to finish in the first five,'' said Cann who was sixth in 1:19.03.

"I had an A plan to come in the first five and if I didn't come in the first five, I had a B plan to become the first Master which I accomplished.

"Next year I want to make a strong bid, I'm going to leave soccer alone and concentrate on this race. I have a whole year to plan and I know I can do it.'' Watson, eighth overall, admitted it would take a lot to get back to his times of seven years ago when he last won in 1:12.56. Yesterday he ran 1:19.52.

"I was out of gas at Inverurie,'' admitted the four-time champion who was just behind the leaders early on.

Watson, too, was competing as a Master for the first time. "I figured I wasn't going to be a factor,'' he said.

"If you're training for the 800 (metres) your training runs are no longer than five or six miles so running twice that distance at race pace is a big difference and you have to put things in perspective.'' CHAMPION AGAIN -- Tracy Wright snaps the finish line tape to win yesterday's Marathon Derby for the second time in nine years.