Visiting runners may have romped to victory in the PwC Bermuda Half-Marathon on Sunday but they were pushed all the way by the locals.

Dage Minors completed a fine weekend by securing second position in the race, behind American Andy Wacker, while Bermuda resident Gayle Lindsay was the third woman across the finish line at Barr's Bay Park behind Ellie Stevens and Anna Vess.

Minors followed his PB in the BF&M 10K by clocking 1hr 11min 51sec to finish runner-up in the men’s half challenge with a consolidated time of 1:47:13. It was the second quickest the Bermudian has run over the distance after he stopped the clock in 1:10:05 at the Cambridge Half Marathon in England last March.

“I felt fine when I woke up and decided to go for it,” the 29-year-old told The Royal Gazette.

“I was conservative through about seven miles. From there I really pushed and that’s when I went from fourth to second and it was all about survival until the end.

“I knew I couldn't win the half challenge, but I was in a position to get into the top three. It’s my first time doing the challenge and to be on the podium feels really good. I’ve no complaints at all about this weekend. I got my fastest time off Front Street, 10K and got my second fastest time in the half-marathon.

“Most importantly, this is a very good event from an organisational perspective. It’s nice to see people out and about cheering all the runners and it looks like everybody enjoyed themselves.”

Lindsay’s PB of 1:24:22 placed her nineteenth overall and third in the women’s half challenge in 2:07:09, with the 36-year-old enjoying competing against runners from overseas.

“I really had a fun race,” she said. “I stuck with Anna Vess the whole way and she really pulled me along. The last kilometre she managed to pick up her pace a little bit and I didn't have enough gas left in the tank to stay with her.

“But what makes me happy is that I managed a personal best, so I couldn't ask for more than that. I enjoyed the whole challenge racing against all of these amazing runners and I’m really sad that it’s all over.”

A day after setting a course record in the 10K, Wacker clinched the half-marathon in 1:09:31 to secure the men’s challenge crown in 1:43:56. The 36-year-old’s time was faster than the 1:12:19 run by William Sanders, the winner of last year’s race.

“I’m really proud to come out on top,” Wacker said. “It’s a really unique format running three days in a row because you have to be really strong.

“I thought I was running easy, but even halfway through this one in the lead, I had to decide when to start pushing. It was a windy day, which made it a challenging course, but it was great to see the beauty of the island and fun to be out there.

“I actually came close to breaking the overall record for the half challenge. I had to run 1:09 flat and I ran 1:09:31 to miss out by 31 seconds, but I just knew that it wasn't going to happen today with all the wind.

“One of my favourite moments was at Penhurst Park. There was a big crowd and the people were cheering us on and that’s a really good time when you need some support.”

Stevens stopped the clock in 1:18:48 to secure eighth position overall and win the women’s half challenge with a combined time of 1:58:48.

“I’m so honoured to be in Bermuda and winning races,” the Briton said. “It’s so much fun to come over to this beautiful island and be around all these wonderful people.

“The last time I was here in 2023, I also won the half challenge. I've come back and achieved exactly the same results, finished second in the mile, won the 10k and the half-marathon.”

Vess, the winner of the Butterfield Mile elite women’s race, was content with finishing second in the half challenge.

“It was so nice to be part of this event,” the North Carolinian said. “I've never been part of a race like this before.”

“I ran with Gayle, who ended up third today. We were side by side for most of the race before I used the last mile to break away from her. It was nice having her there and that was a way better experience than doing it by myself.

“I wasn't sure what to expect when I entered the whole challenge. It was more about how it went every time I entered a race, and I was a little surprised each time.”