Photo: Half marathon runners start on Niagara River Parkway

NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO (10/28/07) - Close to 4,000 runners from 37 countries flowed into Niagara Falls Sunday, Oct. 28, for the world's only marathon that starts in one country and finishes in another.

The 10th annual Niagara Falls International Marathon treated entrants to mid-40s sunshine and headwinds for much of its point-to-point course from old Buffalo, N.Y., to the majesty of the Falls - a finish few of them will forget.

Thomas Omwenga from Burlington, Ontario, broke from the men's field while in the U.S., before the Peace Bridge at four miles, and cruised solo through Canada to prevail in 2 hours, 33 minutes, 12 seconds.

Masters ace Michel Lavoie of Laval, Quebec, finished next in 2:36:09, followed by Brandon Newbould of Dover, N.H., in 2:37:04.

The women's race was tight start to finish, with Louise Voghel, 52, of St. Armand, Quebec - screened from the wind in a pack of men - staking out Colleen Berry before reeling her in late to triumph in 3:02:36.

Berry, a master from Renfrew, Ontario, finished 21 seconds back. Third- place money went to Michelle Schuler of Ottawa (3:10:44).

The flat, fast course - the bridge is its only hill - hosted U.S. Olympic men's marathon trials in 1980 and 1984, and for years was site of the Skylon Marathon.

Ten years ago, with director Jim Ralston and new sponsors, the event resumed with its current name. Sunday's turnout suggests it has bloomed with a grandeur that fits its setting.

From Buffalo's Albright Knox Art Gallery, runners entered a landscape, reflecting in water, that rivaled anything Matisse or Gauguin might render.

After four miles on old-town parkways, they crossed from the U.S. to Canada, where fall colors turned to colours, toured historic Fort Erie, then followed the the Niagara River Falls-ward.

The men's half marathon was a thriller, with Kenyan Pius Korir (1:05:29) edging ex-Irish Olympian Mark Carroll (1:05:31) and Giitah Macharia of Toronto (1:05:35).

Russian Nadezda Trilinskaya paced the women in 1:17:13, followed by Pauline Githuka of Milton, Ontario (1:19:05) and masters queen Paula Wiltse of Kingston, Ontario (1:19:12).

Canadians Stephane Harrington (32:59) and Joelle Mann (41:20) were men's and women's 10K winners. Tops in the 5K were Richard Ayotte (17:05) and Joanne Mittelholtz (20:48), both of Canada.

All races finished at Table Rock on the brink of the Horseshoe Falls. There runners rejoiced, wrapped in Mylar blankets that shone and snapped in the windblown spray - a few feeling like caped superheroes in tourist attractions everywhere, others like figures in wax museums.

Weekend fun included a two-day expo in the Fallsview Casino Resort Grand Hall, talks by women's running pioneer and author Kathrine Swizer, International Friendship Run followed by free breakfast at Planet Hollywood, ItalPasta Party at the Brock Plaza Hotel and more.

For complete results and more information, visit www.niagarafallsmarathon.com.