Course Record Recorded at the Hapalua

HONOLULU, Hawaii, April 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A record 6551 runners completed the 6th annual Hapalua - Hawaii's half marathon Honolulu today in Honolulu. Runners from all over the world started in Waikiki as the sun rose at 6am and raced the 13.1miles around downtown Honolulu and the Diamond Head crater, finishing in Kapiolani Park. 

Images and materials of this event are available for editorial use at the following Press site:  http://www.image.net/hapalua2017   

The Hapalua, the largest half marathon in Hawaii and organized by the Honolulu Marathon Association, does not have a time limit and is friendly to both walkers and runners. The last finisher came in at 6h35min30sec.

In the elite race, featuring a unique racing format called the Chase, Philip Tarbei of Kenya crossed the line first in 63.27 to claim the $5000 prize money out of the $11,000 purse.

The Chase pits the best runners in Hawaii against top world class professionals. Team Hawaii runners are awarded a head start based on recent race form.

The race came down to Tarbei and first time half marathoner Ryan Tsang, 20, a sophomore at the University of Hawaii Manoa.

Tsang finished second with an adjusted time of 64:05, based on his 12-minute head start. Kenya's other RunCzech Racing runner Abraham Kipyatich took third in 65:29.

The chase is the Hapalua's signature element, a racing element designed by race founder Jim Barahal who once was one of the island's top runners when he moved to Hawaii from his native Michigan in the late 1970s.

"We set up the head starts for someone to win in 63:30," said Barahal, "either straight up or with the handicap. I told Team Hawaii, 'you're not going to win $5000 with an average day. It's going to take a PR'."