Malindi Elmore smashes course record, runs PB at Vancouver’s UA Eastside 10K

Kelowna’s Malindi Elmore bested her own course record in the tenth Under Armour Eastside 10K on Saturday, running a blistering 32:37. “I felt really good off the line,” Elmore told Canada Running Series (CRS), who organizes the race. Elmore is the fastest female marathoner in Canadian history (2:24:50) and was the defending champion heading into the race, with a previous record of 32:42 from 2019.

✨Massive Congrats✨ to the #UAEastside10K women’s winners!

1st: @MalindiElmore / Malindi Elmore – 32:37 with a new course record!
2nd: @LeslieSexton / Leslie Sexton – 34:11
3rd: Sam Jory – 34:58 pic.twitter.com/eVR32it3Eu

— RunCRS West (@RunCRSWest) September 17, 2022

Elmore is preparing to run the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 16, as is second place women’s finisher, Vancouver’s Leslie Sexton, who ran 34:11. Sam Jory, winner of the Vancouver Half Marathon, rounded out the women’s podium in 34:58.

Oakville, Ont.’s Ben Preisner tied the men’s course record (set in 2014), running 29:20 in an exciting, tight race, with fellow Canadian Olympic marathoner Trevor Hofbauer only steps behind in 29:26. Preisner and Hofbauer pushed each other throughout the course, with Preisner finally breaking ahead for the win. Vancouver’s Thomas Broatch took third in 30:00.

Preisner wasn’t entirely confident about securing the win during the close race. “Trevor is a very good competitor and he was always on my shoulder. It was a good incentive to keep pushing hard. I don’t think there was ever a place where I was super comfortable,” he said. “It’s always a great run locally here in Vancouver, so I’m grateful for all the organizers who put it together for us,” added Preisner.

Hofbauer is also preparing for the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon in October, and is currently running cross country for UBC Okanagan, coached by Elmore.

A strong race by the men’s field today at the #UAEastside10K! And the winners are:

1st: Ben Preisner – 29:20 matching the course record!
2nd: @TrevorHofbauer / Trevor Hofbauer – 29:26
3rd: Thomas Broatch – 30:00 pic.twitter.com/HPNt9nnOkE

— RunCRS West (@RunCRSWest) September 17, 2022

“It was an incredible feeling to bring this race back to the city after a two-year hiatus,” said Ryan Chilibeck, Race Director at CRS. “The goal of the UA Eastside 10K is, and has always been, to celebrate Vancouver’s local running community and the neighbourhoods we run through.”

“This race operates in tremendous support of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community, and we’re proud to have hit a new fundraising record for our four incredible charity partners,” added Chilibeck. The 2022 UA Eastside 10K has raised more than $31,860, surpassing the event’s previous fundraising record of $30,022 in 2015.

The event supports Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community through its partnership with four local charities. Saturday’s race had 2,042 competitors racing in-person on a course that runs through the heart of East Van, from Gastown to Strathcona and back.

To find out more about the UA Eastside 10K and to view complete results, you can head here.