CAPE ELIZABETH – Khalid Khannouchi of Morocco said he was confident he had Saturday’s Peoples Heritage Bank Beach to Beacon 10-kilometer (6.2 miles) road race won when he surged into the lead after 4 1/2 miles.

But even as he powered by Kenya’s Joseph Kimani, he said he had to work hard to keep his focus. That’s important when you know a field of world-class runners is making its way up the road behind you. And even more important when it’s so easy to get distracted by the panoramic views of Casco Bay along the course.

“Every once in awhile I was looking at the scenery, Khannouchi confessed.

“With about a kilometer to go, when you can see the ocean….”

Khannouchi couldn’t have been too captivated by the view, judging from his victory of 27 minutes, 48 seconds, a course record and the first sub-28 minute 10K ever run in Maine.

Kimani held on for second in 28:19, followed by countryman William Kiptum in 28:23. Ethiopia’s Abraham Assefa (28:43) and Kenya’s Abel Ondeyo (28:49) rounded out the top five. Defending champion Johannes Mabitle of South Africa was sixth.

In the women’s race, the first three finishers were separated by just five seconds, all hailed from Kenya, and all dipped under the course record. Catherine Ndereba defended her title with a time of 32:05, 10 seconds faster than her mark from a year ago. Teresa Wanjiku (32:06) and Jane Ngotho (32:10) followed on her heels.

It was the second annual running of the race, which was founded by 1984 Olympic gold medalist and Cape Elizabeth native Joan Benoit Samuelson. A total of 3,248 runners from 47 states and 12 countries finished the race, which was limited to 4,000 entries. Hundreds of enthusiastic spectators lined the course at nearly every point.

The race raised $30,000 for Camp Sunshine, a retreat for children with long-term illnesses at Lake Sebago. Prizes totaling $50,000 were awarded in open, masters, wheelchair, and Maine-only categories, including $7,500 for the first overall male and female and $1,000 for the first male and female from Maine.

The top men’s and women’s runners from Maine were Ogunquit’s Bob Winn, who placed 19th (31:11) and South Harpswell’s Julia Kirtland, who timed 35:06 and was the 20th women finisher. The first Americans were Todd Williams of Knoxville, Tenn. (9th, 29:40) and Gwyn Coogan of Frederick, Md., (7th, 32:46).

Basking in the sunlight on the awards stand near the finish line at the Portland Head Light in Fort Williams Park, Khannouchi glanced at the ocean and talked about how happy he was to be in Maine.

“I’m thrilled to be here. You make me feel like home,” he told the crowd.

Then he broke into a mischevious grin. “Although the course is not easy like they said,” he joked.

The course began on Route 77 near the entrance to Crescent Beach State Park before turning onto shady, tree-lined Ocean House Road at a little more than a mile and a half. After a few rolling hills, it intersected with Route 77 again before making a sweeping downhill turn onto Shore Road between miles three and four.

The final mile was the toughest, featuring three uphills, each one steeper than the next, before a 600-meter downhill to the finish line.

Khannouchi said he had scouted the course Friday.

“I knew I had to move by five miles because I’m better up the hills,” he said.

Khannouchi had saved energy early in the race, allowing Kimani to set the pace and open up a lead as large as 60 meters by three miles. Khannouchi drew even with him as he approached the four-mile mark and cruised home from there.

Khannouchi, the 1997 Chicago marathon champion (2:07), currently resides in Ossining, N.Y., and is applying for American citizenship.

Ndereba had to sprint hard to earn her second title. She said she made a move after mile five to try and drop her training parter, Wanjiku.

Ndereba and Wanjiku, who reside in Philadelphia, placed first and second, respectively, at the prestigious Bix 7-miler in Davenport, Iowa, on July 31.

Ndereba echoed Khannouchi’s sentiments about the quality of the race and the state in which it was held.

“I just want to thank Joan as founder and the whole community who joined together,” she said from the awards stand. “I hope you continue this spirit – that is my prayer and God bless you.”

For Winn, it was important to defend his title as the first Mainer. Even though the race is just two years old, it has become an unofficial venue for crowning the top runner in the state.

But the 40-year-old said his performance in the masters category was equally important. He was the fourth master, trailing only John Tuttle (1st, 30:08) and Steve Plasencia (3rd, 30:44), who have traded the American 10K masters record over the last year, and second-place finisher Andre Kuznestov of Russia (30:25).

And that was after losing six pounds over the preceding two days because of a sickness, and recovering from a trip the previous weekend to represent the United States at the World Masters Cross County championship in England.

“Going over to England and getting to see all those world-class masters was amazing. I’m not resting now, I’m just starting to run well,” Winn said.

Kirtland, the 1997 National Marathon Champion and the second American women’s finisher in April’s Boston Marathon, said the race was her first serious effort since Boston.

The 34-year-old is logging 70-90 miles per week in preparation for the National Championships at the half-marathon and 10-mile distances, and will run the Twin Cities Marathon, this year’s national championship, in St. Paul, Minn., in October. Her ultimate goal is the 2000 Olympic Marathon.

Beach to Beacon AT CAPE ELIZABETH 10K results

Men’s open: 1. Khalid Khannouchi (Morocco) 27:48, 2. Joseph Kimani (Kenya) 28:19, 3. William Kiptum (Kenya) 28:23, 4. Abraham Assefa (Ethiopia) 28:43, 5. Abel Ondeyo (Kenya) 28:49

Women’s open: 1. Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) 32:05, 2. Teresa Wanjiku (Kenya) 32:06, 3. Jane Ngotho (Kenya) 32:10, 4. Olga Markova (Russia) 32:22, 5. Derartu Tulu (Ethiopia) 32:36

Men’s masters: 1. John Tuttle (Douglasville, Ga.) 30:08, 2. Andrey Kuznetsov (Russia) 30:25, 3. Steve Plasencia (Minneapolis) 30:44, 4. Bob Winn (Ogunquit) 31:11, 5. Jon Sinclair (Fort Collins) 31:19

Women’s masters: Marina Belyaeva (Russia) 33:37, 2. Tatyana (Pozdnyakova (Ukraine) 33:38, 3. Gitte Karlshoj (Denmark) 33:48, 4. Ruth Wysocki (Canyon Lake, Calif.) 34:45, 5. Jane Welzel (Fort Collins, Colo.) 35:15

Maine men: 1. Bob Winn (Ogunquit) 31:11, 2. Todd Coffin (Freeport) 31:21, 3. Byrne Decker (Yarmouth) 31:41, 4. Michael Payson (Falmouth) 32:18, 5. Kevin Way (Hollis) 32:30

Maine women: 1. Julia Kirtland (South Harpswell) 35:07, 2. Christine Snow-Reaser (Dayton) 36:33, 3. Rose Prest-Morrison (Limerick) 37:18, 4. Kelin Underwood (Alfred) 37:21, 5. Gayla Underkoffler (Scarborough) 37:59

Wheelchairs: 1. Laurie Stephens (Wenham, Mass.) 28:01, 2. Jessica Galli (Belle Mead, N.J.) 28:12, 3. Jason Fowler (Kingston, Mass.) 29:10, 4. Anderson Wise (Needham, Mass.) 30:24, 5. David Estrada (West Roxbury, Mass.) 30:34

Overall: 1. Kahlid Khannouci (Morocco) 27:48, 2. Joseph Kimani (Kenya), 28:19, 3. William Kiptum (Kenya) 28:23, 4. Abraham Assefa (Ethiopia) 28:43, 5. Abel Ondeyo (Kenya) 28:49, 6. Johannes Mabitle (South Africa) 28:56, 7. Jackson Kabiga (Kenya) 9:01, 8. Niguso Urge (Ethiopia) 29:17, 9. Todd Williams (Knoxville, Tenn.) 29:40, 10. Terrance Mahon (Haverford, Pa.) 29:51, 11. Keith Dowling (Boulder, Colo.) 29:59, 12. John Tuttle (Douglasville, Ga.) 30:08, 13. Peter Hammer (Brighton, Mass.) 30:17, 14. Andre Kuznetsov (Russia) 30:25, 15. Deon Barrett (Canton, Mass.) 30:38, 16. Steve Plasencia (Minneapolis) 30:44, 17. Randy Ashley (Brevaro, N.C.) 30:47, 18. Dave Dunham (Bradford, Mass.) 30:48, 19. Bob Winn (Ogunquit) 31:11, 20. Steve Richards (Nederland, Colo.) 31:13, 21. Jon Sinclair (Fort Collins, Colo.) 31:19, 22. Todd Coffin (Freeport) 31:21, 23. Byrne Decker (Yarmouth) 31:41, 24. Timothy Boilard (Princeton, Mass.) 32:04, 25. Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) 32:05

26. Andy Wedlake (Belmont, Mass.) 32:05, 27. Teresa Wanjiku (Kenya) 32:06, 28. Jane Ngotho (Kenya) 32:10, 29. Gary Dennis (Montague, N.J.) 32:14, 30. Craig Widness (Rochester, N.Y.) 32:17, 31. Michael Payson (Falmouth) 32:18, 32. Olga Markova (Russia) 32:22, 33. John Ayers (Beverly, Mass.) 32:29, 34. Kevin Way (Hollis) 32:03, 35. Deratu Tulu (Ethiopia) 32:36, 36. Barry Logan (Harpswell), 32:39, 37. James Miller (Essex Junction, Vt.) 32:40, 38. Lu Jing (China) 32:44, 39. Robert Ashby (Brunswick) 32:46, 40. Gwynneth Coogan (Boulder, Colo.) 32:46, 41. Kyle Rhoads (North Windham) 32:48, 42. Morgan Laidlaw (Aplleton) 32:54, 43. Andrew Beardsley (Ellsworth) 33:08, 44. Ren Xiujuan (China) 33:10, 45. Asha Gigi (Ethiopia) 33:09, 46. Kayoko Obata (Japan) 33:12, 47. Michael Hall (Washington Depot, Conn.) 33:22, 48. Kevin Beck (Concord, N.H.) 33:25, 49. John Noland (Kingston, Mass.) 33:30, 50. James Hommes (Pittsburgh) 33:32

51. Jeff Gaudette (Biddeford) 33:34, 52. Helen Kimaiyo Kip (Kenya) 33:34, 53. Marina Belyaeva (Russia) 33:37, 54. Tetyana Pozdnyako (Ukraine) 33:38, 55. Scott Brown (Lewiston), 33:43, 56. Paul Johnson (Gorham) 33:48, 57. Gitte Karlshoj (Denmark) 33:48, 58. Pete Bottomley (Cape Elizabeth) 33:50, 59. Danny Paul (Poland) 33:55, 60. Ryan Fenton (Portland) 34:03, 61. Raymond Regan (Winchester, Mass.) 34:06, 62. Scott Anderson (Boston) 34:06, 63. Arthur Sorrell (Laconia, N.H.) 34:08, 64. Carol Howe (Canada) 34:10, 65. Mark Gaffney (Port Byron, N.Y.) 34:15, 66. Jorma Kurry (PortlandD) 34:20, 67. Lu Meiuha (China) 34:25, 68. Trey Cassidy (Silver Spring, Md.) 34:28, 69. Nadia Grusilchikov (Russia) 34:31, 70. Mike Holik (Grass Lake, Mich.) 34:30, 71. Chris Voligro (Hidesburg, Vt.) 34:40, 72. Stu Hogan (Old Orchard Beach) 34:41, 73. Jerry Johnson (Scarborough) 34:44, 74. Christian Muenten (Berwick) 34:44, 75. Ruth Wysocki (Canyon Lake, Calif.) 34:45

76. Marty Shue (Annapolis, Md.) 34:49, 77. David Roberts (Cape Elizabeth) 34:47, 78. Stephen Turner (Portland) 34:55, 79. Michael Downing (Gorham) 35:01, 80. Benjamin Buxton (Augusta) 35:05, 81. Julia Kirtland (South Harpswell) 35:07, 82. William Dixon (Brattleboro, Vt.) 35:09, 83. Bob Sholl (Scarborough) 35:10, 84. Allan Muir (Portland) 35:11, 85. Dave Howard (Portland) 35:13, 86. Jane Welzel (Fort Collins, Colo.) 35:15, 87. Kim Jones (Spokane, Wash.) 35:17, 88. Shaun Keenan (Somerville) 35:20, 89. James Johndrow (Blue Hill) 35:22, 90. Richard Cotta (West Gardiner) 35:25, 91. Donald Hebert (Lewiston) 35:26, 92. Hugh Mclean (Belfast) 35:27, 93. Susanah Landreth (Newburyport, Mass.) 35:30, 94. Stan Pyle (South Portland) 35:30, 95. Steve Reed (Wiscasset) 35:31, 96. Beth Whitney (Providence, R.I.) 35:31, 97. Suzanne Walmsley (Franklin, Mass.) 35:32, 98. Peter Hall (Gorham) 35:32, 99. Jesse Randall (Georgetown) 35:35, 100. Kurt Cote (Portland) 35:35

101. Mark Uliasz (Oxford, Conn.) 35:43, 102. Lee Dupietro (Ruxton, Mass.) 35:45, 103. Newell Lewey (Veazie) 35:47, 104. T.J. Hesler (Steep Falls) 35:50, 105. Blake Davis (Falmouth) 35:53, 106. Jeffrey Banger (Woolwich) 35:55, 107. Tek Kilgore (Park City, Utah) 36:00, 108. Richard Flagg (Portland) 35:59, 109. Steven Johnson (West Chester, Pa.) 36:02, 110. Christopher Mertz (Easton, Pa.) 36:03, 111. Richard Hartford (West Stewartson, N.H.) 36:05, 112. James Hannawalt (San Francisco) 36:07, 113. Jim Shimberg (Campton, N.H.) 36:08, 114. John Mollica Jr. (South Portland) 36:10, 115. Steve Connor (Ellsworth) 36:10, 116. Ronald Roop (Warminster, Pa.) 36:09, 117. John Gleason (Freeport) 36:10, 118. Daniel Senecal (West Hartford, Conn.) 36:11, 119. Jack Fultz (Lincoln, Mass.) 36:13, 120. Daniel Works (Auburn)36:14, 121. Jeffrey Massder (Wakefield, Mass.) 36:13, 122. Jim Toulouse (Cape Elizabeth) 36:16, 123. German Silva (Mexico) 36:15, 124. Mark Jensen (Portland) 36:20, 125. Bernard Hyland (Brighton, Mass.) 36:20

126. Tommy Lynch (Charlestown, Mass.) 36:21, 127. James Douglass (Portland) 36:21, 128. David Sneekes (Canada) 36:21, 129. Heather Wedlake (Belmont, Mass.) 36:22, 130. Robert Fast (Cumberland) 36:23, 131. Mark Snow (Casco) 36:25, 132. Ryan Johnson (New Zealand) 36:25, 133. William Freeman (Lancaster, Mass.) 36:26, 134. Brian Turner (South Portland) 36:28, 135. Robert Benedetto (York) 36:31, 136. Kirby Davis (Falmouth) 36:32, 137. Christine Snow-Reaser (Dayton) 36:33, 138. Michael Simensky (Falmouth) 36:32, 139. Shalane Flanagan (Marblehead, Mass.) 36:35, 140. Michael Gordon (Portland) 36:37, 141. Craig Sarney (Easton, Mass.) 36:36, 142. Daniel Furlong (Brookline, Mass.) 36:37, 143. Benjamin Allen (Bangor) 36:38, 144. Jeffrey Stohlberg (Brighton, Mass.) 36:41, 145. Stephen Sarkozy (Scarborough) 36:41, 146. Keelyn Wu (Yarmouth) 36:40, 147. Adam Begin (Winslow) 36:43, 148. Sean Keough (Cumberland Center) 36:44, 149. Michael Trundy (Hebron) 35:47, 150. Randy Bartlett (Eliot) 36:47

151. Rob Smith (Cape Elizabeth) 36:48, 152. Thomas Ward (Winter Park, Fla.) 36:52, 153. Russell Wogan (South Portland) 36:56, 154. Rusty Dolleman (West Paris) 36:58, 155. Jim Ekedahl (Windham) 36:58, 156. Kimberly Saddic (Westchester, Pa.) 36:59, 157. Aaron Spaulding (Cape Elizabeth) 37:03, 158. Kevin Doyle (West Newfield) 37:01, 159. Todd Murphy (Oakland) 37:08, 160. Jeffrey Regelman (Columbia, Md.) 37:07, 161. Laurie Felt-Melni (Narragansett, R.I.) 37:09, 162. Ken Maggiore (South Berwick) 37:10, 164. Rose Prest-Morris (Limerick) 37:18, 165. Peter Cooley (Cape Elizabeth) 37:20, 166. Kelin Underwood (Alfred) 37:21, 167. Mark Will-Weber (Bethlehem, Pa.) 37:23, 168. Marc Jeton (Acton) 37:26, 169. Evan Daigneault (East Boothbay) 37:25, 170. David Belcher (Northfield, Mass.) 37:27, 171. Eric Singer (North Potomac, Md.) 37:29, 172. Michelle Sarney (Easton, Mass.) 37:32, 173. Michael Burns (Watertown, N.Y.) 37:31, 174. Roland Thibault (Westbrook) 37:30, 175. Mark Flinn (Warren, Vt.) 37:34

176. Will Lund (Falmouth) 37:35, 177. Parker Norse (Emmaus, Pa.) 37:37, 178. David Burns (Beverly, Mass.) 37:41, 179. Michael Hachey (Newcastle) 37:42, 180. Michael Pratico (Portland) 37:43, 181. James Kilburn (North Waterboro) 37:45, 182. Ross Cameron (Edgecomb) 37:45, 183. Dick Balentine (Hampden) 37:44, 184. Michael Grigware (Biddeford) 37:47, 185. Jeff Tidd (Biddeford) 37:47, 186. Gerard Conley Jr. (Portland) 37:49, 187. Jonathan Rundell (Scarborough) 37:55, 188. Gayla Underkoffle (Scarborough) 37:59, 189. Marc McDermott (Madawaska) 37:58, 190. Randy Spencer (North Berwick) 37:59, 191. Russell Acker (Orlando, Fla.) 38:00, 192. Rob Craig (Cumberland) 38:04, 193. Bill Reilly (Brownfield) 38:03, 194. Christopher McDon (Saco) 38:06, 195. William Newton (Falmouth) 38:06, 196. Thomas Bennett (Cumberland) 38:09, 197. Dick Graves (Portland) 38:08, 198. Stephen McLaughlin (Marlborough, Conn.) 38:08, 199. David Drew (Litchfield) 38:09, 200. Kevin Dow (Eddington) 38:10