OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 05/27/12 -- With a time of 27:41, 30-year-old Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai led a talented field of elite racers across the finish line of the 10K distance in this evening's Tamarack Homes Ottawa Race Weekend.

Mutai did not break the 27:24 course record set in 2009 by Deriba Merga of Ethiopia.

American Lindsey Scherf, 25, led an international field across the finish line in a time of 33:12. Close behind her was Alemitu Abera and Alemtsehay Misganaw, both of Ethiopia, who finished in 33:35 and 33:39 respectively.

First Canadian man to finish was Eric Gillis - with a time of 30:18. Gillis made Ottawa one of his stops on the way to the Olympics Summer Games in London, where he has earned a spot on the Canadian marathon team.

Rhiannon Johns, 21, of Sault Ste. Marie, was the first Canadian woman to cross the finish line - in 34:45. Placing sixth overall, she led four Canadian women in the top 10 category.

In the master's category (over 40), Steve Boyd, 40, of Kingston, finished with 32:21, while Thornhill's Lioudmila Kortchaguina, 40, posted a time of 35:47.

Weather conditions were favourable for the record 10,691 10K runners and the crowds who cheered them on in the city's downtown core. Earlier, 9,587 participated in the 5K race and 3,343 in a 2K distance. About 42,000 in total will participate in the seven races organized over the two day Race Weekend.

Top 10 Men

1.  Geoffrey Mutai           27:41.4             Kenya
2.  Mohamed El Hachimi       28:25.8             Morocco
3.  Simon Ndirangu           28:37.3             Kenya
4.  Tadese Tola              29:00.4             Ethiopia
5.  Hafid Chani              29:18.0             Morocco
6.  Benson Cheruiyot         29:28.9             Kenya
7.  Samuel Ndereba           29:31.6             Kenya
8.  Milton Rotich            29:53.1             Kenya
9.  Gezahegne Eshetu         30:18.7             Ethiopia
10. Eric Gillis              30:18.8             Canada

Top 10 Women

1.  Lindsey Scherf                33:12.8             USA
2.  Alemitu Abera                 33:35.1             Ethiopia
3.  Alemtsehay Misganaw           33:39.3             Ethiopia
4.  Samira Raif                   33:45.0             Morocco
5.  Hellen Jemutai                34:21.5             Kenya
6.  Rhiannon Johns                34:45.1             Canada
7.  Krista Duchene                34:02.0             Canada
8.  Natasha Fraser                35:34.1             Canada
9.  Lioudmilla Kortchaguina       35:47.7             Canada
10. Kathleen Buset                38:09.1             Canada

About the Tamarack Homes Ottawa Race Weekend

The 2012 edition of the Ottawa Race Weekend welcomed close to 42,000 participants in seven races, including the marathon, the half-marathon, the 10K, 5K, family 2K and Y Kids marathon. The Ottawa Marathon and Ottawa 10K are both designated Silver Label IAAF events by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF). Run Ottawa, the organization behind the Ottawa Race Weekend, is run by a volunteer Board of Directors, and is dedicated to promoting the sport of running and enhancing the health and well-being of our community by organizing distinctive world-class and local races, and managing an active, membership-based running club.