Pierpoint ran 19:37, but the Mountain View runner was a slim two seconds behind English in the race for the finish gate.

A year later, the pace was a bit slower in the 4-mile run from Saratoga to Los Gatos, but the results were much better—at least, as far as Pierpoint was concerned. He covered the course in 20:04.2 to win the 26th annual Great Race.

The finish was nearly as close as it was a year ago, when English and Pierpoint put on a mad sprint down Santa Cruz Avenue to the finish line. Pierpoint finished more than 44 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Chris O'Neal (20:48.4). Lenin Zapata (20:59.1) finished third.

Rounding out the top 10 overall were Michael Clem (21:07.8), fourth; Josh Small (21:14.3), fifth; Nicholas Fill (21:26.8), sixth; William Kraemer (21:33.1), seventh; Alan Jackson (21:39.0), eighth; Justin Chaudoin (22:00.0), ninth; and Steve Ware (22:00.7), 10th. Jackson was the first Los Gatos finisher.

There was a similar story for Becky Gibbs Lavelle. The 28-year-old runner from San Jose was second among the women in the 2002 Great Race, finishing 12 seconds behind champion Susan Dahm.

But this year it was Lavelle winning it all, and in impressive fashion. Lavelle ran 22:42.4, 10 seconds off her second-place time of a year ago but almost 30 seconds ahead of runner-up Maria Trujillo (23:11.5). Gina Kehr (23:50.8) was third.

Former Westmont High School star Lisa Renteria was the first Los Gatos female finisher, running 23:54.6 for fourth.

Rounding out the top 10 overall women's finishers were McKayla Plank (23:59.7), fifth; Stephanie Hovancik (24:07.1), sixth; Dina Farage (24:30.0), seventh; Lauren Trent (25:22.9), eighth; Honor Fetherston of Los Gatos (25:40.9), ninth; and Marisa Daniel (26:13.7), 10th.

No one from Los Gatos won an individual crown, though six Gatos runners finished second in their divisions.

Gatos runners finishing second were Brantley Rideau (boys 13 and under), Stephanie Petrillo (girls 13 and under), Matthew Petrillo (boys 14­18), Renteria (women's 19-29), Norman Saucedo (men's 60­69), and William Cilker (men's 80-99). Cilker, 84, was the oldest finisher in the race.

Top 10 overall

1—Kevin Pierpoint, Mountain View, 20:04.2

2—Chris O'Neal, 20:48.4

3—Lenin Zapata, 20:59.1

4—Michael Clem, 21:07.8

5—Josh Small, 21:14.3

6—Nicholas Fill, 21:26.8

7—William Kraemer, 21:33.1

8—Alan Jackson, Los Gatos, 21:39.0

9—Justin Chaudoin, San Jose, 22:00.0

10—Steve Ware, 22:00.7

Top 10 women

1—Becky Gibbs Lavelle, San Jose, 22:42.4

2—Maria Trujillo, 23:11.5

3—Gina Kehr, Redwood City, 23:50.8

4—Lisa Renteria, Los Gatos, 23:54.6

5—McKayla Plank, Mountain View, 23:59.7

6—Stephanie Hovancik, Santa Clara, 24:07.1

7—Dina Farage, San Jose, 24:30.0

8—Lauren Trent, 25:22.9

9—Honor Fetherston, Los Gatos, 25:40.9

10—Marisa Daniel, Cupertino, 26:13.7

Girls, 13 and under

1—Katie Nast, Saratoga, 27:14.7

2—Stephanie Petrillo, Los Gatos, 29:54.9

3—Katie Peterson, 30:00.3

4—Julia Hobbs, Saratoga, 31:38.4

5—Kelsey Byrd, Saratoga, 31:18.4

Boys, 13 and under

1—Marcos Gaeta, 26:24.5

2—Brantley Rideau, Los Gatos, 26:27.7

3—Johnway Yih, Cupertino, 27:02.3

4—Brian Dunlay, 27:03.6

5—Jaime Eldredge, Los Gatos, 27:23.9

Girls, 14­18

1—McKayla Plank, Mountain View, 23:59.7

2—Alexandra Greco, Cupertino, 29:45.5

3—Kristy Barker, Los Gatos, 31:03.4

4—Nicole Justice, 32:00.4

5—Roxanna Safipour, Saratoga, 32:06.3

Boys, 14­18

1—Nick Marini, 22:21.6

2—Matthew Petrillo, Los Gatos, 22:45.4

3—William Hourigan, 22:59.8

4—Andrew Verbruggo, 23:33.5

5—Mark Herrera, 23:51.7

Women, 19­29

1—Becky Gibbs Lavelle, San Jose, 22:42.4

2—Lisa Renteria, Los Gatos, 23:54.6

3—Stephanie Hovancik, Santa Clara, 24:07.1

4—Marisa Daniel, Cupertino, 26:13.7

5—Danielle Zelinski, San Jose, 26:17.6

Men, 19­29

1—Kevin Pierpoint, Mountain View, 20:04.2

2— Chris O'Neal, 20:48.4

3—Lenin Zapata, 20:59.1

4—Josh Small, 21:14.3

5—Nicholas Fill, 21:26.8

Women, 30­39

1—Gina Kehr, Redwood City, 23:50.8

2—Dina Farage, San Jose, 24:30.0

3—Sue Currie, Campbell, 27:22.1

4—Debbie Leale, 27:48.9

5—Kelly Emo, Campbell, 27:58.0

Men, 30­39

1—Steve Ware, 22:00.7

2—Michael Matthews, 22:13.7

3—Dave Leroy, Los Gatos, 22:27.4

4—Scott Zavack, 22:36.9

5—Scott Bang, San Jose, 22:38.3

Women, 40­49

1—Maria Trujillo, 23:11.5

2—Lauren Trent, 25:22.9

3—Honor Fetherston, Los Gatos, 25:40.9

4—Ms. Vanry, 26:24.6

5—Elizabeth Nast, Saratoga, 27:13.4

Men, 40­49

1—Michael Klem, Los Gatos, 21:07.8

2—Jim Angelopouplous, San Jose, 22:25.2

3—Alistair Murray, Palo Alto, 22:51.0

4—Alex Gurza, San Jose, 23:06.7

5—John Martin, 23:11.3

Women, 50­59

1—Sue Francis, Sunnyvale, 26:48.8

2—Terri LaFollette, Scotts Valley, 31:17.1

3—Susan Scigliano, 31:32.3

4—Dorothy Compeau, San Jose, 32:34.8

5—Molly Fumia, Los Gatos, 33:07.7

Men, 50­59

1—Jim Bordoni, Los Altos, 22:50.5

2—Bill Shawhan, 23:49.0

3—Bob Anderson, 23:57.2

4—Bo Bochantin, Los Gatos, 24:59.0

5—Bill Bengiveno, San Jose, 25:55.6

Women, 60­69

1—Diane Bromstead, San Jose, 36:58.2

2—Barbara Robben, Berkeley, 37:54.2

3—Donna Chiala, Los Gatos, 39:19.7

4—Martha Burton, Modesto, 41:55.3

5—Sandy McGaughey, 43:49.5

Men, 60-69

1—Ronald Oberlarcher, Campbell, 25:28.1

2—Norman Saucedo, Los Gatos, 27:04.7

3—James Cochrane, 28:03.0

4—Ray Taylor, Saratoga, 29:10.6

5—Jim Hamm, 29:16.3

Women, 70­79

1—Joy Johnson, San Jose, 37:51.3

2—Etta Palmer, Saratoga, 50:41.3

Men, 70­79

1—Dan Tellep, Saratoga, 35:25.5

2—Al Kanady, 38:32.3

3—Cal Morris, Los Gatos, 40:29.7

4—John Bromstead, San Jose, 40:44.4

5—Don McCleve, 40:59.7

Men, 80­99

1—Stan DeMartinis, Saratoga, 41:57.3

2—William Cilker, Los Gatos, 1:00.43.2