CAPE ELIZABETH — History was made Saturday at the TD Beach to Beacon 10K.

Sloppy, wet, soaking history.

For the first time in the 26-year history of the race, started by 1984 Olympic marathon gold medalist and Cape Elizabeth native Joan Benoit Samuelson, runners left the starting line as rain fell. On Friday night, with thunderstorms expected Saturday morning, organizers pushed the start back an hour. Still, it poured as wheelchair racers took off at 8:50 a.m., and the rain was still steady when the elite women’s field started 10 minutes later.

“If anything, it was just going to be a true race, and we weren’t going to worry about times,” said Susanna Sullivan of Reston, Virginia, who finished fourth in the women’s race. “It takes a little bit of the pressure off, too, when you know it’s just going to be a race and not a time trial.”

Making her Beach to Beacon debut, Kenya’s Faith Chepkoech, 21, won the women’s race in 32 minutes, 5 seconds – 12 seconds ahead of 44-year-old Edna Kiplagat (32:17), another Kenyan who placed fifth in last year’s race. Cintia Chepngeno, also of Kenya, was third (32:20), two seconds ahead of Sullivan, the top American finisher.

The men’s winner, Tadese Worku of Ethiopia, also made his Beach to Beacon debut. Worku, 22, won in 28:12, pulling away from runner-up Peter Mwaniki Aila (28:25) down the stretch. Mathew Kimeli, who won the Beach to Beacon in 2022, placed third (28:31). Biya Simbassa of Flagstaff, Arizona, was the top American male finisher, taking fourth in 28:34 for his third consecutive top-five finish.

The weather didn’t keep fans from cheering for runners along the course. Runners were serenaded by Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” at around the 2 1/2-mile mark. A mile later, runners were greeted by a bagpiper. Mile after mile, there were loud cheers for the 6,072 participants.

While spectators enjoyed themselves, the real entertainment was on the course. At the halfway point, a tight lead pack of 10 women were stride for stride. Standish native Emily Durgin shared the lead with Chepkoech, Kiplagat, Chepngeno, Natosha Rogers and Rachel Smith, a Sanford native.

As the group approached the entrance to Fort Williams Park, Chepkoech and Kiplagat, who placed third in the Boston Marathon in April, separated a bit from the pack. Saturday’s race was just the second in the United States for Chepkoech, who also won a 10K road race in Spain in February with a personal best time of 29:50.

“It was not easy, but as we were approaching 9 kilometers, I said let me push a little bit,” Chepoech said of her effort.

It was only near the finish, when the runners were on wet grass, that the rain began to make things more difficult, Sullivan said.

“I did a spectacular slide with about 250, 300 meters to go. Which I was a little bummed about, because I kind of felt like I had a little bit more in me. But I’m still happy with how it went,” she said. “I was surprised I was in it as late as I was.”

In the men’s race, Worku and Aila were battling for the lead at the halfway point. The leaders started to make their push approximately 4 kilometers in, Kimeli said.

“I was a little bit slow, but at 8 kilometers, they pulled away,” Kimeli said. “I’m happy with the result.”

Faith Chepkoech takes the lead as the women’s elite group turns onto Old Ocean House Road during the Beach to Beacon 10K road race in Cape Elizabeth on Saturday. Chepkoech won with a time of 32:05. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

Not until the final stretch was Worku able to put space between himself and Aila. Worku is ranked No. 21 in the world in the 10,000 meters. The win continued a strong season for Worku, who finished third in the 5,000 at the FBK games in the Netherlands a month ago and sixth in the 10K at the Ethiopian trials in June.

“It was very good. I’m very happy today,” Worku said.

Worku and Chepkoech earned $10,000 for their victories.

The top Maine finishers were Luke Marsanskis of Cumberland on the men’s side and Veronica Graziano of Falmouth among the women. Marsanskis, 23, ran the course in 29:12, to finish with a 2:12 cushion over runner-up Ryan Jara of Gorham (31:24). The Maine women’s race was tighter, with Graziano, 37, finishing in 35:51, 11 seconds ahead of Alexis Wilbert of Cumberland. Ruth White, a recent graduate of Orono High and the Maine women’s winner last year, placed third (36:06).

The men’s wheelchair race went to Jeyna Senbeta, 37, of Chicago, in 24:40. Hannah Babalola, 35, also of Chicago, won the women’s wheelchair division in 29:43.

Saturday’s oldest finisher was 92-year old Charlene Hagen of South Portland, who completed the course in 1:47.50.