Big weekend of racing in the Cape Region

The fall is a busy time of the year in the Cape Region for running and racing, with events every Saturday and Sunday through October, making it a hotbed for racing if you’re looking to toe the line. Great courses, great charities, and super post-race celebrations are attached to the events, which make them all very popular to pick and choose from.

The triathlon season is also in full swing as the area just hosted the two popular tri events - the 21st Dewey Beach Sprint in Dewey and the First Responders in Bethany. 

Joseph Capen of Millsboro won the overall male title at the Dewey event in 1:05:53, while Heather Leiggi of Milton won the overall female title in 1:08:08. There were 500 individual finishers outside of relay teams that completed the race.

More than 700 athletes took part in the Bethany Beach First Responders Tri-Du-Aquabike Sept. 23. Willard Sauer of Robesonia, Pa., and Lisa Reichmann of Gaithersburg, Md., captured the duathlon division. Tom Jordan from Lancaster, Pa., won the aquabike, with Stephanie Rosenberg of Avondale, Pa., winning on the female side. Isaac Fulkerson of Westminster, Md., and Isabelle Erb of New Windsor, Md., won the new 5K division. Brandon Dombrowski of Hockessin won the featured triathlon division in 1:30:15, while Brooke Kessler of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., won the female triathlon division in 1:34:29.

Results of the Bethany Triathlon can be found at focusmultisports.com, while results of the Dewey Triathlon can be found at deweybeachtriathlon.com. 

Dogfish invades Milton

More than 3,100 athletes entered the 12th annual Dogfish Dash, an off-centered 8K event through the streets of Milton, attracting runners and walkers from states all through the country. On race day, the number was about 2,500 taking part in the race, which raised money for the featured charity, The Nature Conservancy. A check for $145,000 was presented to the charity at the award ceremony. It took 18 minutes for all participants to cross the starting line. When the last person crossed the starting line, the leaders were already past the three-mile mark in the race.

Up front it was Sean Caskey of Dundalk, Md., capturing the overall title in a time of 27:32. Local Austen Cave, a high schooler out of Delmar, ran 27:46 for a personal best for second. Cave led the race through 4.6 miles. Marina Orrson of Shavertown, Pa., won the overall female title in 28:25, while Emily Ritter of Millsboro was second in 30:17.  The race presented Dogfish bottle openers to the age-group winners. Participants received swag bags that included a Dogfish water bottle, canteen, and T-shirt. The dash has become one of the largest races in the state of Delaware, and the Milton Police, Milton Fire Police, DelDOT, and all the other agencies that work all morning to put together a safe race should be commended.

Cape Quad Meet

The Cape cross country team hosted a quad meet at the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment Sept. 27, with Cape sophomore Olivia Brozefsky leading her team in 22:28 for the individual win. Cape’s Greg Boyce won the boys’ race in 17:38. Sussex Tech girls beat the Vikings 27-29 for a close girls’ team race, while the Vikings topped the Ravens in the boys’ team race 27-30. It was the first time the Vikings have beaten the Ravens in a dual meet since back around 2005.

Cape’s boys also beat Milford 17-42 and topped Polytech 23-33. Aside from the loss to Tech, the Cape girls’ team beat Milford 19-44 and Polytech 21-37. This Saturday, Sept. 30, Cape will travel to the Broadwater Invitational in Virginia for the first time.

DIRM 5K Run

DIRM is dashing to the lead of gynecologic cancer awareness by hosting the DIRM Dash H2O 5K in Lewes Sunday, Oct. 1. All proceeds from the race will be donated to the Foundation for Women's Cancer in honor of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month.

Race-day registration will be from 8 to 8:45 a.m., and bib pickup at 148 Anglers Road (intersection of Anglers and East Market). The 9 a.m. race will start at the corner of Anglers Road and East Market Street. 

Join the post-race party from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Irish Eyes Pub. Show your race bib at the door for entry. All runners will receive a ticket for either a bar drink or a 2 Dips ice cream treat. Have a guest with you? Not a problem. All guests may join the after party for a donation at the door (suggested donation is $5). The event will be a production of Fusion Fitness. Visit fusionracetiming.com for more information.