30 runners complete Triple Crown Series

The 33rd Father’s Day 5K finished up a busy weekend of running in the resort area, with more than 300 runners racing from Zogg’s on Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth Beach. The weekend began Friday evening with the 19th Georgetown Library 5K with 70 participants. Matt Sparacino, 45, of Harrington got the win in 18:07. Recent Cape graduate, 17-year-old Katie “K” Kuhlman of Milton, won the female title in 22:30. Enos Benbow, 41, won the male masters in 20:01. Benbow has won the library event at least a half dozen times in his early racing years. Tanya Karaman of Smyrna won the female masters in 22:46.

The mini-series moved to Hudson Fields in Milton on Saturday for the inaugural 302 Uncorked 5K to kick off the 302 Uncorked Sangria Festival. A total of 60 runners and walkers made their way through the gravel white road that winds through the field like the yellow brick road. Masters runner Mike Sewell, 54, was first across the line in a time of 19:38, while a surprise on the female side saw 8-year-old Seashore Striders runner Ruby Leps of Lewes take the overall female title in 24:10.

Karaman again won the masters race in 24:23, while Ken Kessler of Seaford won the male masters in 20:49. Proceeds for the event were donated to Grassroots Rescue.

Sunday marked the final grand finale event, as the longtime Father’s Day 5K brought out 348 participants to Rehoboth Beach. One of the finest runners living in the area took the lead from the gun and never looked back, as Dylan Smiley averaged 4:57 per mile to take the win in 15:30. 

To put his race in perspective, Smiley was at the two-mile mark before over half the field reached the one-mile mark. An even crazier stat is that Smiley was finished and warming down before 26 competitors reached the mile mark.

Martin Rodriguez won the male masters title in 17:40, with a sixth-place finish, while the second- through fourth-place finishers all broke the 17-minute mark. Charles Joslyn of Boiling Springs, Pa., was second in 16:03, while accomplished Delaware runner Stephen Garrett of Hockessin was third in 16:41. James Anderson of Bethesda, Md., was fourth in 16:57. 

A very talented female field showed up for the event, with the top three female runners all familiar with winning many Striders titles. Only six places and 35 seconds separated the top three finishers, but it was 18-year-old Olivia Montini, a longtime competitor with the Striders, who broke away for the dominating win in 18:47. Dr. Eve Hoffman of Washington, D.C., was second in 19:08, while talented Natalie Lutz of Hockessin ran 19:22 for third place. Fourth place was also under the 20-minute mark, as young 16-year-old Katie Cottrill of West Union, W. Va., crossed the line in 19:56.

Some notable father/son combos include Casher and Chris Schellinger of Camden-Wyoming running 32:55, while Charles and Luke Hancock of Hummelstown, Pa., ran 33:40. Several mother/son and mother/daughter duos even got into the action, as Mary and Connor Black of Decatur, Ill., ran 34:51, while Jameson and Shelby Joslyn of Mount Holly Springs, Pa., ran 36:11. William and Theresa Stauffer of Georgetown ran 47:08.

The great thing about the Father’s Day 5K is that it brings out all ages, ability levels and so many families.  

Dave Reynolds Biathlon

The 32nd annual Dave Reynolds Biathlon is just around the corner, as the popular ocean swim and 5K run will take place at 8 a.m., Sunday, July 2 in Rehoboth beach. The race is named after the late Dave Reynolds, a longtime Rehoboth Beach Patrol guard. Participants will have the option to take part in the individual or team divisions (male, female co-ed, youth) in the race that will feature a half-mile swim followed by a 3.1-mile run. Proceeds will go toward the annual Dave Reynolds Scholarship. There will be no race-day registration, with a mandatory packet pick-up from 12 to 2 p.m., Saturday, July 1 at Grove Park. Wetsuits are allowed, but they cannot be left in the transition area due to limited space. Registration is open through 2 p.m., July 1. More race information can be found at seashorestriders.com.

Note- The second annual Youth Biathlon for kids 12 and under will be held just before the main event. We will gather the kids on the beach at Baltimore Avenue at 7:15 a.m. for a 7:20 start. The kids will go about 100 yards in the water (50 yards out and 50 yards back) followed by a 400-yard beach run (200 yards out and 200 yards back). There will be no entry fee for this event, but the athletes must still register online. No T-shirts, but medals to all finishers. Deadline for registration will be 2 p.m., Saturday, July 1, at the close of packet pick-up. 

High school nationals

Cape Henlopen junior Bailey Fletcher, competing unattached, jumped 13-feet-7-inches to finish 26th in the pole vault at the recent New Balance Nationals at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, home of the Penn Relays. The Cape sprint foursome finished 50th in the 400-meter relay in 43.21. Above Xpectations Track & Field Club, coached by Dontez Collins, had some strong performances, as Jazonte Levan, just a junior, finished fourth in the 200-meter dash in a blazing 20.95. Lavan was also 26th in the 100 meters in a time of 10.80. The Above Xpectations 400-meter relay team, made up of sprinters out of Sussex Central, finished 23rd in 42.24. Yougendy Mauricette was a DNF in the 400-meter hurdles, but finished 31st in the long jump with a leap of 22-1. Timothy Wright of Sussex Central jumped 22-0 for 35th. Upstate jumper/sprinter Juliana Balon jumped an impressive 20-3 in the long jump championship.