Striders Summer Series championships come down to final race

The 28th Seashore Strider Summer Racing Series will wrap up this weekend with the 10th annual Run for the Paws 5K in Dewey Beach, beginning at 8 a.m. The Starboard Restaurant will be the host, and registration will kick off at 6:30 a.m. Go to www.seashorestriders.com to get registered. Early packet pickup will be at Bluecoast Restaurant on Route 1 near Wawa and Jungle Jim’s beginning at 5 p.m., Friday, Aug. 3. All proceeds will benefit the Delaware SPCA.

With the summer series winding down, I thought I would take a look at how each age group is shaking out. Several age groups are coming down to the wire with this weekend’s race deciding several championship titles.

9 & under

On the female side, Maya Yngve is the only qualifier as she has completed six races for 13 points in the division. No male runners qualified in this division.

10-13

Olivia Montini, 13, has established herself as one of the finest individual racers, as she has won a few overall titles while completing seven races. First-year runner Lily Noonan needs a race to secure second place and should grab it this weekend.

Bennett Brumbley is the class of the age group and one of nine runners this summer who have only six points, the best point total one could have. Brumbley is also one of 13 runners this summer who is on his way to completing all 13 events in the summer series. 

14-19

D.J. Farren of Wilmington is the class of the age group and one of the most improved runners of the series. D.J. has completed six races and totaled 10 points in the series. No female runners qualified in this division.

20-24

On the female side, Rebekah Yanacek is the only qualifier in the series, as she has completed six races for 15 points. No male runners qualified in this division.

25-29

Alyssa Welsh is the class of the age group, as she has completed six races for 12 points. Karen Zubrowski should get her final qualifier race this weekend.

Jonathan Zubrowski is the lone qualifier at this point with a perfect score of six points; however, Brandon Lewandowski should get his final qualifier race this weekend and is sitting in second with 10 points. 

30-34

Cape phys ed teacher Constance Bean took the lead this week, as she qualified with 16 points; however, one of the finer runners in the series needs one race to qualify, as Kelly Tingle will move to the lead with a perfect six points.

Sean Chambers is the lone qualifier with 31 points, but here comes Francisco Puac, who needs one race to take the lead in the series.

35-39

A close battle right now as Eugenija King leads with 27 points, followed closely by Heather Marvin with 34. Tough runner Abby Andrews needs one race and should easily take the lead with less than 10 points. One of the favorites to win the series on the male side is Martin Rodriguez. He is in the lead with a perfect six points, as he has also completed all 12 races heading into the final race. 

40-44

Masters specialist Susan Dunn has a perfect six points, while Molly Sewell sits in second with 13 points. For the men, it is Irish Eyes runner John Blackford with an easy lead over Breck Vanderwende.

45-49

One of the closer races in the summer, as Jen Perry has run 11 races and is in the lead with 10 points, with a close second going to Becky Montini with 11 points. This age group could come down to this weekend’s event if Montini can put together her race of the summer.

On the men’s side, longtime runner Mike Sewell is in the lead with a perfect six points, only two points ahead of Chris Stanley with eight points.

50-54

The wire-to-wire age group with two of the finest in the series. Jackie Quigley ran one of her best races of the summer last week in Millsboro to win her age group and tie a tough Mardiny Ung in the series, each with seven points. Each runner has a two in their total points, so this means whoever wins the age group this weekend will capture the series. How exciting will that be at the finish line?

Paul Montini leads the age group with a perfect six points over Clyde John Yanacek in second and Chris Sinclair in third.

55-59

Lori Holdsworth (eight points) holds a tight one-point lead over Margaret Colvin (nine points) with Nina Smeltzer a distant third with 12 points. Things could get interesting in this age group if Colvin puts together her best race of the summer. 

Bill Holdsworth (seven points) is in the same situation with a one-point lead over longtime runner David Landis (eight points), with Tim Young a distant third with 12 points.

60-64

Jill Extract is the class of the age group and should not have trouble hanging onto the championship, while Brian Johnston leads the men with eight points as he will try to hold off a tough Ed Jordan who needs a race to qualify. Brian will have to win the age group to have a shot at topping Jordan for the series.

65-69

Mary Andrisani leads the age group with eight points; however, the win should go to Dianna Golden who should qualify this weekend and end up with a perfect six points. 

Rick Poppleton leads the men with six points over Rich Feinstein with nine points, and that is how the top should end up.

70-74

The class of the age group and possible the most impressive age-group runner in the series is JoAnn Szczepkowski with a perfect six points over Eileen Wimsatt and Georgette O’Cone.

Tim Abbott also has a perfect six points, as he leads Jules Woodall with 10 and Brian Logan with 16 points.

75-79

Sherri Wright is the lone qualifier in the age group and has enjoyed a fine season with a new state record and a perfect six points. Wild Bill leads Jack Noel by a 6-11 point margin. 

80+

Jamie Wollard is also the lone qualifier in the age group, as she has totaled six points for the season. For the men, it is state record holder Jack Huxtable leading the charge with six points over John Neal with 10 and Dr. Lee Masser with 11 points.