The 10th annual Shelter Island Fall 5K Run and 5K Walk last Saturday raised money for the North and South Fork Breast Health Coalitions and Lucia’s Angels, an organization assisting those on the east end suffering from late-stage women’s cancers.
It also proved to be a perfect send-off for Janelle Kraus on her wedding day, the former Lady Indian standout, NCAA track and field All-American and Olympic hopeful asking her friends and family to pick up their pace.
Joining Kraus, now a teacher in Croton-on-Hudson, were world-class competitors Roisin McGettigan, Marie Davenport and Amy Mortimer.
McGettigan, a member of Ireland’s 2008 Olympic team and a internationally-known steeplechase athlete, was the first female finisher, coming in 18 minutes, 11 seconds, a pace just under six minutes a mile. Davenport was the second woman finisher at 18:16, while Mortimer was the fifth, at 21:12, and the bride seventh, at 21:32.
Lauren Laviola of Southampton was the highest placing local female runner, coming in after McGettigan and Davenport at 20:36.
The overall winner was Bryan Knipfing, of Sound Beach, at 16:44, a 5:24 pace. Ken Rideout, of Manhattan, was second overall, at 17:39.
Other notable local finishers were Jorge Flores, of East Hampton, who was seventh overall, at 18:24. Pierson’s Kyle Fletcher came in eighth, at 19:11, taking the medal for his 16-to-19 age bracket.
Shelter Island Height’s Benjamin Segal, was ninth, at 19:21, just ahead of fellow islander, Kevin Barry, who was tenth, at 19:28.
The Whalers’ cross-country team was also well represented by Peter Skerys, who took the under-15 age bracket, at 20:45, placing seventeenth overall. His teammates, Brendan Sheil and Jeremy Pepper, came in at 21:59 and 22:16 respectively.
