On the cloudless and beautiful second day of August, more than 400 racers gathered at the Farm Institute in Katama to participate in the 23rd annual Scoops 5K Run/Walk. Prior to the start of the main race, two dozen kids participated in the Fun Run, a half-mile loop around the Farm Institute. For their efforts, they were treated to Popsicles after they finished.
Summer visitor Ben Gersch, 17, from Bethesda, Md., finished first, even after he made a wrong turn on the course, in 18.08 minutes.
Vineyard Haven resident Rene Da Silva finished second. Bonnie Kingsbury of Edgartown was the first woman to finish, with a time of 21:33, and placed 18th overall.
The race raised $6,301. The proceeds will be used to assist Women Empowered, Martha’s Vineyard Skating Club, an anonymous cancer survivor, and the Farm Institute, and to help provide camp scholarships to Island children.
The course began at the Farm Institute and continued down a bike path and Edgartown Bay Road before looping around Katama Road and finishing at the starting line.
Longtime race organizer Kathy O’Sullivan said this was her last turn around the track. She will turn the reins over to the Amity Island Running Club for the 2016 Scoops 5K.
Ms. O’Sullivan, a leading organizer of the race over the course of its 23-year history, became emotional at Saturday’s event: “It’s very hard, a very emotional day for me. It’s hard to let go, especially people thanking me [for a great race]. It made me feel so full of love.”
The top 10 finishers were: 1) Ben Gersch, 17, Bethesda, Md., 18:08; 2) Rene Da Silva, 29, Vineyard Haven, 18:22; 3) Om Kanwar, 18, Wilmette, Ill., 18:48; 4) Ryan Eville, 16, Readington, N.J., 19:05; 5) Alex Sugarman, 18, Livingston, N.J., 19:37; 6) Jimmy Daly, 29, Olney, Md., 19:39; 7) Wil Mason, 22, Newton, 19:49; 8) Brian Hayes, 51, Boston, 20:01; 9) Dominique Gilliron, 43, Chateauguay, Quebec, 20:04; 10) Steve Eick, 51, New York City, 20:15.
