Nearly 200 runners are expected for the second annual Gasparilla Island 4-Mile Fun Run & Walk at 7:30 a.m. Saturday starting at the Boca Grande Community Center.
Race favorite Ricardo Lomas of Venice lived up to his billing last year winning the first Gasparilla Island 4-Mile Run & Fun Walk in a time of 23:55.
The top Boca Grande finisher was Paul Ray who won the men's 30-34-year-old division in a time of 30:15.
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Nearly 200 runners are expected for the second annual Gasparilla Island 4-Mile Fun Run & Walk at 7:30 a.m. Saturday starting at the Boca Grande Community Center.
Richard Golden of Grove City, the No. 2-ranked marathon grandmaster in the state, finished second in a time of 23:34.
Astrid Gilbert of North Port was the first female to finish in a time of 29:27.
Tyler Pachter, 11, of Venice was the fastest youngster, and 10-year-old Sheralyn Hibbins of North Port was the fastest young female.
Fact Box
Race monitors requested
The Boca Grande Community Center needs volunteers to help with the Gasparilla Island 4-Mile Run & Fun Walk Saturday.
Volunteers are needed from 6:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to direct runners throughout the course. No experience necessary, just provide encouragement and point runners in the correct direction. To help make the race a success, call Joe Wier or Bob Green at 964-2564.
The Boca Grande Community Center also asks the community to share the road with runners and walkers on the morning of the run, which starts at 7:30 a.m. on Gilchrist Avenue just south of Banyan Street and heads north. Runners will make a right on Fifth Street, left onto the bike path and turn into Boca Grande Isles to the northern tip of the island. Runners will return nearly the same route back to the finish line on Banyan Street.
The Lee County Parks & Recreation race under organizer Robert Green replaced the island 5K and 10K last year.
The 4-mile Fun Run & Walk starts in the historic district on palm tree-lined Gilchrist Avenue, travels the bike path to a private tropical island and returns the same route back to a finish under the banyan trees on famous Banyan Street.
Awards are given to the first-, second- and third-place male and female winners in each age division: 9-under, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-plus and wheelchair. Special awards will be given for the male and female overall, master (40-plus), grandmaster (50-plus), senior grandmaster (60-plus) and veteran master (70-plus) winners.
Full race results will be published in next week's Gasparilla Gazette as available.
Registration costs $20 for 19 and older and $15 to 18 and under. Day of race registration costs $25 for all ages from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.
