Sixteen-year-old Chaminade High School speedster Will Slattery of Garden City, who was the third place finisher in the 2008 Sands Point Sprint for the Feinstein Institute, outduelled Terence McElhatton this year to score a big win in the record breaking Sands Point Run on August 15.
Tops among the women was Karen Pompay, also a resident of Garden City, who reprised her finish as the first place woman in the Heart & Sole 5K in July with another convincing victory in Sands Point. 350 runners and walkers were recorded as crossing the finish line overlooking Long Island Sound. The amazing Joan Gerold continued her outstanding season, scoring as the second woman OA at age 60.
Other Garden City residents winning awards at the Sands Point Preserve were Bradie Ann Dwyer, 1st finisher among the women in the 20-24 age group, Thomas Slattery, 3rd in the 14 and under Age Group, Kristina O’Leary, 3rd woman 35-39 Age Group, Eileen Dwyer, 3rd woman 45-49 Age Group, and Kevin O’Leary, 1st Clydesdale Weight Division.
Race Director Abe Bernstein of the host Greater Long Island Running Club went all out to ensure the success of this event, as his way of saying “thank you” to the good people from North Shore-LIJ’s Feinstein Institute who got him back on his feet and back on the roads and track after a bout with lymphoma. Genentech (“In Business for Life”) signed on as a most generous sponsor this year, and their support was most welcome.
Special thanks go to the “Friends of the Sands Point Preserve” for making the beautiful Sands Point facility available to us, to Preserve Manager Gary Haglich for his enthusiastic cooperation, and to Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink and North Hempstead Town Clerk Leslie Gross for being on hand to show their support for the event. Leslie successfully completed the course in 47:14. Way to go!
This is not a “PR course.” The trail in the third mile is not easy to navigate and the hill leading up from the trail is particularly nasty!
This is also not an easy event to stage. Mindy Davidson, who has devoted so much time to major Club events this summer, extended herself still one more time to put together the volunteer effort that ensure the smooth running of the event, J.P. Latkovic of TriandDuIt Multisport did his usual competent job with the timing and scoring, Fred von der Heydt put in an incredible effort to making the logistics seem easy, Linda Ottaviano once again made sure that the office logistics and registration went smoothly, and Terry Bisogno once again excelled as the Announcer. Thanks go to everyone!
Donations to the Feinstein Institute are still most welcome – and can be sent c/o Abe Bernstein, 54 Trumbull Road, Manhasset, NY 11030.
