Hard work paid off for local athletes Christine Grippo of Locust Valley, Kelly Pickard of Oyster Bay, Bernadette Winnubst of Locust Valley, Steven Quigley of Bayville, Catherine Soler of Oyster Bay, Maria Elinger of Oyster Bay, and Armand D’Amato of Oyster Bay Cove, each of whom won awards in a field of some of the best triathletes from all of Long Island and beyond in the 27th annual Runner’s Edge – Town of Oyster Bay Triathlon, held in and around Oyster Bay’s Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park on Saturday morning, Aug. 23.
Grippo earned top honors in the women’s 30-34 age group with a time of 1 hour, 17 minutes, 36 seconds. Pickard (1:17:39) scored first among the women in the 35-39 age group. Winnubst scored in 1:38:48 to earn third place honors in the Masters Athena Weight Division. Quigley earned the second place award in the Masters Clydesdale Weight Division in 1:23:23. Soler (1:29:12) scored 5th among the women in the 20-24 age group. Ehlinger (1:39:23) was the 4th place award winner in the women’s 55-59 age group. D’Amato (1:42:44) earned top honors in the 70-74 age group.
The following local youngsters, ages 8-13, successfully completed the Runner’s Edge-Town of Oyster Bay Junior Triathlon the following day: Oyster Bay residents Michel Ramirez, Sean O’Toole, Vimala Alagappan, Colin O’Toole, Uma Alagappan, Tucker Johnson, Brianna Baugh, Richard Baugh and Brendan O’Brien; Bayville residents Colby Santoro, Miklos Argyelan, Virag Argyelan, Erica Scheblein, Louis Achilles, Ryan Maselli, Christian Maselli and Maria Solomou; Locust Valley residents Giavanna Villella, Ryan Sylvester, Taylor Fitzgerald and Mary Fitzgerald; Elisia Gallo and Olivia Gallo of Mill Neck; and Isabella Colby of Cove Neck.
Each of the young athletes earned a finishers medal by completing the 200 yard swim, 2.5 mile bike ride and 1 mile run, all within the confines of Roosevelt Park.
The triathlon was once again conducted under the auspices of the Town of Oyster Bay, with TOBAY Recreation Supervisor Diane Ramos serving as the town’s coordinator for the event. Event management was provided by the Greater Long Island Running Club, led by event directors Ray Farrell and Jose Lopez and event coordinators Mindy Davidson and Linda Ottaviano.
On hand to lend their support to the athletes were Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker, Town of Oyster Bay Councilwoman Michelle Johnson, Oyster Bay Town Clerk Jim Altadonna, and New York State Assemblyman Michael Montesano.
The main charitable beneficiary of the triathlon is the Life Enrichment Center at Oyster Bay. Other portions of the proceeds go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the fight against blood cancers, and the Gerald Kaufman Memorial Fund, dedicated to providing assistance to Long Island runners and multisport athletes in times of sudden financial need. This year’s event was once again dedicated to Gerald’s memory.
