The Virgin Islands Triathlon Federation hosted a holiday run on Sunday, Dec. 17, that attracted 45 runners — young and old — in two distances, the half marathon (13.1 miles) and the 5K (3.1 miles).
Although the weather did not cooperate completely for the Reindeer Run Half Marathon and 5K, runners were kept cool on the course by the on-and-off showers throughout the race, which started and finished at Cane Bay.
Billy Bohlke and Bridget Klein, last year’s half marathon winners, were the reigning champs at Sunday’s half marathon race as well. Bohlke finished the 13.1-mile run in a time of 1:32:31. Juan Robles, who has been racing against Bohlke for nearly two decades, abandoned the race after the first lap of the two-lap race. Klein was the second finisher overall in a time of 1:35:39. Stephen Swanton, VITF’s president, and Mollie Nadler were second in their respective categories; Paul Evora and Megan Mault, VITF’s vice president, took third.
In the 5K division, Good Hope Country Day School student Nathan Langley bested his time from 2022 by one minute and was first overall in a time of 19:26. Cole Cullinan, age 13, was second in 23:03 and Mike Messerschmidt was third in 24:50. Robin Seila was the first female, Savannah Logan was second and Louise Stapleton, VITF’s treasurer, was third.
The next running races on St. Croix will be the Three Kings Day ½-mile Children’s Race at 10 a.m., Jan. 5 and the Three King’s Day 1-Mile Adult Race at 10 a.m., Jan. 6. Both races will kick of the holiday parades in Frederiksted.
For more information on running events on St. Croix, go to https://vitrackandfield.com/events/
