5K Race Remembers Frontier's Walter Rhulen

By Rob Potter
ROCK HILL — June 20, 2000 -- Nearly 500 runners challenged the course at the eighth annual Walter A. Rhulen Memorial Rhulen Rock Hill Run & Ramble Saturday morning.
And for the second straight year, Michael Slinskey of Chelsea, New York set the pace of the Run & Ramble. Slinskey won Saturday’s race in a time of 15:02, which beat his 1999 winning time of 15:05.
For the second year in a row, Slinskey not only captured first place, but set a new course record in the process.
“I’m just happy I could defend my title,” Slinskey said as he cooled off moments after completing the scenic 5K run around Lake Louise Marie. “ I’m surprised I broke my own record. I didn’t think I did that well.”
Slinskey added that he stuck with eventual second place finisher Said Diri for a portion of the race.
“I stayed with him the first two miles, then I just surged [ahead],” he said. “[Diri] really pushed me though. I’m glad I came out on top.”
Diri, who resides in Kissimmee, Florida, finished just a second behind Slinskey. The pair were well ahead of third place runner Ramzi Benhelhat of Patterson, NJ. Benhelhat ran the course in 15:47.
Katie Baloga of Cornwall won the women’s division, completing the race in a time of 17:29. Jean Velasquez of Pine Bush took the second place medal with a time of 19:04.
Barbara Sessa of Slate Hill finished in 19:22 to earn third place among the women runners.
In addition to the medals, the first place winners received a cash prize of $300, second place winners $200 and the third place winners $100 each.
Race chairman Suzanne Rhulen Loughlin was pleased to see so many people running in and supporting the race.
“To have almost 500 runners is very exciting,” Loughlin said. “We’re starting to attract many of the really elite runners in the area.”
Following the race, many runners and their family members remained for a lunch buffet, live music by New Frontier and Kidstock Productions, blood pressure and other health screenings and games for children.
Loughlin noted that the race had raised $40,000. That sum will be donated on a equal basis to the American Heart Association and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America.
(The Rock Hill Run and Ramble, presented by Frontier Insurance Group, Inc. with the sponsorship assistance of dozens of area businesses, is in memory of Walter A. Rhulen. Rhulen, a dedicated runner, humanitarian and founder of Frontier Insurance, died in 1998 following a bout with leukemia.)
The top 25 finishers in the race, with Sullivan County residents in bold type, included:
1. Mike Slinskey, Chelsea, NY 15:02; 2. Said Diri, Kissimmee, FL 15:03; 3. Ramzi Benhelhat, Patterson, NJ 15:47; 4. Joe Straub, Chester 16:16; 5. Calvin Waterton, Monticello 17:04; 6. Raymond Revell, Campbell Hall 17:08; 7. Gary Byrnes, Newburgh 17:11; 8. Baogma Abidi, Kingston 17:22; 9. Tom Manza, Rock Hill 17:26; 10. Robert Bowen, Goshen 17:28; 11. Katie Baloga, Cornwall 17:29; 12. Frank Colella, Campbell Hall 17:43; 13. Andy Vogel, East Hanover, NJ 17:49; 14. Matt Manzi, Parksville 17:57; 15. William Chawner, Pine Bush 18:04; 16. Brian Kurta, Rock Hill 18:16; 17. Keith Downing, Middletown 18:24; 18. Erick Sellstrom, Liberty 18:28; 19. Danny Brennan, New Paltz 18:36; 20. Scott Gleeson, Thompson Ridge, NY 18:38; 21. Tim Clancy, Pine Bush 18:49; 22. Ron Kravs, Montgomery 18:50; 23. Nick DiMarzo, Cornwall 18:59; 24. Bill Norton, Wurtsboro 19.01; 25. Unknown, 19:03.
Age Group Results
Males 1 to 10
1. Zachary Grieb, Goshen 23:45; 2. Jesse Jay Ierardi, New York City 25:29; 3. Brendan Briggs, South Fallsburg 28:15.
Males 11 to 15
1. Matt Manzi, Parksville 17:57; 2. Juan Scali, Slate Hill 19:51; 3. Brandon Roberts, Bloomingburg 20:08.
Males 16 to 19
1. Brian Kurta, Rock Hill 18:16; 2. Scott Gleeson, Thompson Ridge, NY 18:38; 3. Kristopher Myers, New Hampton 20:05.
Males 20-29
1. Calvin Waterton, Monticello 17:04; 2. Ray Revell, Campbell Hall 17:08, 3. Baogma Abidi, Kingston 17:26.
Males 30-39
1. Joe Straub, Chester 16:16; 2. Robert Bowen, Goshen 17:28; 3. Keith Downing, Middletown 18:24.
Males 40-49
1. Gary Byrnes. Newburgh 17:11; 2. Tom Manza, Rock Hill 17:26; 3. Frank Colella, Campbell Hall 17:43.
Males 50-59
1. William Chawner, Pine Bush 18:04; 2. Bistek Rirura, Monticello 19:16; 3. Richard Adams, Fort Lee, NJ 19:46.
Males 60-69
1. Herb Waterman, Middletown 22:46; 2. James Dugan, Cornwall 26:09; 3. Jim Barry, Blooming Grove 26:12.
Males 70+
1. Al Manzi, Montgomery 29:48; 2. Nick Petraglia, Goshen 33:33; 3. Bernard Milch, Rock Hill 36:22.
Females1-10
1. Darian Niforatos, Rock Hill 26:23; 2. Kayla Scannell, Mongaup valley 37:01; 3. Kylie Halperin, Monticello 43:07.
Females 11-15
1. Michelle Manzi, Parksville 21:20; 2. Kristin Clark, Blooming Grove 22:50; 3. Kayla Muth, Galilee, Pa. 25:06.
Females 16-19
1. Katherine Chauner, Pine Bush 22:54; 2. Clarissa Waterton, Monticello 28:07; 3. Rebecca Rielly, Greenfield Park 32:47.
Females 20-29
1. Heidi Everett, Warwick 21:39; 2. Michelle Henn, Port Jervis 23:05; 3. Elena Knight, Grahamsville 24:02.
Females 30-39
1. Suzanne LaBurt, Monroe 20:03; 2. Susan Gorgorian, Walden 21:45; 3. Michele Fields, Middletown 22:36.
Females 40-49
1. Kathy Davis, Middletown 22:54; 2. Deanna Sather, Warwick 23:08; 3. Annette Burke, Goshen 23:23.
Females 50-59
1. Benita Auge, New Windsor 25:44; 2. Deborah Connolly, Monticello 26:42; 3. Carol McManus, Warwick 27:16.
Females 60-69
1. Ardyce Haring, Woodridge 36:30; 2. Mary Heinle, White Sulphur Springs 42:30; 3. Eileen Falk, Narrowsburg 48:45.
Females 70+
1. Edith Farias, Salisbury Mills 31:28; 2. May Nishman, Woodridge 36:37; 3. Frieda Smith, Montgomery 50:38.