By Rob Potter
ROCK HILL — Some new records were set last Saturday at the 16th annual Rhulen Rock Hill Run and Ramble 5K.
The first new record established was for the number of participants as a total of 746 runners and walkers completed the scenic 5K trip around Lake Louise Marie.
The next record was for the winning time as Gilbert Kiptoo of Danbury, Conn. won the race with an outstanding time of 14 minutes, 55 seconds. Kiptoo broke the previous course record of 15:06 by 11 seconds.
Kassahun Kabiso of the Bronx finished second in 15:04 and Paul Mwangi of Danbury, Conn. was third in 15:12.
Claudia Camargo of Danbury, Conn. was the first woman to cross the finish line. She ran the 3.1-mile course in a time of 16:46 and placed fifth overall.
Mansa Hanson of Pleasant Valley placed second (18:02) in the overall women’s division and Conni Grace of Hopewell Junction was third (18:52).
The event raised $45,000 to $50,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America, which raises money to fight blood-related cancers, and the R4 Patient Fund.
Participants and their families had the chance to visit a health fair throughout the event. The fair offered massages to nutrition information to free blood pressure screenings.
Everyone had the opportunity to visit a tent set up by DKMS Americas, an organization which helps people across the nation become bone marrow donors to help fight leukemia. People between the ages of 18 and 55 were invited to fill out a registration form, sign a donor consent form, have a collection of their cheek cells taken from the inside of their mouth with a cotton swab and have that data entered into the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registry.
DKMS Americas representative Erika Francisco said that many people were signing up to have a collection of cheek cells taken in the hopes of helping to save a life. From the time registration for the Rhulen 5K began at 7 a.m. Saturday until the postrace awards ceremony concluded shortly after noon, 135 people completed the process to have their cheek cells collected and their information added to the NMDP registry.
During the awards ceremony, race chairperson Suzy Rhulen-Loughlin asked those benefitting from the event to join her at the microphone. Jared Carlew of Smallwood, Gil Sandvoss of Sackett Lake and Regina Wagner of Jeffersonville all thanked the runners and walkers for competing in the event and raising money to help those who are battling leukemia and lymphoma.
Rhulen-Loughlin noted that the $7,500 raised for the R4 Patient Fund will help 2007 Valley Central High School graduate Josh DePew and his family. DePew was diagnosed with leukemia three months ago.
Rhulen-Loughlin also called Brittany Beckmann up to the microphone. Beckmann, a Smallwood resident and student at Monticello High School, was diagnosed with leukemia in April 2007 and was last year’s beneficiary of the R4 Patient Fund.
Beckmann informed everyone that she is doing very well.
The top three finishers in each age group were as follows:
10 and Under Female
1. Heaven Porter, Cochecton, 27:14; 2. Rebecca Roe, Chester, 27:36; 3. Eileen Wholfjen, Hurleyville, 28:57
10 and Under Male
1. Michael Angel, Montgomery, 27:44; 2. Jesse Farrow, Rock Hill, 27:45; 3. John Milmore, Washingtonville, 28:45
11-15 Female
1. Rianne Erlwein, Jeffersonville, 21:13; 2. Ana Loor, Thompsonville, 21:44; 3. Debbi Spannagel, New Hampton, 23:17
11-15 Male
1. Anthony Anzalone, Chester, 18:35; 2. Robert Sereda, Rock Hill, 20:54; 3. John Guarsgno, Montgomery, 21:16
16-19 Female
1. Shannon Hornbeck, Neversink, 20:47; 2. Emily Martin, Mongaup Valley, 22:08; 3. Melissa Stefanuk, Monticello, 25:20
16-19 Male
1. Matthew Gawors, Middletown, 17:38; 2. Nick Denman, Neversink, 18:33; 3. Jeremy Kinney, Hurleyville, 19:20
20-29 Female
1. Katy Schlichtman, Rock Hill, 21:02; 2. Karen Martinez, McKentie, 24:39; 3. Cheree Pivovarsky, Liberty, 24:39
20-29 Male
1. Paulkibet Simbolzi, Danbury, Conn., 15:15; 2. Tim Billias, Rock Hill, 17:13; 3. Andrew Martz, Bloomingburg, 17:59
30-39 Female
1. Edna Harrison, New Paltz, 20:51; 2. Leanne DiSalvo, Ridgewood, N.J., 21:43; 3. Misty Verma, Hopewell Junction, 22:26
30-39 Male
1. Raymond Revell, Wurtsboro, 16:55; 2. Andy Vogel, East Hanover, Pa., 17:42; 3. Micah Hoernig, Monroe, 18:25
40-49 Female
1. Jean Norton, Wurtsboro, 20:09; 2. Erika Emigh, Wallkill, 22:03; 3. Marie DuSault, Washingtonville, 22:51
40-49 Male
1. Jim Phelan, Montgomery, 18:06; 2. Wayne McDaniel, Hopewell Junction, 18:47; 3. Marco Pabon, Middletown, 18:55
50-59 Female
1. Valerie Kilcoin, Middletown, 22:28; 2. Christine DeVries, Hopewell Junction, 23:00; 3. Liz Rhein, Warwick, 24:22
50-59 Male
1. Ken DeVries, Hopewell Junction, 18:22; 2. Frank Colella, Campbell Hall, 18:51; 3. George Shurter, Middletown, 19:21
60-69 Female
1. Rebecca Wither, Wallkill, 24:57; 2. Annalise Singer, Suffern, 35:54; 3. Kathleen Davies, Hillburn, 36:47
60-69 Male
1. Philip Mellilo, Warwick, 22:19; 2. Lorne MacDonald, Sussex, N.J., 22:39; 3. Kent Lauderman, West Point, 23:00
70-75 Female
1. Mary Heinle, White Sulphur Springs, 37:06; 2. Gloria Kantrowitz, Woodridge, 44:54; 3. Minnie Devoe, Livingston Manor, 53:47
70-75 Male
1. Alexander Zarkharov, 28:28; 2. Herb Waterman, Middletown, 29:26; 3. Jerry Barry, Montgomery, 42:49
76 and Over Female
1. May Nishman, Woodridge, 44:45; 2. Kelly Desmond, Claryville, 46:47; 3. Avril Papa, Claryville, 53:41
76 and Over Male
1. E.J. Szulwach, Chester, 29:55; 2. Nick Petraglia, Goshen, 45:27; 3. Bernard Milch, Rock Hill, 50:13