Matthew Blume was the 2018 Flotilla Road Race eight-mile winner. (File photo by James Costello)

SYRACUSE – The Flotilla celebrations in the Wawasee area over the Fourth of July holiday are never complete without the annual running of the Flotilla Road Race.

The race will be held Thursday, July 4, beginning at the Syracuse Community Center and stretching through the streets of Syracuse. The event is comprised of several formats to suit participants – a 3.3-mile run, an 8-mile run and a 3.3-mile fun walk.

The course leads away from Lakeside Park and the SCC to the north and takes the 3.3-milers up and around Maxwelton Golf Club. Merging along South County Line Road and then later Northshore Drive, runners and walkers get a view of the golf course’s front and back nines as well as glimpses of Syracuse Lake on the back stretch of the race grid.

The 8-milers will continue on through the 3.3-mile finish and into Syracuse, projecting south into Oakwood Park and back north, eventually rejoining Northshore Drive to hit the finish line back at Lakeside Park.

The race winners are split into age divisions, beginning with kids and going through senior divisions. Masters winners are also recognized, and all walkers receive a ribbon.

The race is put on annually by Brian Shepherd and his family, along with several local and regional sponsors.

The 2018 race winners for the 3.3-mile race were Elias Rojas and Brooke Keudall, finishing at 16:51 and 20:40, respectively. In the eight-mile race, Matthew Blume and Amy Stookey won with times of 42:29 and 64:04, respectively. Brian Shepherd, Steve Leffers, Michele Carey and Jenny Isenbarger were the Grand Masters winners, and Frank Pizana, Todd Hoffer and Angela Price were the Masters winners.

Forms for the race can be picked up at Team Tuttle Mortgage, 813 S. Huntington St., Syracuse or download from the Wawasee Flotilla Web site at wawaseeflotilla.com