Some of the winners of the 3.3-mile race stand with their boogie boards. Pictured are Brian Shepherd, male grand masters champion; Yvette Rojas, female overall champion; Jody Brown, female masters champion; Lawrence Scholl, oldest competitor; and Frank Pizana, male masters champion.

By Nicholette Carlson
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — The annual Flotilla Road Race kicked off at 8 a.m. Sunday, July 4, from the Syracuse Community Center. Participants were able to choose from a 3.3-mile run, an 8-mile run or a 3.3-mile walk. This is the 44th annual road race.

In the 3.3-mile run, the overall male champion was Nick Kirkpatrick with a time of 17:23. The female overall champion in the 3.3-mile race was Yvette Rojas with a time of 19:28. In the 8-mile run, the overall male champion was Derek Miller with a time of 44:21. The overall female champion in the 8-mile run was Rory O’Connor.

A total of 39 men and women, ranging in age from 15 to 73, completed the 8-mile run. In the 3.3-mile run, a total of 142 people completed the race, ranging in age from 6 to 88. Awards, including a boogie board, were presented to the male and female overall champion, masters, grand masters and senior masters. First, second and third place males and females in each age category were also awarded prizes.

In the 3.3-mile run, the male masters winner was Frank Pizana with a time of 18:23, the grand masters winner was Brian Shepherd with a time of 20:16 and the senior masters winner was Justin Frericks with a time of 26:25. In the 8-mile run, the male masters winner was Russell Simon with a time of 52:22, the grand masters winner was Todd Hoffer with a time of 53:49 and the senior masters winner was Greg Shelley with a time of 1:04:23.

For the females 3.3-mile run, the masters winner was Jody Brown with a time of 23:46, the grand masters winner was Yuko Baumann with a time of 24:59 and the senior masters winner was Jenny Isenbarger with a time of 27:38. In the 8-mile run, the female masters winner was Jill Moore with a time of 1:09:09 and the grand masters winner was Lisa Hurst with a time of 1:15:49.

A special award was then presented to Lawrence Scholl as the oldest competitor in the 3.3-mile race. He finished with a time of 1:00:38. Pointing to the ribbon he was awarded up on completion of the race, he stated, “That’s what it’s all about. Finishing. I’ve done a lot of these over the years and I’ve never not finished.” Throughout his life, Scholl stated he’s finished over 200 races.