Cross country season kicks off at Lake Forest Invitational
This Saturday will mark the beginning of cross country season as the Lake Forest Invitational, in its 61st year, will welcome runners of all levels to Killens Pond State Park. The course is 5,000 meters in length and is permanently marked for high school and middle school competition. The course is always the site of the Lake Forest Cross Country Festival, while also being the annual site of the Henlopen Conference meet and the biennial site of the Delaware State Cross Country Championships. Teams are invited from all over the East Coast, with an average of 1,600 to 2,000 runners taking part. Locally for Cape, the high school boys and girls will compete in the high school division, while the Seashore Striders will compete in the middle school division.
Beacon Cross Country
The first day of practice had a great turnout. According to coach Paul Eckerat, Beacon had 25-plus kids brave the 95-degree heat; they put in solid work and showed some great potential for both the girls’ and boys’ sides. The boys’ team looks to continue to be one of the top teams, returning three runners who finished top 11 at last year’s Middle School State Meet. The girls’ team has many new faces and a handful of returning girls, including a couple new additions who may be promising for a great season.
Mariner Cross Country
The Mariner cross country team kicked off its 2018 campaign Sept. 5, with 35 young runners toeing the line for a day of easy mileage in oppressive heat. The Vikings hope to build on a banner 2017 season that saw the girls post a 6-0 dual-meet record and the boys go 5-1. The girls bring back eighth-grade star Katie Kuhlman, who went unbeaten in dual-meet action and finished second in the 18-team DAAD Invitational last year. Eighth-grader Brayden Parkes, seventh-grader Olivia Burkentine, seventh-grader Mac Cryne, seventh-grader Lillian Fisher and eighth-grader Evelyn Turman return to the fold after scoring consistent varsity points a season ago. As for the boys, eighth-grader Jakob Hayes, seventh-grader Gage Joseph, seventh-grader Jackson Isaacs and eighth-grader Ryan Baker will be expected to shoulder the load for a young and promising Vikings squad. Mariner will begin its dual-meet slate Monday, Sept. 24 at Fifer.
Cannonball 5K Run
This Sunday, Sept. 9, the 15th annual Cannonball 5K Run and Trenny Elliott Memorial Walk will take off from the end of Second Street at the Lewes Historical Society complex at 8:30 a.m. The setting has been named The Most Beautiful Race Course in Delaware.
The race benefits the society's preservation and educational programming. The race is designed to be a tour of historic Lewes, beginning and ending at the historic complex, 110 Shipcarpenter St. The course includes breathtaking scenery along Pilottown Road and views of the Great Marsh, Shipcarpenter Square, Second Street and the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.
The award ceremony and post-race party will take place at the Lewes Historical Society complex.
Triathlon fever
The Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon will be held Saturday, Sept. 15, at Tower Road, and you still have time to get registered. Go to deweybeachtriathlon.com for more information. The first Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon was held Sept. 14, 1996, in the back of what was then called Gary’s Surf Spray Café on New Orleans Street in Dewey Beach. The after party was held on the roof of the building. The following year it was also held on the same street but quickly outgrew the venue and has been held in Delaware Seashore State Park ever since. It’s a no-frills, grassroots community event and a Dewey Beach tradition that brings athletes and their families from near and far to the resort area.
Race Director Ava Cannon said, “We have simply strived for a safe, enjoyable and fun triathlon with a fast and scenic course, while keeping the money within our community.”
The Bethany Beach First Responders Sports Weekend will be held Sept. 21-23, in Bethany Beach, benefitting the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company and first responders. Three separate events – 5K, half marathon, and triathlon – make up a jam-packed weekend presented by Focus Multisports. For more information, go to bethanybeachtri.com.
