Shelter Island 5K winners confirmed: Fight for cure for women’s cancers continues

As expected, the six participants announced as top finishers in the Shelter Island 5K virtual event, dedicated to raise money to help find a cure for women’s cancers, remain the same as they appeared last week.

Race Director Mary Ellen Adipietro and sponsorship and marketing coordinator Julie O’Neill-Bliss were anticipating after the Oct. 25 finish that more registrants would enter their times at the elitefeats.com website and that could have topped the finishing times of any of the top participants. But that didn’t happen.

Original plans called for an Island race, though it was going to be downsized because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But considerations of caution for the safety of athletes and the public prevailed and it went virtual.

Money came from sponsorships, registration fees and contributions, with money going to the North Fork Breast Health Coalition, The Coalition for Women’s Cancers at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and Lucia’s Angels — a nonprofit that helps women and families with late-stage women’s cancers and raises money from sales of raffle tickets.

While her efforts are not yet complete, this year’s top fundraiser, Linda Zavatto, is on course to exceed her $9,000 record, Ms. O’Neill-Bliss said.

Checks are still coming in, she added, noting that because it was a virtual event this year, there were not the expenses that usually accrue to running the race on the Island.

“We will continue the fight,” Ms. O’Neill-Bliss said about the annual event. “The Fall 5K Committee thanks all who contributed to the event.”

Winners, as announced last week were:

Trent Hampton, 41, of Lake Ronkonkoma, was No. 1 with a time of 19:25. Bill Nadeau, 44, of Franklin, Mass. placed second with a time of 19:58.

The first woman to complete her race, with a time of 20:58, was Stacy Clark Kehl, 27, of Shelter Island, who also placed third among all racers.

Kevin Barry, 58, of Shelter Island Heights ran a 21:28 race, placing fourth overall.

In fifth and sixth places were Niccole Furlong, 30, of East Hampton, followed by Janelle Nadeau, 42, of Franklin, Mass. Ms. Furlong’s time was 21:33 and Ms. Nadeau came in with a time of 22:39.

Unlike other runs in the 21-year history, this year’s event wasn’t a single day’s race on Shelter Island. Instead, participants could run or walk using a treadmill tracking their times at mapmyrun.com; use a Certified USATF course; run in a park with measured fitness trails; or download the free app Strava.

Other race winners were:

• Ann Marie Seddio of Shelter Island, first cancer survivor runner with a time of 23:13

• Louise O’Regan Clark of Shelter Island, first cancer survivor walker with a time of 36:49

• Maddie Pedone, second place walker with a time of 37:50

• Christine Imbriano of Southold, third place walker at 39:21

The largest team with 22 members was Heaven can wait.

The average age of participants was 50, with a total of 138 females and 37 males. Registrants received a race buff, face mask and a keepsake runners bib.

There were 175 people registered online, but only 73 who registered returned to the site to post their times on the elitefeats website, according to Ms. O’Neill-Bliss.

The main raffle winner was Meryl Kramer who could have walked off with $840 on the basis of a 50/50 split. But Ms. Kramer is giving back $420 or half of her winnings to benefit the race proceeds. (See separate story page 16)

Instead of gift baskets, this year’s other raffle winners received gift certificates to local shops and restaurants. Tickets for that brought in another $1,310.

Among the winners were: Townsend Montant, Melanie McEvoy, Gloria Jewel, Ellen Walsh, Alicin Williamson, Susan Binder, Jennifer DeLalio and Alice Dupree.