Runners crossing the Finish Line Chip Pads

For the first time, the race featured the same electronic scoring used at races in Jacksonville and in major events around the country. Runners wearing a radio-frequency “chip” on their shoes were scored automatically when they crossed the finish line, and could see their times posted while other runners were still on the course. The field of roughly 350 finishers was the largest yet for a race organized by Fernandina Beach’s local running club, Amelia Island Runners. Leading the men’s 10K (6.2 miles) was Delroy Boothe, 36, of Freeport, Bahamas, in 37:13. According to the website gbrathletics.com, Boothe held the Bahamian championship for the 5K distance in 2000 and 2003. The women’s overall 10K winner was Britta Fortson, 35, of Jacksonville in 42:06.

Second overall in the 10K were Preston Campbell, 24, of Jacksonville in 38:54 and Ashley Stanley, 30, of Yulee in 46:26. Taking third overall were Japheth Koech, 29, of Oviedo, FL in 39:23, and Deborah Dunham, 41, of Fernandina Beach in 47:03. Winning his third straight men’s overall title in the Turtle Trot 5K was Bill Beaumont, 51, of Yulee in 19:07. The overall women’s leader for the 3.1-mile race was Kaitlyn Iselborn, 17, of Jacksonville in 20:39. Second overall among the 5K men was Jazz Tomassetti, 16, co-captain of the Fernandina Beach High School cross-country team for the coming season, in 20:09; third was Brian McGuire, 37, of Fernandina Beach in 20:35. Second and third overall among the women were Leslie Watson, 26, of Tampa (22:24) and Dawn McGee, 43, of Atlantic Beach (23:02).

Results Lists were posted while the race was still in progress.

Volunteers provided water on the course and at the finish

In the 10K “masters” age categories, the overall masters titles for runners 40 and older went to Rosa Haslip, 45, of Fernandina Beach in 47:15, and Mike Cummings, 44, of Jacksonville in 41:24. Two Jacksonville runners took “grandmaster” honors for runners 50 and older, Whit Hyde, 51 (45:36) and Susan Branley, 61, of Jacksonville Beach (52:33). “Senior grandmasters” (age 60 and over) were Connie Parker, 61, of Atlanta (1:09:06) and George White, 61, of Orange Park (46:28). Overall 5K masters winners were Fernandina Beach runners Alicia Parker, 47 (23:04) and Gary Haslip, 46 (21:45); grandmasters, Monica Drouillard, 51, of Winter Park (26:49) and Greg Parker, 51, of Fernandina Beach (22:18); and senior grandmasters, Jane Lafferty, 63, of Brunswick (38:08) and Arthur Nichols, 61, of Fernandina Beach (28:10).

The 8 a.m. race began in humid conditions on Atlantic Avenue near the Atlantic Recreation Center, with runners heading west onto North 14th Street. 5K runners turned around near the halfway mark, while 10K competitors kept going and followed a route through Fort Clinch State Park. Returning runners crossed Atlantic Avenue to reach the finish line, which was set up on Jean Lafitte Blvd. to accommodate the electronic timing equipment. “I was especially pleased with the speed of the race results. We were an hour faster than with the manual method,” said Race Director Jim Hill. “The race volunteers did a great job of keeping things on track, and the Fernandina Beach police were outstanding on race setup and traffic control.”

Police and course markers separating runners and traffic

Finish of the 1-mile Kids' Run

Amelia Island Runners plans to use chip timing again for its next 5K/10K, the Reindeer Run on Dec. 13. That race will again be headquartered at the Atlantic Recreation Center, with 5K and 10K routes through Fort Clinch State Park. Runners can register online through the Amelia Island Runners website for the race, walk and children’s runs. A 1.5-mile walk and children’s fun runs of a mile and half-mile were also held Saturday. Finishing first in the 1-mile run among the girls were Amy Strozinsky, Alexandra Dunn and Elaina Stewart, and among the boys, Patrick Borgman, Colby Thomas and Sean Mooney. Proceeds from the event will benefit Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch and sea-turtle patrols inside Fort Clinch State Park. Race t-shirts featured original artwork by sea turtle volunteer and artist Sandra Baker-Hinton.