The Shore A.C. Masters teams had a good day at the 2024 edition of the famed Millrose
Games in New York.  The club this year entered men’s teams in both the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s
and 70’s age group races of the 4 x 400 Relay, with all four teams doing very well.
Best of all was the 60’s team comprised of Keith McQuitter, Bill Hughes, Rick Lee and
Matt Wallack outracing all other 60’s teams to score a win in 4:30.91, outlasting the
second place team, CPTC Tracksmith, who clocked in a 4:31.64.  It was the second
year in a row that the 60’s team won this event.
 
In a hot race in the 70’s 4 x 400 Relay, the Shore A.C. went head to head with the
pre-race favorites, the Houston Elite, an all-star team based in Texas, only to loose
due to a baton mishap.  The team of Spider Rossiter, Rick Lapp, Harry Nolan and Ken
Wilson were running head to head with Houston, with Nolan having passed there runner
on the third leg, only to have a lapped runner who Nolan passed on the homestretch
stumble and knock the baton out of his hand, loosing valuable seconds in recovering
the baton, and allowing Houston to gain a lead that the Shore A.C. could not reduce.
The club clocked in with a 5:20.04 to Houston’s 5:13.79.
 
In a second section, the clubs 40’s and 50’s teams were in a hot battle with teams
in each age group.  The 40’s team, with Matt Colman, Dan Cambell, Jason Bavaro,
and Rich Alexander landed a fifth place in good field in 4:27.37, while the clubs
50’s team also ran to a fifth place in 4:22.48.  The 50’s runners were Brian Hill,
Paul Henry, Ron Brock and Greg Calhoun.
 
In the open club Distance Medley event, the clubs open runners outdid themselves
by claiming a third place in a fast 10:07.89, just out leaned by the Pacers/GRC New
Balance team, who were timed in 10:07.89 for second place.  Brian Hill, Jr., Micheal
Twist, Michael  Zurzolo, and Jack Shea comprised one of the best DM teams the club has
entered over the years at Millrose.  The team was organized by club Vice-President
Coach Joe Compagni
 
In the invitational One Mile Race Walk, the clubs one entry had a good day.  The
race, billed as the USATF men’s Mile RW championship, was won by Nick Christie of
the New York AC, in 6:01.14.  Top club race walker Rich Luettchau clocked in with a
good 5th place in 6:58.99.
 
Sitting trackside once again for over seventy years, was the Shore A.C. founder and
1956 Olympian Elliott Denman.  Denman, now 90, has been a fixture at this an many
other major track events, as both a competitor, sports reporter and spectator going back
to the 1940’s.