Shore Athletic Club and Atlantic Physical Therapy Center Forge Exciting Partnership for 2024-20255/10/2024  [Sea Girt, April 1, 2024] – Shore Athletic Club (Shore AC) and Atlantic Physical Therapy Center (APTC) are thrilled to announce a dynamic partnership aimed at elevating the health, performance, and community engagement of athletes throughout the region. This collaboration brings together two esteemed organizations committed to excellence in athletic development and wellness. The primary goal of this partnership is to foster a collaborative environment where athletes can access top-tier services and resources to enhance their performance and overall well-being. Atlantic Physical Therapy Center offers a wide range of sports performance services including Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Running Gait Analysis, VO2Max Testing, Medical Body Composition Analysis, Pulmonary Function Test, Gait Analysis, AlterG Treadmill, Dry Needling, Myofascial Cupping, Kinesio Taping, Blood Flow Restriction, and EPAT. As part of this partnership, Shore AC members will have exclusive access to complementary Medical Body Composition Analysis. Full-paid Shore Athletic Club members can receive up to 4 body composition analyses throughout the duration of this partnership, from March 1, 2024, to March 1, 2026. Additionally, top finishers at Shore AC’s premier races will win a VO2Max Testing Appointment at Atlantic Physical Therapy Center. This comprehensive test includes a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic health. Athletes will also receive a pulmonary function test, medical body composition analysis, HR training zones, and a 3-month training guide. Shore Athletic Club “We are very excited about our new partnership with Atlantic Physical Therapy,” said Shore A.C. President Erin O’Neill. “Their locations throughout New Jersey and the services they provide will be a valuable partnership for our 300+ club members. Their presence at and sponsorship of our events during the year will also give those within and beyond the club an opportunity to benefit from their expertise in training and cutting-edge performance.” Atlantic Physical Therapy Center “This is such an exciting alliance for us at Atlantic PT Center. Shore Athletic Club is the leader in our area for all things running. They have supported the running community for decades and we are eager to support the 500 members of the Shore AC! Our missions align, with both organizations driving to help clients / members improve their lives and their performance! This is a true win-win for our organizations and for the people in our Jersey Shore communities.” Mike Manzo, PT, MPT CEO of Atlantic Physical Therapy Center. For more information about Shore Athletic Club, please visit https://www.shoreac.org/#/. To learn more about Atlantic Physical Therapy Center and its services, visit https://atlanticptcenter.com/ For more information performance testing, contact: Jeremy Kuper, EdM, MA, ACSM-EP Director of Exercise Physiology & Center for Running Excellence Atlantic Physical Therapy Center [email protected] 732-528-3850
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WEST LONG BRANCH, NEW JERSEY – The first Paris Olympic Games were held at the turn into a brightening new century, when the Modern Games were in their infancy.
It was 1900. The second Paris Olympic Games were held two dozen years later, a century ago, with the world now reconstructing itself from “The War To End All Wars” – and failing. It was 1924. And now it’s Paris’s turn to do it all over again – and join London (which held the Games in 1912, 1948 and 2012) as the second city to host the Games for a third time. The 2024 Games of the XXIII Olympiad are scheduled to open in Paris on July 26, and race on to 16 days of epic competition in 32 sports concluding on August 11. In the Borough of West Long Branch, there are ties that bind itself to the Games in an array of directions. WLB’s Monmouth University has already delivered a pair of USA gold medalists to the Games – swimming’s Wendy Boglioli (1976) and soccer’s Christie Pearce (2004-8-12.) But the borough’s Original Olympian was a man far too few in this town now remember - but was surely one of the greatest athletes New Jersey has produced, Monmouth County has produced, WLB has produced. His name was Chester (“Chet”) Bowman and he’d surely be remembered a lot more today than he was in his lifetime if it weren’t for those coulda-woulda-shoulda asterisks often attached to his name. Born in November 22, 1901, he was a brilliant two-sport athlete (track and field/football) at Long Branch’s Chattle High School (predecessor of today’s Long Branch HS) who went on to brilliance in both sports at Syracuse University, and track and field renown for the Newark Athletic Club. And Team USA, at the Paris Olympics of 1924. He “coulda” have been the Olympic 100-meter dash champion of those 1924 Paris Games. He’d already won the 60-yard dash at the classic Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden, the 100-yard dash at the famed Penn Relays at Franklin Field, and, biggest win of all, the 100-meter final at the USA Olympic Trials at Harvard Stadium. He “coulda” have wrecked the future script of the classic sports film, “Chariots of Fire,” focusing on the British pair of Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, if he’d have won at Paris. After all, he’d already beaten Liddell at the Penn Relays. And he’d already beaten top USA rivals Charley Paddock and Jackson Scholz in the Trials. He “woulda” have won in Paris, too, if only he’d come through with yet another blazing start. But Abrahams won it in 10.6 seconds, while Paddock, New Zealand’s Arthur Porritt and Bowman crossed the line in a “blanket finish” just behind. After considerable debate – and long before photo timing would revolutionize the sport – the officials awarded the silver medal to Paddock (clocked in 10.8) and the bronze to Porritt (10.9), and thus keeping Bowman (fourth, also 10.9) inches off the podium. Bowman had won the USA Trials in 10.6. He “shoulda” have had another chance at a medal in the 4x100-meter relay days later. But, for reasons unknown, he wasn’t selected for the relay foursome. The golds still went to the USA foursome of Frank Hussey, Louis Clarke, Loren Murchison and Alf Leconey – decisively over the Abrahams-led British team. At the post-Olympic USA vs. the British Empire meet in London, he joined Paddock, Scholz and Leconey on the winning 4x100-yard relay team. As a three-year (1922-23-24) letterman for Coach Chick Meehan’s mighty Syracuse football teams of the era, he helped power ‘Cuse to successive records of 6-1-2, 8-1-0 and 8-2-1 (a combined 22-4-3.) A Boston newspaper once listed some of his superlatives: He’d returned a William and Mary kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown, had a 65-yard TD return against Alabama. “His work on the striped field has been nothing short of sensational; opponents of the Orange are constantly in fear lest the speedy Chet break loose on one rampage after another,” the story told you. There were even rumors – unfounded – that Meehan had furtively widened the home gridiron to capitalize on Bowman’s speed. He gained honorable mention All-American recognition. With the NFL still in its early industrial-era beginnings, the pros were not a good option. So Bowman returned to track and had six more glorious years (1925-30.) Running for Newark AC, he won the 1926 National AAU indoor 60-yard title In the world-record time of 6.2 seconds and the 1927 National AAU outdoor 100-yard crown in the world record-equaling time of 9.6. Perhaps his greatest two days in track were July 2 and 4, 1927, in Lincoln. Nebraska. After opening the AAU Nationals with that 9.6 100, he concluded the meet as leadoff man on the Newark AC team (with John Currie, James Pappas and Henry Cummings) that blazed to a 4x100-yard relay world record of 41 seconds flat. Bowman and Newark AC had already won that sprint relay crown in 1923-24-26. With the Amsterdam Games of 1928 just ahead, he again seemed primed for Olympic glory. But it just wasn’t to be. The Olympic Trials returned to Harvard Stadium in 1928 but Bowman was unable to return to the top rung. With his fourth place in the first quarter-final of the 100 meters, his dream was over. But he still was in top form in 1930, winning the National AAU 60 yards in 6.4. Bowman came home to West Long Branch but was destined to live just six more years. Tragically, his life ended – at age 34 1/2- on May 31, 1936. Reports said he’d had a heart attack. At this ironic moment – with Jesse Owens just two months away from his own Berlin Olympic glory – West Long Branch was saying goodbye to its own Olympic sprinter, its own hometown record-breaker. Chester Bowman is interred in Glenwood Cemetery, West Long Branch. He has few visitors but has not been forgotten. Shore Athletic Club presented its first Chester Bowman “Chariots of Fire” Memorial Award in 2023 to Bob and Lisa Bazley, applauding their many contributions (as athlete, coach, physical therapists to so many in the track and field world.) And the 2024 award will go to Mel Ullmeyer, the Monmouth University track and field Hall of Famer and veteran Shore Regional High School coach. Presentation will be on Sunday, June 2, at the Elliott Denman New Jersey International Track and Field Meet at Monmouth University’s Kessler Stadium. (West Long Branch resident Elliott Denman was a USA Olympian, too, placing 11th in the 50K racewalk at the 1956 Melbourne Games.  The running of the 2024 Penn Relays on April 25 saw a variety of both open and relay Shore A.C. teams perform very well in both the open 100 meter dash, along with the 4 x 100 meter relays and 4 x 400 meter relays. In the men’s 70-Over 100 meter dash, club runner Ivan Black had one of his best races ever, finishing third in 17.11, while in the women’s 40-Over 100 meter, it was Murelhena Walles just being nipped at the finish line to place second in 13.74 to the winning time of 13.66 The men’s 70-Over 4 x 100 relay ran an excellent time of 1:05.7 to grab a third place thanks to the explosive anchor leg of Rick Lapp, who passed the fourth place team runner down the homestretch. He was proceeded by Dave Gritz, Ivan Blac, and Kerry Gillespie. In the women’s 40-Over 4 x 100 meter relay, the championship went to the Shore A.C. team of Dianne Essilifie, Nichole, Govan, Eusheka Bartley and Maurelhena Walles in 54.50 The men’s 4 x 400 relays saw the SAC enter teams in four different age divisions. Best finish of the day for the club was the 70-Over team of Kerry Gillespie, Harry Nolan, Ivan Black and Rick Lapp who finished first in their race in 5:22.48. The 60-69 team, running in the same race, clocked in with a fine 4:37.32 to finish third against the other teams in their age group. Rick Lee, Keith McQuitter, Rich Alexander and Matt Wallack represented the club in that race. In the 50-59 4 x 400 meter race, the SAC team of Ron Brock, Brian Hill, Greg Calhoun and Paul Keefe finished fifth in the eleven team race in 4:16.22. Brocks time of 59.15 was the best time of the day of all the club entries. The clubs kids in the 40-49 ran very respectively against some of the top 40+ teams in the country, finishing sixth in 4:53.30. That team was made up of Matt Coleman, Chris Rinaldi, Michael Connolly and Harris Gibson. For Rinaldi, it was his first race back after a serious accident this past December.  By Elliott Denman
More verrry good news by our illustrious Shore AC athletes... !!!!! Competing at the University of South Carolina Invitational Meet in Columbia, SC on Saturday, April 20th, Shore AC stalwart Josh Awotunde unleashed a brilliant winning toss of 21.80meters / 71 feet, 6.25 inches in his first shot put competition of the year!!! What a great way to open the season!! What a great omen of much better things to come this Olympic year !! I believe it was Number One throw in the world early this outdoor season and sixth best in the world this year (five indoor marks on top of a list led by Olympic champion and world-record-holder Ryan Crouser at 22.80). Crouser is the only USA athlete ahead of Josh in 2024) And it wasn't very far off Josh's all-time best of 22.29 he attained placing third in the 2022 World Championships !! Josh is a graduate of New Jersey's Delsea High School and the University of South Carolina. Take note, too, that Shore AC member C.J. Licata, the Princeton University graduate competing as a graduate student at the University of South Carolina, placed second with a tremendous/great throw'of his own, 67feet, 3.5 inches !!! Way to go !! And speaking of USC (South Carolina, not Southern California) be reminded that Shore AC's (and the state of New Jersey's) longest-ever discus throw, the similarly illustrious Art Swarts, is a South Carolina, grad, too. Stay tuned for even better news as the Olympic Year season rolls right alon  Walter MacGowan served as president of The Shore Athletic Club for almost 25 years. He is a dedicated member of the Jersey Shore Running Club and Ocean County Running Club. During his time as president of the Shore A.C.; Walter covered a lot of ground. He competed in local races and USATF long distance running events. He offered his place of business as a home to the club and directed several board meetings annually out of MacGowan Realty in Spring Lake. Walter managed club-hosted events including the Lake Takanassee Summer Series, the Adult XC Series and the Annual Awards Banquet, while also bringing on board Race Directors to assist with the planning and production of each event. He started a club internship program for student athletes part of Monmouth University’s cross country and T&F team. This plan of action gave young adults professional experience in their sport’s industry. Professional runner, Olympic Trialist and All-American Collegian runner, Allie Wilson, was one of his recent interns.
Walter has been a great ambassador of the sport and club supporting youth initiatives, elite, open and masters USATF competition, local community running events and their working committees. Walter’s vision to encourage operational support has positioned the club to grow and impact lives daily. The club is in an effective state of affairs to deliver on its mission “To develop junior and youth, men’s and women’s open and masters track and field athletes, distance and cross-country runners and racewalkers. We strive to activate the human spirit by providing competitive events for all ages and groups, and to promote the entire sport, in all its categories as lifetime activities.” Walter plans to stay involved and now serves as a Lifetime Trustee on the board. A sincere thank you to Walter for all his time, energy and support over the past two decades. The Shore Athletic Club is and will be forever grateful. By ELLIOTT DENMAN
THE FOUR-DAY USATF National Masters Track and Field Championships in Chicago is now a wrap and our Shore AC delegation, we are oh-so-proud to say, has wrapped itself in glory. With a an amazing total of 237 events in the book, the gathered athletes from all over the nations displayed their speed, stamina, strength and skill in age brackets from 25-29 to 94-99 !! Wow!! A total of 121 club teams broke ino the scoring column and the Shore AC delegation - a rather mini-group with just a fraction of us able to get to The Windy City - covered itself in glory. We placed 9th of the 121 combined men's and women's teams with 139 points, 6th of the men's squads with 93 points, and d, and 14th of the women's teams with 46 points. . Potomac Valley (500.5 points) led over-all scoring, So Cal (465) topped the men and TNT(294) the women- but Shore AC, left a whole bunch of noted teams well behind when all the results were tabulated, which was a chore unto itself. Gold medal performances by Dr. Ivan Black and Spider Rossiter were features of Shore AC's Sunday showing. Dr. Black, who'd previously won the M75 triple jump, added another gold by long jumping 10-10 1/2. And he brought his gold medal total to a brilliant five with legs on three separate non-club relay events, Rossiter, who'd previusly won the M70 mile, added another win with his 2:47.21 800 meters. Maurelhena Walles added a bronze with her 4th place in the W45 200 in 28.54. John Kuhi ran 7th in the M75 800 at 4:52. In addition to Black and Rossiter, Shore AC's double gold medalists in club scoring over the four-day meet were racewalker Israel (Jerry) Soto-Duprey (M50), who struck gold in the Thursday and Friday sessions, while throws superstar Oneithea (Neni) Lewis (W60) won a pair of golds on Saturday. 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. THE PRIDE AND JOY OF WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT HIGH SCHOOL:THE LATE AND TRULY GREAT CHITA RIVERA.2/2/2024 By ELLIOTT DENMAN
I am totally saddened to learn of the passing of the really-truly lithe-limber-lovely-luminous Ms. Chita Rivera, a star of all stars on Broadway, Hollywood, London stages and screens – and lots and lots more, over her seven-decade-plus career in limelights everywhere. You may be saddened, too. We've lost one of the greatest of all. One particulary pertinent reason for me to be writing all this is because we are both alumni of William Howard Taft HighSchool in the Bronx, New York City, that large edifice off the Grand Concourse at 170-172 Street, about a mile from Yankee Stadium. She was as great at her art – singing, dancing, acting – as any of the great Yankees were at theirs. This line from Robert D. McFadden’s tribute in the Jan. 31 New York Times puts it this way: “To generations of musical aficionados, Ms. Rivera was a whirling, bounding, high-kicking, elemental force of the dance, a seductive singer of smoky ballads and sizzling jazz, and a propulsive actress of vaudevillian energy.” Wow! But a further McFadden sentence was more powerful yet: “Critics thumbed thesauruses for hyperboles to rhapsodize about her pyrotechnics.” What a four-pronged supply of superlatives in a single sentence. I never did know Chita Rivera in my Taft years…She was a year after me (I was class of 1950, graduating at 16 1/2; she was Taft ’51.) I did get to write for the Taft newspaper – but just sports. I was that shy, very skinny little kid-manager of Coach Samuel Goldberg’s Taft track team, too. Kind of ironic, because William Howard Taft was the most obese president in American history. But also the only president to serve in another major office (chief justice of the supreme court) after his presidential term. I actually ran just one race for the Taft track team. Taft had 11 willing candidates to run the mile relay the day of the dual meet with Cardinal Hayes. So I volunteered, dropped my manager’s clipboard, and got to anchor the C team that finished half a lap back. The great Taft track star of the day was Merrill Kolbe – the big, lean and verrry fast, Bronx sprint champion and city champion we were sure would dash his way to Olympic stardom. Didn’t happen, didn’t even come close. But a strange million-to-one turn of events did evolve. That skinny team manager and C team mile relay anchor always did love walking. Fourteen mile hikes with the Boy Scouts. Long exploratory strolls around the boroughs on his own. Much fun. Long and short of it, walking (50 klometers of it) became his ticket to Melbourne 1956. But, far as he ever knew, no one at Taft ever noticed. No problem, either. The former skinny team manager was the luckiest of all guys to get that far. But Chita Rivera? Far-far-far-far different story. She had all that it took – “All That Jazz” - from Day One. The world of show biz soon took note. She was Anita in “West Side Story,“ Rosie in “Bye Bye Birdie,” Velma in “Chicago.” She played the title role in “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” She belted out such classic tunes as “America” in “West Side Story,” Spanish Rose” in “Bye Bye Birdie,“ and, yes, “All That Jazz” in “Chicago.” And she’d earn two Tony awards and be nominated for eight more. In 2009 President Barack Obama presented her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a White House ceremony. Yes, Taft High did have such other alumni notables as Stanley Kubrick, Eydie Gorme and Luther Vandross. But the school has come upon harder times in recent years. The one big high school has been sliced into the mini-academies of the Taft Educational Campus. Principal Lisa Luft is at the Taft helm these days. So this suggestion to Ms. Luft: Please, please, call an assembly, do a seminar, invite some historians, do what it takes to remind them all that The Great Chita Rivera once walked these same hallways. Oh, did she have “All That Jazz” – and a whole lot more ! //////// Why this story? Just wanted to invite friends and kind folks out there to share some of my high school memories. Elliott Denman (Taft HS ’50.)  Robert Pedersen Jr. of Santa Rosa, California ran off with the 2023 installment of the 60th annual Asbury Park Polar Bear 5K Road Race in brilliant fashion on Saturday, Dec. 30th. First staged in 1964 by Shore Athletic Club, the 60th edition proved one of the best in the long series.
A graduate of Brick Township High School and the University of Oregon and home for the holidays, Pedersen won by a wide margin and broke the tape in a fast 14:49 time, besting his own Polar Bear record of 15:15 which he set in 2021.Never a top finisher in Shore Conference races in his days at Brick, or collegiate events at Oregon, where he ran on the U. of O. club team, Pedersen, representing the McMillan Running Company, where he is a team coach, has burst into stardom at 25. The five-foot-eight, 125-pounder is on the brink of national-caliber status and has a a 29:46 10K and 2:26 marathon to his credit. “I love coming back to the Jersey Shore,” he said. “It always brings back so many memories.” In a hot race for second and third, Michael Zurzolo (15:26) edged Michael Bond (15:28), with fourth going to Brian Hill Jr. with a fine 15:30. All three are teammates with Shore AC and with top college credentials, Zurzolo and Bond with The College of New Jersey and Hill Jr. at Michigan. Zurzolo, Bond and Hill all moved into the top ten best Polar Bear times ever in 5th, 6th and 7th place all-time over a revised and fast one lap course on the Asbury Park Boardwalk, into Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach, out back and return.. Among those knocked out of the all time top ten was former four time winner and 1968 U.S. Olympian Bill Reilly, the Long Branch High School graduate from Oceanport.. . In the women’s race, Nicolette Mateescu of Kendall Park, the former Rider University star and Olympic Trials marathoner, finished first with a wide lead, clocking in at 18:34, placing her in the sixth spot of the top ten all time best times for women. Shore AC member Emma Cary, former Sacred Heart University star (19:22) and Katie Deslere (19:50) were second and third place finishers. For Emma and her mother, Nora Cary, the famed National Masters champion for Shore AC, this was definitely a family affair. Nora Cary was a notable 22:26 winner in the women’s over-all Masters and 65-69 categories and placed eighth over-all.. But the day’s loudest cheers were saved for the greatest Polar Bear of all. Running in the race for the 60th time, having never missed a Polar Bear race, was Dr.Harry Nolan, of Shore AC and Middletown. A nine time winner of the race over the years – no one is even close to that distinction – he won the 75-79 age division race in 28:29. “This is just a very special race,” said Nolan, who also serves as official Polar Bear historian. “Nothing will ever keep me away.” Honoring the race’s grand history, four other past men’s winners were in the field, too. Justin Scheid (the 2016-2018 winner and 2017-2019-2022 runner-up), ran sixth this time. Joseph Amoresano (2012 champion) placed 14th, Nolan Kus (2020 winner) was 17th and Jeremy Stratton (1994 winner) 108th.. “Great to be invited back,” said Stratton, a former top runner in Great Britain. “Glad to be back. This race has such tremendous history.” Men’s over-all Masters (40-up) champion was Marc Blanco, new Shore AC member from West Long Branch, ninth in 17:24. In the companion 5k racewalk, Shore AC star Rich Luettchau of Bridgewater, former USA 10K racewalk titlist and twice previous Polar Bear champion, returned to the winner’s circle in 24:11. Walker-up to him was Emesh Fernando of Clementon ( 31:11). Maria Paul of Shore AC and Long Branch, led the way in the women’s 5K, taking her eighth all-time Polar Bear win with a 35:14 clocking. Twenty –six walkers crossed the line. The day‘s program opened with the 1-mile run and saw Michael Rivera of Chatham (5:20) lead the boys and C. Thieme of Manasquan (6:38) the girls. The race drew a best-ever 548 entrants, runners and walkers, taking part in the event considered to be the oldest road race in the Jersey Shore and one of the oldest in New Jersey and the nation. The race was began by then-Asbury Park Press sportswriter Elliott Denman in 1964, with the assistance of Asbury Park recreation chairman William “Butch” Bruno, and the city’s famed publicist, George Zuckerman. Denman, a 1956 and a 1956 U.S. Olympian in the 50-kilometer racewalk, will mark his 90th birthday on Jan. 23. “I had health issues last year and had to miss the Polar Bear Race,” said Denman. “So it was great to be back and able to cheer everybody on.” . The race was conducted by the Shore Athletic Club, under the direction of Erin O’Neill and Coach Joe Compagni, and their team of enthusiastic volunteers. “Absolutely awesome that Harry (Nolan) finished his 60th in a row,” said Compagni. “ I don’t know where one would go to find out who might have a similar streak, but it has to be one the longest/best such accomplishments, especially since Harry also has so many wins and top ten finishes and age group wins in that streak. “And a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone who helped out to make the race a big success! “ “Santa Claus” – alias noted ex-Rutgers distance star Dave DeMonico, a frequent winner on the Shore Area racing circuit over the years – was on hand for the event, too. After leading the 5K runners with his trumpet rendition of ‘The Star Spangled Banner” at the start, DeMonico encouraged them with trumpet salutes along the way. And when that was done, he peeled off his Santa suit and led a small group of runners in the traditional Atlantic Ocean dip. “Sure it was cold, and I got knocked over by a rogue wave, but that’s all part of the Polar Bear event, too. Never want to miss it.” Serving as official starter was Shore AC trustee Wayne Baker, assisted by the honorary starter, City of Asbury Park councilwoman Eileen Chapman. With its slate of 2023 events in the books – all successes in participation and enthusiasm – Shore AC now looks ahead to a big 2024 calendar. The club’s annual Awards Banquet is set for March 10 at The English Manor, Ocean Township. Its first competitive event will be the 59th annual Capt Ronald Zinn Memorial Races, April 14 at Dorbrook Park, Colts Neck Township. For details on all Shore AC events: www.ShoreAC.org. For full Polar Bear results: Runsignup.com. For the official Polar Bear video. (With story assistance of Elliott Denman.)  12/30/23
Robert Pederson of California ran off with the 2023 installment of the 60th annual Asbury Park Polar Bear 5k Road Race. He broke the tape in a fast 14:48.47 time, breaking his own record of 15:14.18 which he set in 2021. In a hot race for second and third, Michael Zurzolo (15:27. 26) edged Michael Bond (15:27.86). Fourth place finisher Brian Hill Jr. also figured into the race with a fine `15:29.32. Zurzolo, Bond and Hill all moved into the top ten best times ever in 5th, 6th and 7th place over a revised fast one lap out and back course on the Asbury Park Boardwalk. Among those knocked out of the all time top ten was former four time winner and U.S. Olympian Bill Reilly. In the women’s race, Nicolette Mateesou finished first with a wide lead, clocking in at 18:33.38, placing her in the sixth spot of the top ten all time best times for women. Emma Cary (19.21.65) and Katie Deslere (19:34.72) settled for the second and third place finishers. Running in the race for the 60th time, having never missed a Polar Bear race was Dr. Harry Nolan. A nine time winner of the race over the years, he won the 75-79 age division race. In the 5k Race Walk, the winner was Rich Luchaw in 24:11, followed by Emesh Fernando ( 26:11) and the veteran John Fredricks (37:20. Maria Paul took the womens race in 30.14. Over 500 runners and race walkers took part in this years event, which is considered to be the oldest road race in the Jersey Shore and one of oldest in New Jersey. The race was began by Elliott Denman in 1964, now 90 and a 1956 U.S. Olympian. The race was conducted by the Shore Athletic Club, under the direction of Erin O’Neill and Coach Joe Compagni. |
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September 2024
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