MOUNT DESERT — Scenic Sargeant Drive is a favorite for road race organizers; the Mount Desert Island Marathon and half marathon both include the stretch of road alongside Somes Sound with the odd-shaped pine tree that’s one of the emblems of Crow Athletics.
In late August every year, the Northeast Harbor Road Race, a benefit for the independent ambulance service based in the village, also takes advantage of the scenic road.
Robin Emery of Lamoine, seven-time women’s champion in the race, won her age division. ISLANDER PHOTOS BY LIZ GRAVES
Although the race throughout has taken place for 42 years now, the specific course throughout Northeast Harbor has changed several times during that span. No woman has ever run the current course faster than Old Town’s Eliza Tibbits over the weekend.
Tibbits finished with a time of 30 minutes, 1 second to set a modern Northeast Harbor Road Race record Saturday morning. Her time was the fastest overall in the race since Virginia Connors of Brighton, Mass., finished in 29:00 in 1987.
Tibbits was one part of a very strong women’s field in this year’s race as women made up 10 of the top-30 finishers. All 10 of those women finished with times below the 30-minute mark.
Zoe Olson of Trenton, a 16-year-old, was the second runner to cross the finish line on the women’s side, placing 10th overall with a time of 33:09. Rosy Depaul of Cambridge, Mass. (14th; 34:30), Eileen O’Connor of West Roxbury, Mass. (19th; 35:54), and Janet Hawkins of Halifax, N.S. (20th; 36:21), also finished in the top 20 overall.
Nicholas Thompson of Brooklyn finished in 26:47 to claim the men’s victory and first place overall in the field. He won a tight race to the finish by crossing the line nine seconds ahead of the second-place contestant, Caleb Gartner of Falmouth, Mass.
Judson Cake and Nick Reznik of Bar Harbor placed third and fourth with times of 27:08 and 28:25, respectively. Stephen Whalen of Tremont (17th; 35:49) and John Capen (22nd; 36:59) and Jim Gilmore (28th; 38:57) also placed inside the top 30.
Northeast Harbor Road Race
Aug. 24, 2019
First 30 finishers
1 Nicholas Thompson Brooklyn, N.Y. 26 minutes, 47 seconds
2 Caleb Gartner Falmouth, Mass. 26:56
3 Judson Cake Bar Harbor 27:08
4 Nick Reznik Bar Harbor 28:25
5 Jackson Keyser West Roxbury, Mass. 29:29
6 Peter Williams Lubec 29:33
7 Eliza Tibbits Old Town 30:01 (women’s course record)
8 Henry Gartner Falmouth, Mass. 32:57
9 Harley Brown Mount Desert 33:04
10 Zoe Olson Trenton 33:09
11 Sean Dacus Conway, Mass. 33:32
12 Teddy Grace Locus Valley, N.Y. 34:14
13 Nathan Cartner Falmouth, Mass. 34:26
14 Rosy Depaul Cambridge, Mass. 34:30
15 Bob Strout Salisbury, Mass. 34:34
16 Jay Hass Philadelphia, Pa. 34:47
17 Stephen Whalen Tremont 35:49
18 Jamie Schiff New York, N.Y. 35:51
19 Eileen O’Connor West Roxbury, Mass. 35:54
20 Janet Hawkins Halifax, N.S. 36:21
21 Tim Brewer Yarmouth 36:32
22 John Capen Bar Harbor 36:59
23 Olivia Johnson Mount Desert 37:10
24 Kathleen Bell Orono 37:15
25 Silas Gartner Falmouth, Mass. 37:16
26 Jean Johnson Mount Desert 37:27
27 Robert Jordan Ellsworth 38:17
28 Jim Gilmore Bar Harbor 38:57
29 Lola Ellis Orono 39:24
30 Sarah Daly Islesford 39:39
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