Tibbits sets women’s course record in Northeast Harbor Road Race

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.

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