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Reyes and Robles Take CoastWeeks Beach Relay Race

Oct. 8, 2006 — Consider the annual CoastWeeks Beach Relay Race a reprieve from tough cross-country practices for high school runners and a diversion from road running and marathon training for the winter races.
Water lapped the shores of Ha' Penny Beach as 21 teams with two runners each competed for the top three sets of medals. Hansel Estephan challenged Jose Reyes for the first mile, but Reyes and Juan Robles of St. Croix Central High School took first place in 25 minutes and 27 seconds. Keith Smith, former Olympian and Pan Am Games bronze medalist, and now coach of the St. Croix Track Club, teamed with Ian Cuffy to take second place in 29:07. Leeward Islands Championships medalists Lester Liburd and Calvin Dascent of the Barracudas Track Club took third place in 29:16.
Up-and-coming sprinter Makiesh Taylor and the top distance runner so far this year, Ninfa Barnard of the St. Croix Track Club, took the first-place medals for females with a time of 32:17. Erica Sweitzer and Theresa Harper — who had already run eight miles before the beach run, as Harper is preparing for next month's Philadelphia Marathon — took second place in 36:25. Mirelle Smith, also a St. Croix Track Club coach, and Karissa Cave took third place in 42:07.
The runners get busy next week with the V.I. Pace Runners/4-H Club Cross-Country Series to run at the University of the Virgin Islands' St. Croix Campus. This year's interscholastic teams will compete for the school championships, as well as V.I. Track and Field Federation Cross-Country Championships, in a four-race series scheduled for Oct. 11, 18 and 25 and Nov. 11.
The CoastWeeks event, which charges no entry fee, was part of the International Coastal Cleanup week organized by the Ocean Conservancy. Participants in the beach relay annually pick up debris and trash on the beach, record what they pick up and submit the data for analysis.
"Many of us recall how badly trashed the beach and surrounding area was when we held the first race here years ago," said Wallace Williams, event organizer. "When Barbara Taylor, a former top local runner and triathlete, introduced the Ocean Conservancy project, we took to it. The first time we had two truckloads of trash. Thanks to improved public response to help clean up our beaches and a greater sense of respect for our beautiful environment, today there was no trash!"
The finishers — male teams:
1.Jose Reyes & Juan Robles 25:27, St. Croix Central High School #1 (CHS)
2. Keith Smith & Ian Cuffy 29:07, St. Croix Track Club#1 (STX TC)
3. Lester Liburd & Calvin Dascent 29:16, Barracudas Track Club#1
4. Eugene Briscoe & Clint Smith 29:38, Barracudas TC#2
5. Justin Hitesman & Adrian Mootoo 31:43; Barracudas TC#3
6. Giustino Fyfield & Robert Ventura Jr. 32:00, Barracudas TC #4
7. Cesar Tapia & Raibin Quinterio 32:01, CHS#1
8. Jado del Rosario & Ephraim Rodriquez 34:25, CHS#2
9. Pedro Marinas & Robinson Calmona 35:02, CHS#3
10. Troy Holloway & Mark Kennedy 36:56
11. Masai Peters & Malcolm Phillip 38:57, Barracudas TC#5
12. Kenrick Richmond & Jeleni Peters 41:53, Barracudas TC#6
13. Christopher Vitalis & Albert Xavier 43:29, CHS#4
14. Hansel Estephan & Grades Charles 49:16, CHS#5
The finishers — female teams:
1. Makiesh Taylor & Ninfa Barnard 32:17 STX TC
2. Erica Sweitzer & Theresa Harper 36:25 V.I. Pace Runners
3. Mireille Smith & Karissa Cave STX TC#2 42:07
4. Jessica James & Allison Peter STX TC#3 42:40
5. Eustacsha Fredericks & Jeanne Harris 48:54, CHS
6. Roxanne Walters & Naema Jones 53:31, STC TC #4
7. Varez Richards & Rebecca Rameau 58:26, STC TC#5
The next road race on the V.I. Pace Runners calendar is the West Indies Lab 5 Miler on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 6 a.m. (starts on East End Road near yacht club).
For information contact the V.I. Pace Runners at 340-643-2557 or check their website.
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