Sept. 17, 2007 – Eleven teams of runners completed the 24th Run For Respect Fort-to-Fort Relay Road Race on Sunday morning from Fort Christiansvern in Christiansted to Fort Frederik in Frederiksted. The Virgin Islands Pace Runners team of George Jules, Billy Bohlke, Sheldon Williams and Marlon Williams led the way for the second year in a row with a time of 1 hour 31 minutes and 14 seconds to set a course record.
Cheetah's Track Club/Charlotte Amalie High School of St. Thomas with Virgin Campbell, Shaquille Edwards, Ricky Gumbs and Jerome Bute took second place with a time of 1:49:47. After being in fourth place during the first leg of the race, Christiansted to the Zion Farm and the headquarters of Ten Thousand Helpers and the second leg to UVI, the team moved ahead of The Junior Baracudas Track Club/St.Croix Educational Complex High School of Ian Cuffy, Marlon Phillip, Devon Peters and Seymour Walter.
Positive Intension with Alecia Lewitt, Sen. Terrance Nelson, Michael Springer and Luke Fredericks finished fourth with a time of 2:02:33. To Frederiksted and Beyond with Sarah Bostwick, Fred Flint, Brad Chaffee and Cathy Prince (the original female V.I. Pace Runner) had a time of 2:08:35.
The Finishers:
1. V.I. Pace Runners (George Jules, Billy Bohlke, Sheldon Williams, Marlon Williams) 1:31:14
2. Cheetah's Track Club/Charlotte Amalie High School (Virgin Campbell, Shaquille Francis, Ricky Gumbs, Jerome Bute) 1:49:47
3. Baracudas Track Club/St.Croix Educational Complex (Ian Cuffy, Marlon Phillip, Devon Peters, Seymour Walter) 1: 56:45
4. Positive Intensions (Alecia Lewit, Terrance Nelson, Michael Springer, Luke Frederik) 2:02:33
5. To Frederiksted & Beyond (Sarah Bostwick, Fred Flint, Brad Chafee, Cathy Prince) 2:08:35
6. Waivepiercers (Ishmael Perez, Cam Dhooge, Charles Martin, Karlyn) 2:12:05
7. Top Meat No. 2 (Frank Pugliese, Jody Starr, Kim Gomez, Catherine Pugliese) 2:21:23
8. American Management Solutions (Doug Brady, Neil Schultz, Marie Elise Witmer, Elena Shabah) 2:32:05
9. The Girlz Dem (Kirsten Peterson, Melanie Vaswani, Jill Dedinsky, Jacqueline Kowolski) 2:48:55
The event was for the benefit of Ten Thousand Helpers in support of persons who are mentally ill and homeless, organized by V.I. Pace Runners and sanctioned by the Virgin Islands Track and Field Federation.
Unofficial Teams: Forerunners (Jeremy Laurent, Richard Jeanpierre, Shane Duncan B.Bohlke) 1:39:48
Top Meat No. 1 (Linda Witiker, Zack Orr, Steve Silver, Steve Silver) 2:12:23
Race Notes: Sheldon Williams, son of Marlon Williams, has competed with Billy Bohlke since they were young children; and they have finished numerous races in Frederiksted. Michael Springer ran in the first Children Race in Christiansted with Sheldon. Cathy Prince is the first female V.I. Pace Runner. She wore a retro V.I. Pace singlet for the race and ran past the place she grew up at, on the corner of Strand Street. The Forerunners team was in second place all the way, and except that third runner Alex Adams did not run the team would have most likely repeated its second place finish of last year. Teams shared $2,400 and special promotional prizes. St. Croix Rescue and the V.I. Police Department were out in full force to insure the safety of the race.
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