Sunsets at Pier 60 Summer 5K series wraps up with familiar winner

The final race in the Sunsets at Pier 60 Summer 5K series was held Friday, and local running star Christa Stephens added another victory to her ever-expanding list.

Stephens hit the tape at 17:59 to win the fourth installment of the 5K series along Clearwater Beach by one minute, 50 seconds over Bradenton's Kali Lafferty. Lisa Williams, 31 of Largo, was third in 20:50.

Cameron Wheeler had the fastest time locally in the men's competition. Wheeler, a 17-year-old St. Petersburg resident, placed third after crossing the finish line in 17:19.

David McCollam, 31 of Bridgeport, W.Va., was the overall champion with a time of 16:24.

Age group winners from Pinellas County included: (F10 and under) Annabella Mowry, Dunedin, 27:32; (M13-14) Hunter McCann, Treasure Island, 18:33; (F13-14) Brianna Paczynski, Clearwater, 23:24; (M15-19) Tyler Lewis, Largo, 17:23; (F15-19) Katherine McMeekin, Palm Harbor, 21:09; (M25-29) Steve Schilling, St. Pete Beach, 17:32; (M30-34) Kyle Buck, Clearwater, 19:37; (F30-34) Whit Lasseter, Palm Harbor, 22:11; (F35-39) Dawn Sterns, Palm Harbor, 21:53; (M40-44) Bill Cottrell, Belleair, 20:40; (F40-44) Heather Griffin, Largo, 24:21; (M45-49) Keith Sawayda, Clearwater, 17:46; (M50-54) Dennis Byron, Palm Harbor, 18:47; (F50-54) Carol Bancroft, Safety Harbor, 22:17; (M55-59) Ron Murawsky, Clearwater, 20:28; (M60-64) Kevin Cronin, Palm Harbor, 23:33; (M65-69) Duncan Cameron, Palm Harbor, 21:40; (F65-69) Millie Hamilton, Redington Beach, 27:57; (F70-74) Terri Sullivan, Tarpon Springs, 37:10.

JUNIOR TOP GUN TRIATHLON: Shane Deeley, 17 of Clearwater, took top honors at the second annual Junior Top Gun Triathlon at Fort De Soto Park on Saturday.

Competing against other junior triathletes on a 400-yard swim, 6-mile bike and 2-mile run, Deeley crossed the finish line in 34:53.

Clearwater 15-year-old Cody Sandford was second behind Deeley in 35:29. John Gerard-Farese, 15 of St. Petersburg, claimed fourth place in 37:33.

St. Petersburg resident Savannah Dearden, 17, had the best finish locally in the female competition, posting a time of 42:28 to cross the finish line in third place.

Jennifer Walz, 19 of Savannah, Ga., was the female winner in a time of 39:04.

Sarah Sykes, 15 of Largo, was fourth after finishing in 42:52.

In the 11- to 14-year-old competition, which consisted of a 200-yard swim, 4-mile bike and 1-mile run, Summer Kanstoroom of St. Petersburg was the top local finisher. Kanstoroom, 12, finished in 26:28 and placed second overall. She was the top triathlete in the female 12-year-old age group.

Graham Pimentel of Naples was the 11- to 14-year-old champion in a time of 25:52.

Locally, the top triathletes for each age: (F11) Ellie Schaaf, Largo, 30:19; (M11) Kobee Alsop, Clearwater, 27:54; (M12) Patrick Farese, St. Petersburg, 31:23; (F13) Angelica Ambrose, Seminole, 30:03; (M14) Brandt Harding, Seminole, 29:11.

In the 7- to 10-year-old competition, which consisted of a 100-yard swim, 2-mile bike and half-mile run, Stephanie Hernandez of Clearwater crossed the tape a second ahead of St. Petersburg's Matt Wohlwend to claim first place. Hernandez, 10, completed the triathlon in 13:27. Wohlwend's time was 13:28.

Local age winners for the 7- to 10-year-old competition were: (F8) Ava Sykes, Largo, 14:55; (M9) Jared Kanstoroom, St. Petersburg, 14:59; (F10) Hernandez; (M10) Wohlwend.

BEAT THE HEAT 5K: Hunter McCann of Treasure Island was the only local resident to place in the top 10 at the Beat the Heat 5K on July 17 through Thonotosassa's E.L. Bing Park.

McCann, 13, came in seventh after reaching the finish line in 18:55. The race champion was 22-year-old Tampa resident Oscar Orozco, who won afteon after breaking the tape in 16:57.

McCann also placed second in the 1-mile competition, held after the 5K, with a time of 6:07. Plant City's Jose Almaraz ran the fastest mile in 5:58.