In celebration of its 20th year, thousands ventured out to Saturday’s sold out the Kona Brewer’s Festival — a community fundraising event featuring craft beer, savory island style cuisine, live music and entertainment.
In celebration of its 20th year, thousands ventured out to Saturday’s sold out the Kona Brewer’s Festival — a community fundraising event featuring craft beer, savory island style cuisine, live music and entertainment.
Of course, a day of beer sampling wouldn’t be complete without first starting the morning burning a few calories with the eighth annual Run For Hops 10K and 5K races.
While the Big Island’s highest peaks Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa spent most of the week under a blizzard watch and high wind warning causing chillier than normal conditions for the island, none could’ve asked for better weather than the warm, sunny skies of Saturday morning.
Nearly 600 participants from across the country, plus a strong Canadian contention, toed the start line fronting the BMW of Hawaii dealership. With the 10K and 5K races looping through Old Airport Park’s Makaeo jogging path and the Old Industrial Area, participants were given plenty of opportunities to eye their competition as they raced toward a finish line party stacked with the Kona Brewing Company’s finest beers.
In the 10k event, Jason Sandquist of Duncan, Canada quickly bolted to the front to take the lead from the chasing field that included Kealakehe’s Thunder Frost, Mikey Brown and Jon Jokiel.
Sandquist, an elite age-group triathlete who happened to be here on 10-day vacation, heard about the race from his wife who searched the internet for fun, local events to do, and immediately found the Kona Brewer’s Festival website.
“I felt great today,” Sandquist said. “I thought the course was pretty technical with all of the turns, and felt that it was a little hotter conditions than what I’m used to. But once I had a two minute lead (on Frost and Brown), I just put it on autopilot. Overall, I thought it was a great race and I’m glad I came out.”
While Sandquist cruised in to take the win on the slightly long 10K course in a great time of 37 minutes and 17 seconds, the real race turned out to be a battle for second place between Frost and Brown as it came down to a sprint finish.
In the end, youth prevailed as the Kealakehe cross-country standout was able to utilize a late race kick to outrun Brown, 38:42 to 38:47, respectively. Each credited the other for pushing one another to great performances.
“I don’t think I would’ve pushed myself as hard if Thunder wasn’t there,” Brown said. “I super happy with my time as it’s a 10K PR for me.”
“It was me who was trying to hang on,” Frost said. “It was nice to have someone to run with as we were together for most of the way.”
The ladies race for first turned out to be equally as exciting with last year’s runner up, Washington’s Kirsten Clarke-Hollingber, returning in hopes of capturing the overall win.
Clarke-Hollingber, whose husband helps out at the Kona Brewer’s Festival each year, took the lead from my son Cole and I after the first mile. From there, it truly became a battle for first as we exchanged the lead several times, with Clark-Hollingber taking the advantage on the hillier sections, then Cole and I reclaiming the lead on the flats.
With a quarter-mile to go, we were dead even and began a hard, all-out sprint to the finish. Somehow, Cole and I managed to pull ahead at the last moment to defend our title with a winning time of 42:32.
Just two-ticks back was Clark-Hollingber in 42:34, with Alaska’s Sam Longacre in third at 44:17.
“I couldn’t believe you were pushing a baby stroller,” Clark-Hollingber exclaimed right after the race. “I remembered you from last year and I can’t imagine pushing a stroller on a course like this.”
In the men’s 5K event, teen speedster Cody Ranfranz and local ER doctor, Adam Ankrum, found themselves duking it out for first over a field of 400 participants. Similar to the men’s 10K race between Frost and Brown, the springier legs of young Ranfranz helped him to shift it into another gear and take the win with a fabulous time of 16:51.
Right behind was Ankrum, who also finished with an outstanding time of 16:57, and Kailua-Kona’s Ben Torres in third at 17:30.
“It was a good race because we both pushed each other and pretty much the whole way it was me and Adam side by side until the last mile when I was able to pull ahead,” Ranfranz said.
Shortly after crossing the finish line, Ranfranz was nowhere to be seen as the young speedster was whisked away to Konawaena High School where he later competed in two heats in BIIF track and field.
“I did the 3000 meters and took third, but by the time I got to the 1500 I was so tired, I was just trying to make it,” Ranfranz said.
In the ladies 5K competition, Ocean View’s Heather Scarbrough seemed to be in a league of her own with her winning time of 19:41. The mother of two young boys, Kaili and Lihau, said she was surprised of her performance as she hadn’t competed in a 3.1-mile distance event for over a year and also happened to have a late start behind the charging field.
“I had a fun race,” Scarbrough said. “It was the first time I’ve done the Run for Hops 5K and I’m a little embarrassed to say that I guess I wasn’t paying attention when the start went off as I was hanging out in the back. But none-the-less I had a wonderful run, the weather was just beautiful, a great vibe.”
Scarbrough added that coming in first was definitely a confidence booster as she is also planning to compete in the upcoming Mac-A-Thon 10K event.
“I was super happy, I gave myself a goal, a target pace and I can’t believe that I did it. So even if I hadn’t come in first I would’ve been just as happy.”
A distant second was April Peerless in 21:11, with Captain Cook’s Kollette Stith hot on her heels in third at 21:13.
Leprechaun-A-Thon &Sham Walk
The next day, while most were competing in the 18th annual Hilo Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 5K events, a small but energetic group gathered at La’aloa Park for the 3rd annual Leprechaun-A-Thon &Sham Walk.
In celebration of the Feast of Saint Patrick happening on the 17th, many wore varying shades of green, four leafed tattoos, and countless other creative shamrocks. Even a Leprechaun joined in for the fun.
Out to a quick start chasing the Leprechaun and his pot of gold was last year’s third place finisher, Cody Ranfranz. Just ahead was Adam Ankrum, but unlike the previous day’s 5K duel, the duo worked together as Ankrum was Ranfranz’s lead cyclist.
“I just went out fast, and found myself ahead,” Ranfranz said. “My legs felt tired after yesterday’s races.”
Ranfranz crossed the finish line to claim his pot of gold in an outstanding time of 18:31, shaving 1:44 off of his time from last year.
In second was Kealakehe’s Ari Mench, who proved that he could easily transition his quickness from the grassy fields of Waverider stadium to Alii Drive’s unforgiving pavement. Mench — an All-BIIF selection at kicker for the Kealakehe football team this past season and standout soccer player — finished in a great time of 21:26.
The battle for third turned out to be an exciting match between Kona’s John Ferdico and Jacob Head. Head, who trailed far behind Ferdico in the beginning, paced himself well over the duration of the race to catch up to Ferdico with just a half-mile to go. But in the end, Ferdico used his vast running experience for a final surge, outsprinting Head, 21:55 to 22:00 respectively.
On the ladies side, Cole and I passed a fading Leprechaun (David Old) and baby jogged our way into first with our time of 23:09. Laura Ankrum, who paced her 12-year old son Alec for most of the way, finished next with her time of 23:40. And rounding out the women’s podium was Irene Garcia at 23:42.
It turned out to be an exciting weekend of racing with three fantastic running events to choose from.