In Florida-like August weather conditions, nearly 17,000 runners trekked the Gate River Run 15K race course on Sat., March 12 with a handful of area runners taking top places in age group divisions in the annual 9.3 mile running extravaganza throughout Jacksonville.

With a sprint finish holding off a four minute, eight minute final mile by mens champion Stanley Kebenei of Arizona, top female Tara Welling of Portlant, OR, was the first to cross the finish line to take the "Equalizer" bonus of $5,000. Elite female runners are given a time bonus start based on last year's results, this year a six minute lead, with hopes of creating an exciting finish with an additional $5,000 at stake to the first person across the line, male or female. Welling had built up a 30-50 second lead from the start of the women's race and was cruising over the Hart Bridge in the final mile when Kebenei unleashed an incredible final surge to, first, break from a lead pack of three men, and, second, catch Welling. Kebenei still came up short. Kebenei finished in 44:37 while Welling finished in 50:34 to catch the bonus by three seconds.

With a new "Last mile challenge" where runners scored for their last mile run, Kebenei was top finisher with a scorching 4:08.8 final mile. Welling ran 4:58.1 in her final mile, second to Stephanie Bruce, 32, of Arizona, who clocked a final 4:56.5 mile split.

In age group action, 11 year old Matthew Stratton of Orange Park chased Cole Rutkowski, a 13 year old from Jacksonville, for the entire race and finished second in 1:05:22 to Rutkowski's 1:04:32 winning time in the Men Under 14 division. Oakleaf Junior High track ace Dylan Nelson, 13, finished third in 1:08:46. Stratton won the "Last mile" spot with a 6:40.2 split beating out Rutkowski's 6:42.4.

In men 14-19, Fleming Island High track athlete Gage West, 15, finished 10th in 1:02:32.

In men 20-24, top area finisher was Cody Helms, 22, of Fleming Island, in 20th in 59:13.

In men 25-29, Orange Park's Ryan Dobbertein, 29, took top area honors with a 29th place 1:02:36 split.

In probably the fastest age group of the day, with a winner's time of 49:07, top area finisher was Middleburg stalwart John McColl, 33, who clocked in a 16th in 59:05.

In 30-34, Orange Park's Tyler Vincent, 36, finished 55th in 1:08:16.

In 40-44, Green Cove Springs' Jason Arnold, 41, took second with a quick 59:36, just 33 seconds off the winner's time of 59:03.

In 45-49, Fleming Island's Scott Tremaine, 46, took 13th in 1:01:15.

In another close battle at the top, Orange Park's John Metzgar, 53, took second in the 50-54 age group in 57:25 to a fast 56:36 by Gary Gates, of Melbourne Beach.

In 55-59, Orange Park's Randy Arend was top area finisher in 11th place with a 1:10:24 time.

In 60-64, Rick Korch, 60, of Orange Park, finished 31st in 1:22:05 with the winner's time an incredible 1:02:18, Bill Phillips, 61, of St. Augustine.

Orange Park veteran George White, 69, continued to be top dog in Clay County's master's with a 12th place finish in 65-69 in 1:17:32 with the winner again in a very fast 1:02:00.

In 70-74, Orange Park's Frank Frazier, 73, showed he still has some spunk after recent ailments slowed him a bit with a 10th place 1:33:28 effort.

In 75-79, Orange Park's Anthony Cozier, 75, finished sixth in 2:17:18 with the winner a 1:34:47, 75 year old Jim Cave of Savannah.

For the women, top area finishers included, in Under 14, Rebecca Stratton, 9, little sister to runnerup Matthew in the Under 14 males, was top area runner in 18th with a 1:37:57 time.

In the 14-19 women, St. Johns Country Day School track and cross country ace Libby Coen, 17, finished 13th in 1:14:45 just ahead of Alexis McClung, 17 of Fleming Island, and Anna Magruder, 14, also of Fleming Island.

In 20-24, won in 56:37, Middleburg's Tara Peplow, 24, finished 92nd as top area runner in 1:29:12.

In 25-29, with the top two women breaking 55 minutes, Orange Park's Belissa Del Valle, 28, took 20th in 1:10:34.

In 30-34, with a winner's time of 57:54, Orange Park's Tiffany Herren, 30, took 15th in 1:09:04.

In 35-39, with the winner in at 55:28 just three seconds ahead of the runnerup, Orange Park's McCall Morgan, 36, took 25th in 1:11:41.

In 40-44, won in 1:03;43, Fleming Island's Lisa Adams, 41, held off Millie Thrasher, 44, also of Fleming Island, as the pair finished 16th and 17th, respectively, with Adams at 1:14:03 and Thrasher at 1:14:23.

In 45-49, won in 1:04:29, Fleming Island's Christina Mitchell, 45, finished 21st in 1:16:23.

In 50-54, Fleming Island ace Shelly Allen, 52, a frequent overall winner in area 5Ks and 10Ks, finished fourth in 1:10:05 with the winner's time at 1:07:39.

In 55-59, won in 1:12:42, marathon ace Kimberly Lundy, 58, of Orange Park, took 24th in 1:29:39.

In 60-64, won in 1:14:15, Sue Whitworth, 61, of Fleming Island, finished 38th in 1:46:41.

In 65-69, won in 1:27:15, Winney Yaun, 69, of Green Cove Springs, finished 15th in 1:50:10.

In 70-74, Fleming Island's Judy Lind, 71, finished in 16th in 2:23:27 with the winner in at 1:46:33.