Team Track, Santa’s Slaves win

Team Track and Santa’s Slaves topped last Saturday’s 2011 Northern Marianas Athletics Christmas Island Relay.

Team Track ruled the open division of the 13.7-mile race from the Pacific Islands Club in San Antonio to the Last Command Post in Marpi with a time of one hour, 32 minutes, and 31 seconds, while Santa’s Slaves prevailed in the youth category after clocking in at 1:33:56.

Racing for Team Track were Chad Lowe, Eric Bickel, Tom Linden, Kimiko McKagan, and Richard Sikkel. Lowe started the race for Team Track followed by Bickel, Linden, McKagan and Sikkel. The five runners alternately ran one mile with Linden overtaking the Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel-led F-Faijuk in the second to the last mile and Bickel sprinting to the finish line to complete the come-from-behind win.

F-Faijuk submitted 1:32:36 to settle for runner-up honors. Joining Kabiriel on the team were his son, Kevin, Jackson Soichy, Jimris Handrew, and Aivan Farewey.

Santa’s Slaves, which were composed of NMA runners Lia Rangamar, Beo Ngirchongor, Tanner Kenty, Reylynn Sapong, and Michael Mancao finished third overall and first in the U18 division, making it to the Last Command Post about 11 minutes faster than runner-up Hopwood.

Hopwood timed in at 1:43:23 for ninth place overall and was represented by Mikayla Lopez, Nathaniel Montano, Kevin Jack Deleon Guerrero, Edgem Bedania, and John Christian Piring.

Other finishers in the five-person team event were Manic Racing (1:36:55), Team Hyatt (1:39:14), Nick Guys (1:39:23), Coconut Runners (1:40:22), Our Team (1:41:24), Safety First (1:44:20), Santa’s Elves (1:44:30), The Dark Horse (1:45:00), Team PIC (1:46:45), I Love My Dentist (1:49:50), Tammy’s Team (1:51:06), Team Tasi & PMT (1:52:06), Yard of Beef (1:52:53), Vicky’s Roses (1:55:34), Shades and Glasses (1:58:55), Road Runners (2:00:16), Spito (2:02:35), Free Runners (2:08:21), Pedro TV (2:22:33), and Oh Yeah (2:23:40)

In the solo division, Danny Garcia was the top overall finisher, completing the race in 1:50:00, while Fred Camacho came in 50 seconds later, followed by Florence Antonio (1:56:30), Roxie Lamar (2:00:16), Joshua Berger (2:01:05), Tamio Nishido (2:01:10), Manny Castillo (2:03:00), Chang Wan Jang (2:06:12), and Natasha Kukuck (2:33:40).