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NMA wraps up 2015; upbeat for 2016
Northern Marianas Athletics will be wrapping up its 2015 calendar of events with the 34th edition of the Christmas Island Relay that will be held in the early morning of Dec. 26.
The island relay is a 13.7-mile (22 kilometers) race that starts at the south parking lot of the Pacific Islands Club and ends at the Last Command Post.
Individuals and open division participants can run the entire race or be part of a five-person squad where each team member will alternately run one mile (1.6k) from PIC to Marpi.
After last Thursday’s 31st Turkey Trot Fun Run, NMA officials asked those who participated to also support their final running event for the year. They also advised those who are interested to start forming their respective teams.
Registration fee is $25 for both the team—$5 for each team—and individual categories. Sign up starts at 5:30am and the race at 6am.
Last year, Team Usagi bested 10 other groups as they completed the early morning race in 1:32.24.
Seiya Eda and Beo Ngirchongor along with veterans Mamiko Oshima-Berger, Tony Ichiou, and Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel were the members of Team Usagi, which means rabbit in Japanese.
Eda, Kabiriel, and Ichiou also ruled the race in 2013 as part of the Road Runners with Manny Aaron and Jessie James as the other members.
The NMA, in an email sent last week, also thanked the Public School System, all private and public schools—and their respective coaches—and the Commonwealth Ports Authority for supporting the four-leg and finale of the annual Cross Country race.
The NMA is also upbeat for the 2016 season as they prepare their calendar of events including the PSS/McDonald’s All-Schools Athletics Championship.
The resurfacing of the track facility, inside the Oleai Sports Complex, is expected to start in the first quarter of the 2016 either in early January or February and is expected to open in time for the 13th edition of the All-Schools Athletics Championship.
