Staten Island Athletic Club's
3 Mile Fun Run
February 17, 2001
The usual poor weather conditions greeted the fun run crowd this week with freezing temperatures and strong gusty winds. Robert Cavallo, a former Staten Islander and current New Jersey resident, shook of the conditions and his competition with a 17:35 victory. Robert, who was third in the tough 35 to 39 age category in the 2000 Triple Crown, shuttled his running family across the bridge for this week's fun run. Perhaps we should have made them throw 35-cents in a basket at the halfway point of the race to make the Jersey family feel more at home.
Chris Strumolo, from New Dorp HS, broke the 18-minute barrier for the first time with a 17:59, good for second place. Strumolo would not be denied and was really working hard in the last 200 yards as he saw that his goal was within reach. I predicted that he would get this mark in my January 13th article. I'll also go out on a limb and predict that Tiger Woods will win at least one golf tournament this year. You heard it here first. Richie Orazem began to get his legs back after a strong showing in the hot and hilly Puerto Rico Half Marathon with an 18:02, third-place showing. Jeff Benjamin, the New Dorp coach, led by example, finishing third in 18:43. It worked, as Justin Berg, another New Dorp runner, followed his coach in fifth place in 19:18.
Young Amanda Cavallo (fifth woman overall in the 2000 Triple Crown) tried to follow in her Father's footsteps, figuratively and literally, by taking the early lead in the women's race. However, despite the strong start she was eventually overpowered by Barbara Byrne, who won her first fun run of the year in 20:26. Cavallo wasn't far off the pace, taking second in 20:46. Lissy Binder finished third in 23:37 and Debra Mahr returned to action with a solid 23:42 in fourth. Completing the Cavallo top-five onslaught was seven-year-old (yes that's correct) Alexandra who turned in a fine 24:59, fifth-place performance. Wow, I have running shoes that are more than seven years old. Mom Mary Cavallo followed 18 seconds later in 25:17. Perhaps she was trying to draft behind Alexandra, who was second to her sister in 10-and-under category in the 2000 Triple Crown, but with the seven-year-old easily under 4 feet tall, that wouldn't work on such a windy day.
There hasn't been good running weather for any of this year's fun runs. We're due for something good soon. The wind was so bad that the official race results blew off the clipboard and nearly ended up in the lake. If that ever happens we'll just re-run the race, so don't stray too far after you finish. Just kidding.
RESULTS
1. Robert Cavallo, M, 17:35
2. Chris Strumolo, M, 17:59
3. Richie Orazem, M, 18:02
4. Jeff Benjamin, M, 18:43
5. Justin Berg, M, 19:18
6. Alberto Garcia, M, 19:26
7. Steve Lauria, M, 19:58
8. Barbara Byrne, F, 20:26
9. Amanda Cavallo, F, 20:46
10. Raffaele Bevilacqua, M, 21:02
11. Dan Pettigrew, M, 21:30
12. Dan Orlando, M, 22:53
13. Larry Araneo, M, 23:11
14. Steve Maluk, M, 23:25
15. Lissy Binder, F, 23:37
16. Debra Mahr, F, 23:42
17. Stephen Ruberto, M, 24:37
18. Alex Liberatore, M, 24:45
19. Alexandra Cavallo, F, 24:59
20. Mary Cavallo, F, 25:17
21. Paul Forster, M, 25:38
22. Joe Feldstein, M, 25:43
23. Steve Corrigan, M, 27:31
24. Richard Ruberto, M, 28:48
25.Lisa Rigolini, F, 32:10