×

Run for the ages

Inaugural Chautauqua Lake Bridge 10K was held in 1982

OBSERVER File Photo Participants cross Chautauqua Lake during the first Chautauqua Lake Bridge 10K, which was held in October 1982.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article, which appeared in The Post-Journal on Oct. 30, 1982, chronicles the first Chautauqua Lake Bridge 10-Kilometer Race. Special thanks to Jamestown resident Jeff Bloomquist, who was a participant in the run, for bringing it to our attention.

BEMUS POINT — Former Fredonia State All-American trackster Bob Carroll ran a blazing 30:47 to win the first Chautauqua Lake Bridge 10-Kilometer Race before an enthusiastic crowd Saturday morning.

The sunny morning brought 726 registered runners to the starting line, and few were disappointed. The course began in Bemus Point Park, went through Bemus Point, across the bridge and back the same way.

One of the race coordinators, Ann Hynes, said, “We originally expected about 200-300 runners but we were prepared for 700. The final 26 had to write out their own name tags, but we were very pleased with the way everything went.”

Like many of the runners, Carroll recorded a personal best. “This was my best time ever for a 10K. … I wanted to beat 32 minutes,” Carroll said. “It’s a super course. It was a little windy on the bridge, but all the people cheering us on out on the bridge really helped me,” he said.

OBSERVER File Photo Runners cross the Welch Foods start-finish line by the Village Casino in Bemus Point at the end of the 1982 Chautauqua Bridge 10K.

Reports from people on the bridge during the race said the foot stomping of all the runners made the bridge shake when the mass of runners reached it.

“I was out in the middle, and you could really feel it shake,” one woman said.

Carroll won the overall title quite handily as he pulled away near the midpoint of the 6.2-mile course.

“I thought I definitely had a chance to win it,” he said. “I held back until the halfway point, then I started pulling away.”

The 26-year-old added, “I really expected more runners to pull out with me, but no one did.”

Jeff Troyer, 19, of Corry, Pennsylvania placed second overall with Dennis Packard of Edinboro, Pennsylvania placing third.

Sharon Towers, 20, of Randolph was the first woman finisher as she ran a 37:24.

“I liked the course because it was nice and flat,” she said.

A Jamestown Business School graduate currently working at the Cycle Shop in Jamestown, Towers also won the women’s division at the recent Jamestown 10-K Race.

Joan Zirklebaltt of Depew placed second and Susan Ferran-Rowley of Churchville took third in the overall women’s standings.

Hector Bauza, 37, of Forestville won the 39-39 division while a pair of Jamestown residents, Joann Michael, 19, and Kathy Brainard, 28, won their respective age-group championships.

TOP THREE MALES

Bob Carroll 30:49

Jeff Troyer 31:16

Dennis Packard 32:13

TOP THREE FEMALES

Sharon Towers 37:24

Joan Zirkelbach 40:30

Susan Ferran-Powley 40:45

15 & UNDER MALE

Greg Ambushe 39:22

Darren Field 39:24

Shawn Moore 40:14

15 & UNDER FEMALE

Allyson Schilly 47:29

Francesca Lyons 47:41

Laura Yates 48:47

16-19 MALE

Ron Landon 35:56

Darrell Groves 36:19

Andrew Jenson 36:25

16-19 FEMALES

Joanne Michael 43:30

Linda Hall 45:42

Verity Gleason 50:31

20-29 MALE

Dale Dickerson 32:21

20-29 FEMALE

Kathy Brainard

30-39 MALE

Hector Bauza 33:23

Don Vining 33:56

Herm Atwood 34:02

30-39 FEMALE

Sue McCormick 43:35

Mary Flanagan 43:36

Elizabeth Hughes 45:49

40-49 MALE

David Reuter 35:49

Pete Ogden 37:35

Werner Schmidtfrerick 37:53

40-49 FEMALE

Joan Luciano-Fels 45:44

Betsy Shepherd 49:01

Judy Lisciandro 50:02

50-59 MALE

Earl Hebdon 37:06

John Peplinski 39:43

Bob Schmidt 39:45

50-59 FEMALE

(No entries)

60 & OVER MALE

Joe Federici 45:54

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today