Mira Costa High School dominated the field at the Dick Fitzgerald 2-mile Run Saturday morning in which a former Mustang standout and a budding hopeful took home top honors.
A generation apart, the male and female winners were prime examples of what has made the race so popular as part of the annual International Surf Festival.
Beginning and finishing at the Hermosa Beach Pier, the first half of the race is run on soft sand while the return course goes along the water’s edge on hard-packed sand.
Sophomore and cross country and track team member Xavier Court, 15, led a 1-2-3 finish by Mira Costa runners turning in the fastest time of the day at 12 minutes, 47 seconds.
Court edged senior Ethan Williams, 17, who posted a time of 12:49. Sophomore Scott Healy, 15, finished third at 12:56
Annie Seawright-Newton, 49, was ecstatic when she was the first female to cross the finish line. The Former Mira Costa running star won the women’s division in 2005 and 2010, the latter snapping a four-year winning streak by Nathalie Higley that began in 2006. Higley went on to win in 2011 and 2012
“I love Nathalie but I was glad I didn’t see her out here today,” Seawright-Newton said. “This helps ease the pain of not winning Ironman this year.”
Seawright-Newton’s time of 16:20 edged 15-year-old Mira Costa junior Gaby Guerrero (16:21) and Priscilla Christensen, 39, who finished at 16:22.
Still an avid runner, Seawright-Newton said she has been running in the Dick Fitzgerald 2-Mile race for 30-35 years.
“This was one of my first races so no matter what kind of shape I’m in, I try to come back and run it for tradition,” said Seawright-Newton who graduated from MIra Costa in 1982. “It’s great to see the number of people that turned out. It’s fun to see old friends as well as the many young runners.”
Race Director Renee Williams-Smith was happy with this year’s turnout
“We usually have about 100 runners but I think we had probably 50 more this year,” Williams-Smith said. “This is such a great community event and it’s nice to see so many families participate.”
Conducted by the Mira Costa Track and Cross Country teams, this year’s race had 173 finishers. Proceeds from the run go back to the team. The race is named after former Director of the Department of Beaches Dick Fitzgerald who helped start the International Surf Festival.
For complete results, visit suffestival.org.
