Atkinsons run to back-to-back titles
Members of the Mira Costa running program put on the Dick Fitzgerald Pier-to-Pier Run each year at the International Surf Festival.
Bucking the trend of new champions at the International Surf Festival, Manhattan Beach’s Jeff Atkinson and his wife, Alison, repeated as winners of the Dick Fitzgerald Two-Mile Run that started and finished at the Hermosa Beach Pier Saturday morning.
Fifty one-year-old Jeff’s time of 13 minutes, 17.57 seconds was slower than his 2013 winning time of 13:05.07, but good enough to hold off 16-year-olds Ethan Williams (13:18.73) and Austin Lamb (13:20.91).
Alison, who finished 12th overall, crossed the finish line in 14:39.09, improving on her 2013 time of 14:51.06.
Male age division winners included Cole Christensen (1-10, 15:42.94), Max Rohde (11-14, 13:41.58), Williams (15-19), Romualdo Ancona (20-29, 16:08.92), Chris Bitcon (30-39, 13:56.11), Sean Banchik (40-49, 16:09.63), Atkinson (50-59), John Holcomb (60-69, 14:43.77) and Barry Paquette (70-99, 23:28.67).
Females winning their respective divisions included Jadyn Less (1-10, 20:22.92), Maci Vosberg (11-14, 19:15.43), Gaby Guerrero (15-19, 16:21.84), Savannah Pio (20-29, 16:26.21), Riscilla Christensen (30-39, 17:44.91), Atkinson ( 40-49), Valerie Tackett (50-59, 18:24.53) and Rose-Marie Browning (60-69. 27:51.16).