Ewings runner-up in Caribou Labor Day Road Race

    CARIBOU – A familiar name in the Aroostook County road racing scene took the lead early on and was never challenged at the annual Caribou Labor Day Road Race, held in sunny and breezy conditions Sept.  1.
    Evan Graves cruised to a time of 26 minutes and 12 seconds to win overall honors. P. J. Gorneault of Caribou crossed the finish line 2:38 later for a 28:50 clocking, with Thomas Beckum, also of Caribou, taking third in 29:12.
    Caribou residents made up the entire top-10 in the race out of the 41 runners who finished. Following Beckum were Alfred Hanscom (29:49), Stephen Melbourne (32:00), Steve Desmond (32:22), Carl Soderberg (34:03), Christian Sleeper (34:15), Jeff Irving (34:40) and Bruce Freme (34:44).
    One of the usual frontrunners, Jeff Ashby of Fort Fairfield, pulled up with a sore Achilles during the race, but still managed to post a time of 40:52 by walking the final leg of the course.
    The 11th overall finisher and first among women was Rene Laliberty of Caribou, whose time was 34:50. Angela Ewings of Littleton, a Caribou High School graduate, was the female runner-up and was 14th overall in 35:15.
    Age division winners were: 19-and-under male: first, Melbourne; second, Sleeper; and third, Jake Michaud (35:06); 19-and-under female: Hannah Hebert (50:13); 20-29 male, first, Gorneault; second,  Brian Powers (36:51); 20-29 female: first, Julie Carson (36:54); second, Shannon Mountain (37:57); and third, Susan Plissey (39:02); 30-39 male: first, Beckum; second, Hanscom; third, Desmond; 30-39 female: first, Jennifer Rand (47:41); second, Jola Hebert (57:50); 40-49 male: first, Soderberg; second, Rob Langner (35:46); third, Gary Hebert (36:27); 40-49 female: first, Ewings; second, Brenda Bailey (41:59); 50-59 male: first, Freme; second, Steve Emery (35:11); third, Brent Jepson (36:06); 50-59 female: Connie McLellan (40:03); 60-and older male: first, Waldo Libby (39:30); second, Jim Nesbitt (40:11); and third, Don Zillman (41:46).
    There were two individuals in the walkers’ division. Don and Patty Carson of Caribou crossed the finish line together in 1:21:02.
    The youngest competitor was 12-year-old Ryan Washington of Caribou, whose time of 37:42 was good for 20th overall. Seventy four-year-old Art Thompson of Limestone finished alongside his grandson, Justin, in 56:58.
    The Caribou Labor Day Road Race marks the end of the nine-race County Challenge Racing Series. The overall male and female winners of the series, along with age division winners, will be recognized during the annual Aroostook Musterds end-of-the-year banquet in October.