Jonathan Wetzel Wins Sands Point Sprint 5K for the Feinstein Institute

Friday, 26 August 2011 00:00

It’s been two years since 23-year-old Jonathan Wetzel was winning events and shattering records for the Lehigh University track and cross-country teams, but the Huntington Station speedster hasn’t lost a thing in the interim. Wetzel was the overall winner of the Sands Point Preserve Sprint for the Feinstein Institute on Aug. 14, turning in a time of 16 minutes, 46 seconds over the not-so-easy five-kilometer course to beat runner-up, Thomas Slattery of Garden City, by one minute, 20 seconds.

Several runners from Plainview and Syosset received awards at the Sands Point Run. Shari Klarfeld of Plainview was the second woman finisher overall and first in the highly competitive women’s 30-34 age group. Kristin Graf of Plainview earned the third-place award in the women’s 25-29 age group. Jeffrey Lunt of Plainview earned second-place honors in the Clydesdale Weight Division. Lauren Quinn of Syosset earned third-place honors in the Athena Weight Division. Finally, Bert Jablon of Syosset graced the awards stage still one more time, scoring first in the 80-84 age group.

A total of 331 runners and walkers successfully completed the run, an increase of 38 from the 2010 edition. Part of the credit for that has to go to Mother Nature, who supplied event organizer the Greater Long Island Running Club with a picture-perfect morning.

The Sands Point course is not a fast or easy course; the trail in the third mile is not easy to navigate and the hill leading up from the trail is particularly difficult.

Race director Abe Bernstein went all out to ensure the success of this event, as his way of saying “thank you” to the good people from North Shore-LIJ’s Feinstein Institute who got him back on his feet and back on the roads and track after a bout with lymphoma. Genentech (“In Business for Life”) was a repeat major sponsor this year, and their support was once again most welcome.

Donations to the Feinstein Institute are still most welcome – and can be sent c/o Abe Bernstein, 54 Trumbull Road, Manhasset, New York 11030.