WANAMASSA, NJ —  It wasn't exactly the ideal setting as suggested by a Shangri-La, Camelot or Brigadoon but it was close. It was the serene scene of the manicured lawns and tree-lined, well-paved streets of Wanamassa, Interlaken and Allenhurst that 198 road racers enjoyed while competing in the Pre-Father's Day 5k, on the weather-perfect, azure-sky morning of Saturday, June 12.

The rectangular course of this setting started and ended at the Wanamassa Elementary School area on Bendermere Avenue and the racers were led by motorcyclist Michael Sorrentino of the Ocean Township police force.

Eric Boucher of South Belmar was first to finish at a racing time of 15:47 (15minutes and 47 seconds). Four seconds later came Brian Washakowski of Ocean who at 17 won the 15-19 age group trophy. "We ran together the whole race - about 200 yards to go, I went out in front - then Brian took it back - then with 50 yards to go I caught him," said the champion in describing his performance with the runner-up, who tried, but admittedly "didn't have enough energy" to retake the lead. "It was great - flat, well marked and very fast, no hills and good wide turns," said Boucher in describing the course. "Can't get any better than this," he further added in commenting on the weather to which Washakowski offered: " Great - a cool day and a nice ocean breeze."

photo Jack Kearns First Place in the Pre-Father's Day Race in Wanamassa on Saturday was Neptune resident Eric Boucher, from South Belmar.

photo Jack Kearns Laurie Gordon for Stillwater was the women's first place winner

Laurie (Parton) Gordon of Stillwater, NJ, was the first woman finisher, 8th place overall, at 18:25, of this 10th annual event organized by the Jersey Shore Running Club (JSRC) and PBA 57. "I'm actually thrilled - I haven't run that fast in a 5K in about a year and a half," said Gordon in describing her performance in the 3.1 mile race. Gordon is a veteran runner, nationally recognized, who got her early start in the late 1980's at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School where she excelled on the track team when she was Laurie Parton. It's a running family. Laurie's dad and sister-in-law, both of Rumson, also competed today: Charles, who serves on the board of trustees at Monmouth University, didn't win his 60-69 age group but had a very respectable time of 24:58 and Suzanne came in third in her 30-39 age group at 25:27. Courtney, Suzanne's child, was witnessing all this at the finish-line area in the arms of her father, Chris, who also is a top runner but obviously busy with more important things today.

"The course is beautiful," said Nancy Thorne, Long Branch, co-director of the Michael Thorne 4 Mile Race; "it's flat and the majority of it is tree lined," she further explained and found the weather to be "perfect because there's no humidity." Thorne was in at 22:02, a bit slower than last year's personal best time for a 5k at 21:38.

Ocean Township's Bob Hayes, veteran runner on the Shore area road-racing scene and member of the JSRC, agreed with Nancy Thorne regarding the weather. According to Hayes who finished at 24:03, "The number one factor in today's perfect weather was the low humidity."

Vietnam veteran Joe Renzella of Neptune City won the 60-69 age group trophy at 19:49. "I 'm very happy - my goal was to try to get in under 20 minutes,"said Renzella when asked if he was satisfied with his racing time. Renzella, a highly decorated veteran with four Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart said of President Reagan's funeral that he "was impressed with the color guard and gratified that all the services were well represented."

"All those shady trees," was 83-year-old Clarence Lurch's response to his thoughts on the course. Lurch who finished at 41:52 is proud to have been a member of the Construction Battalion (Seabees) during World War II and enjoys reminding his racing friends of the Seabees' motto: "The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer."

Marilyn Ryder, mother-in-law and mother of Phil and Penny Hinck, and active member of the JSRC won the women's 60-69 age group trophy at 26:21 and remarked that "the course was well guarded by police and the course marshals were alert and gave encouraging comments such as 'good job - water up ahead' that kind of thing."

Race director, Adele McDonough, past president of the JSRC along with Sergeant James Gaul, PBA 57 chairperson, assisted by Penny Hinck, presented the trophy awards to the recipients on the grounds of the school, while the racers were enjoying refreshments, courtesy of Foodtown Wanamassa. Many random prizes were offered due to the generosity of the local businesses and the grand prize of the Magna Excitor trail bike, donated by Target stores, was won by Jeff Ragle of Wayside who finished the race at 21:49. Gaul thanked all for coming and and paid special tribute to the police departments of Allenhurst, Interlaken and Ocean Township for their cooperation in traffic control.

The event which includes Kids' Races is held as a fund raiser for PBA 57 and proceeds will benefit local sports associations, community youth activities, local charities and anonymous gifts to local families in need.

Director McDonough, busy helping with closing activities stopped long enough to comment: "I want to thank all the volunteers for their help especially the members of the JSRC and I want to specially acknowledge Phil Hinck whose know-how support makes all our races possible. (Hinck is past president [twice] of the JSRC and director of the Spring Lake, George Sheehan and Belmar five mile races). I also want to thank the motorists in the area for their patience in accepting the inconvenience of the detours."

Ocean Township area finishers: Gary Pierce 17:02 ( age-group trophy winner), Chad Kochel 17:04 (trophy), Brian Heavey 18:31 (trophy), Michael McAuliffe 18:53 (trophy), Stephen Apostolocus 19:23 (trophy), Mike Heavey 19:33 (trophy), Megan Heavey 19:45 (trophy), Peter Avakian 20:05 (trophy), Dick Adams 20:08, Jackie Betterley 20:43 (trophy), Lauren Ayars 20:59 (trophy), Mike Washakowski 21:09, Mike Ayars 21:42, Andrew Dombrowiecki 21:44 (trophy), Mike Dombrowiecki 21:45, Jeff Ragle 21:49, Joe Welten 22:38 (trophy), Susan Ardito 22:33, Tim Keane 22:43 (director of former Thursday night Asbury Park boardwalk races), Joseph DeAngelo 23:37, Mike Gross 23:52, Joanne Heavey 24:18, Kim Hazley 25:59, Tracy Glynn 26:42, Nancy Reng 27:22, Fred Stern 27:33, Susan DeAngelo 29:09 (trophy), Kathy Klemm 32:51, Chelsea Hayes 39:55 ( Bob Hayes's 9-year-old granddaughter and a random grand-prize winner of a kayak at the recent Avon 5K).

Tinton Falls finishers: Matthew Shaffer 20:15, Glenn Noe 20:18, Charlotte Barry 22:41, John Parker 22:44, Steven Nudelman 24:04, Amy Krilla 25:19, Cerise Brandt 26:02, Maureen Sullivan 26:36, Emery Messenger 27:07, Janice Krilla 27:09.

Other southern area finishers: Scott McGhee 16:40 (trophy), Neptune; Phil Tell 20:46, Bradley Beach; Jason Stern 20:51 (trophy), Wayside; Kathryn Lundquist 22:23 (trophy), Bradley Beach; Ben Koil 22:37, Avon; Paul Weinstein 22:49, Ocean Grove; John Dempsey 22:57, Neptune; Mike Toms 23:09, Bradley Beach; Joseph Policastro 24:36, Ocean Grove; Dennis Connell 25:06, Avon; David Osis 26:38, Neptune; Brian Clancy 27:44, Ocean Grove; Kit Faust 28:59, Wayside.

Other northern area finishers: Fred Esposito 20:07, Long Branch; Dalia Vidazinha 20:41 (trophy) and Bob Ippolito 20:48, both West Long Branch; Paul Herns 21:04, Eatontown; Randy Brown 21:13 and Richard Judge 21:26, Long Branch; Maria van den Heuvel 23:03, Elberon; Stephen Collins 23:17, Oceanport; Noemia Vidazinha 23:54, West Long Branch; Katie Foley 24:01, Oceanport; Joe Jacobowitz 24:38, Glen Rassas 26:06 and Marilyn Ryder 26:21 (trophy), all Long Branch; Tom O'Dowd 27:27, Little Silver; Mindy Brady 28:02, Long Branch; Denise Schulz 28:19, West Long Branch; Gary Maita 28:46, Sea Bright; Jill Pearson 29:33, Little Silver; Jean Jacobowitz 31:18, West Long Branch; Cathy McCollum 31:25, Long Branch; Laura Schneider 39:32, Eatontown.

Other Monmouth County leading finishers: Brian Register 18:09 (trophy), Middletown; Lisa McGhee 18:36 (trophy), Wall; Scott Linnell 19:01 (trophy), Colts Neck; Ray Viggiano 19:22, Rumson; Lisa Picascia 19:39 (trophy), Holmdel; Gary Kershner 19:41 (trophy), Atl. Highlands; Todd DeSimone 19:54, Red Bank; Ben Camacho 20:06, Howell; Jack Cheer 20:08 (trophy), Manasquan; Robert Galizie 20:09, Spring Lake Heights; Christina Murphy 20:12 (trophy), Point Pleasant; Liz Wenslaukus 20:20 (trophy), Toms River; David Picascia 20:25, Holmdel; Larry Toner 20:38, Keyport; Elliot Olschwang 21:33, Middletown; Allison Linnell 21:27 (trophy), Colts Neck; Bill Paglione 21:47, Sea Girt; John Moetz 22:07, Manalpan; Eric Linnell 22:16, Colts Neck; Karl Lavin 22:45, Middletown; Stephen Andrews 22:52, Atl. Highlands; James Kaufman 22:56, Belmar; Guy Ryan 22:58, Toms River; Concetta Davi 22:59, Lincroft; Emily Matthews 23:20, Freehold; Kim Daley 23:23, Brielle; Christine Picascia 23:31, Holmdel; John Barrier 23:46, Wall; Jim Jensen 23:53, Englishtown; Dick Laypon 23:57, Manasquan; Frank Pelcher 23:58, Keyport; Olie Nelson 24:48, Farmingdale.

Road racers have the The George Sheehan Classic coming early this year on this Saturday, June 19, in Red Bank at 8:30 a.m. For more information call 732-988-7725. On June 20 is the Father's Day 5 Mile in Point Pleasant at 8:30 a.m., info call 732-899-3336.

(note: Jack Kearns contributed to this article)