Thanksgiving Day race draws more than 600 participants

    Just over 600 people of all ages and sizes completed the 10th Annual Thanksgiving Day 5K Road Race through the downtown streets of Shelton and Derby.
     For Joe Poulsen, it was his first Commodore Hull Thanksgiving Day 5K Road Race win while for Kim Battipaglia, it's almost old hat - as she captured the Women's Division title for the fifth straight year.
    On a picture perfect morning for a race, Honorary Starter Dominick Thomas, Jr. fired the starting pistol.
     A pack of about 10 runners sprinted away from the rest of the field and set the early pace until the runners crossed the Derby-Shelton Bridge. At that point Poulsen, an Oxford resident and Tim Milenkovich of Ansonia started to move away from the pack. By the turn around at the Derby Public Library, it was clearly a two-man race as Poulsen and Milenkovich battled for the lead. Poulsen started to assert himself as they turned the corner from Elizabeth Street onto Main Street and back over the Derby-Shelton Bridge.
    As they headed down Howe Avenue in Shelton, Poulsen opened space between himself and Milenkovich. That trend continued as they ran along the Riverwalk and onto Canal Street.     When he had hit the tape in a time of 16:12, Poulsen had opened up a 17-second gap over Milenkovich.
    Clark Shurtleff of Bethany finished third in a time of 16:44. Brothers, and former winners, Mike and Phil Padilla sandwiched fourth and sixth place finishes around Bart Wasliolek's fifth place finish among the 604 runners who officially finished this year's race.
    Battipaglia's time of 20:07 was not as fast as her 18:58 a year ago, but it was more than enough to top Lauren Flament's runner-up time of 21:19 in the Women's Division.
    The Commodore Hull Thanksgiving Day Race Committee has staged the event for 10 years in an effort to keep alive the history of one of the great heroes of the two towns, Commodore Isaac Hull.
    It was Hull who skippered the U.S.S. Constitution in its famous victory over the British frigate HMS Guerriere in the War of 1812. Considered one of the greatest wins in U.S. Naval annals, the victory also resulted in the Constitution’s more memorable nickname – Old Ironsides. The ship is the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy and is stationed in Boston to this day.     The event is also designed to bring people back to the historic downtowns of the two cities at a time when both areas are being redeveloped.  A side benefit of the race is the revenue that is raised to support the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley. The event historically raises about $10,000 for the club.
     For full coverage, visit the official race Website at: http://www.electronicvalley.org/derby/HullRace/.