Bensonhurst resident victorious in annual race

Bensonhurstresident Jason Brown has now won the Buckley’s-Kennedy’s 5K Charityrace two years in a row.

Last year, Brownentered this road race for the first time, took it to his likingand captured it in 17:27.

Then again last Sundaymorning he tried to defend his title. He came from behind andsuccessfully took it again, in a faster and course record time of16:57.

“The race was great,”said Brown, who graduated from Xaverian High School in 1995. “Therace went very nicely, especially running through BreezyPoint. I may be back next year; but fornow I don’t have any plans for my next race.”

Meanwhile, GregWatch, who made his debut in the race, took the early lead in the3.1 mile event, and held it for about a mile and a half. But with200 meters left, Brown put on a kick and held him off down thestretch in Breezy Point to win the event.

“Brown came frombehind and pulled away,” said Watch, who finished in second placein 16:59.

The race began onthe west end of the Riis Park boardwalk, went through Fort Tilden,cut into Breezy Point, went along the ocean promenade, and finishedacross the street from Kennedy’s next to the ballfields. It wasbasically a flat course. State Senator Marty Golden started therace.

An old timer inthe field of about 800 entrants was Brian Flanagan, who was clockedin 21:05.

“I used to runthis race years ago when I was at Xaverian High School,” saidFlanagan, also a Bay Ridge resident. “I ran it last year and thisyear. When I ran it in high school, this one event was such a greatevent for the local communities. I went to college, moved away fora little while, and just got back into running the last year and ahalf. It’s a great event that brings a lot of familiar facesback.”

Another runner inthe field was Buckley Shamrock Running Club member Denis Sivack,who was clocked in 38 minutes.

“This was the firsttime that I ran it, and we finished at Kennedy’s,” added Sivack.“We (previously) started at Buckley’s and finished it at Riis Park.Then we moved around. .Part of the fun this time was seeing all thefog when we came into the finish.”

It was an agegroup race with trophies going to the first three place finishersin each race category.

The overall femalewinner was Diane Kenner, who was clocked in 28:22.