The runners are off for the 2024 Run with the Alewives 5K in Damariscotta Mills Saturday, May 25. (Photo courtesy Kris Kristine)
On Saturday, May 25, more than 140 runners and walkers gathered under stellar skies in Nobleboro to celebrate the alewife migration with a healthy outdoor activity while also raising funds for the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder.
The early morning energy of all entrants was evident, especially among the two dozen runners under the age of 15. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of LincolnHealth, Lincoln Medical Partners, and Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, these young runners were able to participate free of charge.
Top finishers were Conor Sleith of Waltham Mass. (17:31) and Ayla Miller of Palermo (19:11). Cash prizes were awarded to them as well as the top male and female finishers in multiple age categories. Fastest finishers in the under 15 age brackets were awarded “golden alewife” trophies.
Under 13 – Evangeline Roy (53:20) and Braydon Dow (18:58)
13-14 – Veronika Kopytnik (31:39) and Cooper Powell (20:57)
15-19 – Caylyn Colburn (27:54) and Ruth Hart (31:43)
20-29 – Claire Johnson (25:34) and Todd Johnson (24:55)
30-39 – Katherine Gambir (23:48) and Tyler McKinley (18:14)
40-40 – Annalisa Miller (24:21) and Tate Sandrock (19:08)
50-59 – Hannah McGhee (24:43) and Peter Burke (17:50)
60+ – Margaret Kuras (28:07) and Steve Archer (24:09)
Full race results and photos are available at fiveksport.com/race-results.html.
According to race director Bob Barkalow, “Safety first, safety last and safety always,” a belief seconded by Kevin Rawley, fire chief of Nobleboro’s Minnehata Fire Company.
Rawley’s team managed the temporary road closures needed for runner safety, coordinating with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service which also provided an onsite ambulance unit.
One hundred percent of funds raised by the Run with the Alewives 5K will be used for maintenance and upkeep of the fish ladder and surrounding public walkways.
More than a million alewives, a herring-family fish that call the Atlantic Ocean their “home town” swim, jump, and splash up the ladder every spring to Damariscotta Lake to spawn, and there may be no better spot to view this natural spectacle than at the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder.
A series of 69 gradually ascending pools, the ladder has been rebuilt over the past 15 years to become a shining example of how people can aid and co-exist with the natural environment.
Located on Route 215 on the border between Newcastle and Nobleboro, the fish ladder can be reached by walking past the fish house on Route 215, or by a wooden walkway from Ladd’s Hill Road.
The Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration is a joint collaboration between the towns of Nobleboro and Newcastle, spearheaded by the Fish Ladder Restoration Committee which is part of the Nobleboro Historical Society.
