Annual Run With the Alewives 5K Highlights Mills’ Migratory Fish

Nearly 250 locals and visitors kicked off Memorial Day weekend with a speedy celebration of the Damariscotta Mills alewives during the Run with the Alewives 5K on Saturday, May 23.

Matthew Baron, of Somerville, Mass., won the race in a time of 16:21. Eric Sofen, of Freeport, finished second in 16:37. The top three male finishers all covered the 3.1-mile distance in under 17 minutes. Katrina Belle, of Walpole, was the top female finisher, crossing the finish line at 21:27. Rochelle McPherson, of Newcastle, took second place honors for the women with a time of 21:42.

Clear skies and cool temperatures created ideal race conditions for the early morning event, which coincided with World Fish Migration Day. The name of the race originates from the annual “run” of the alewives as they migrate from the oceans to freshwater to spawn each year in May and June.

Before the starter’s gun sounded, Lincoln Academy senior Neptune Martin sang the national anthem. Steven Hufnagel, executive director of the Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, spoke briefly on the importance of alewives to the ecosystem of the Midcoast region.

“Alewives are the foundation of the whole food chain, and we’re right here next to the Damariscotta River, estuary between the freshwater and the salt,” he said.