Close to 1000 people showed up for the 29th annual Coronado Rotary Low Tide Ride and Stride (LTRS) on Saturday, July 18, including just under 700 individuals who rode, ran, or walked the 5K roundtrip beach course, along with hundreds of volunteers, community organizations, and fellow revelers, family, and friends. It was one of the most successful Rotary fundraisers in this club’s history and exceeded all expectations.
According to Stephanie Anderson, who has chaired the event for the past four years, when tallies are totaled, the net proceeds from this event will likely approach $200K — all of which is committed to supporting local organizations. With hundreds of thousands of dollars donated over the years, the success of this event has become increasingly important to the local military community and first responders.
The early morning coastline was covered in light clouds that protected participants from excessive heat while they pounded and pedaled along the course. The morning’s lowest tide was roughly -0.2 feet, and the race took place during a low tide of 1.3 feet. The hard-packed sand ensured a smooth course from start to finish.
Part of the fun of LTRS is that whatever your skill or competition level might be – whether a hard-core athlete or casual stroller – there’s a place for everyone on the beautiful beachside course. The overall winner for this year’s event, completing the 5K in 17 minutes and 42 seconds, was 17-year-old Vincenzo Hauser, hailing from Tucson, Arizona. The top placing female under 19 was Regan Villaneuva from Roanoke, Texas. In the adult category, Coronado resident Bridie Robillard came in first females for at least the second year in a row, and Zach Bond, from Durham, North Carolina, won for the men.
Another class of winners were those who went home with one of the 20 different raffle prizes donated by local businesses: the Hotel Del Coronado, Holland’s Bicycles, Belmont Park, Tartine European Café, Blue Ridge Hospitality, Von’s Grocery Store, McP’s Irish Pub, Fuzziwigs Candy Factory, Boney’s Bayside Market, Swadee Thai Restaurant, High Tide Bottle Shop, Clayton’s, Buena Forchetta , Il Fornaio, Coronado Hardware, The Henry, Blanco Cocina, Bluewater Boathouse, Crown Bistro, Taco Bell, Village Theater, and Bay Books. These generous businesses support many different non-profits through regular giving.
Coronado Rotary would like to thank the many sponsors who make events like LTRS possible. Platinum, gold, and silver sponsors include Arlene Inch, Carol Sommer, HSI-Talogy, Pat and Debbie Starke, Edward Jones-Hayley Beard CFP, Cal American Water, Dan and Chris Gensler, Donna Salof, Betsy and Ron Vernetti, the Lowenberg Family, Dr. Bailey and Dr. Popp, Kitt and Richard Williams, and Jim Kaufman. And a long list of bronze sponsors — even more local businesses and philanthropic individuals — can be found on the LTRS website.
LTRS takes place annually on a weekend in June or July experiencing the lowest morning tide. It brings together people in our community and from across the bridge for a celebratory event that benefits our military and first responders. With the motto “Service Above Self,” Coronado Rotary raises hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for myriad causes to benefit people all over the globe. For more information about Rotary Club of Coronado visit coronadorotary.org.
