Walsh, Seman top kids bike course

The kiddos had their fun too in the Inaugural Rotary Club of Saipan’s End Polio Now Cycling Challenge last Saturday morning, with Olivia Walsh topping the girls division, while Vince Seman Jr. zoomed into first in the boys division.

The kids enjoyed a quick 400m ride along the windy Banzai Road strip with their parents cheering them on, as Walsh outraced them all with a time of 1:59. Seman was first in the boys division and second overall when he clocked in at 2:01.

Second to Walsh in the 6-8 age group was Mika McKagan at 2:25. Also in the 6-8 age category after Seman was Brayden Brennfleck at 2:03; third was Declan Spaeth at 2:06; Luke Seman was fourth at 2:40; and fifth was Huck Bauer at 2:37.

In the 9-12 girls age group, Princess Gariguez was first at 2:46, followed by Lovel Spaeth at 2:50. In the 9-12 boy age group, Zhoefet Cellona was first at 2:40; second was P.J. Seman with 2:42; third was Beau Bauer with a time of 2:52; Cooper Fong came in next at 2:54; Jackson Koning clocked in at 3:01; and Gabriel Walsh came in at 3:30.

Olivia, at 8 years old, was the youngest runner to complete the Run Saipan Trinity Race. The youthful energy propelled her to top the bike race just a week later. The Saipan International School student said in an interview about the race, “I felt a little nervous. It was very windy, but I tried my best. I had fun riding with my friends.”

Event cause: ‘End Polio Now’

The event, which was the first of its kind for the Rotary Club of Saipan, was to raise funds for Rotarians’ world-wide effort to end polio. Polio is a disease that children under 5 years old are susceptible to, which once infected causes paralysis.

RCS also welcomed Rotary International District 2750 governor Yoichiro Miyazaki to the island, who joined the bike challenge as well.

In a statement during the bike race, Miyazaki, who came in with a time of 39:50 in the Road Bike 20-km short course, said, “Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. We are very close to achieving our goal of ridding the world of polio. Polio eradication is Rotary’s top priority. I have raised over 20 million yen by riding my road bike 2,800 kilometers across Japan on World Polio Day in October 2022.”

He added, “Today, [last Saturday] the Rotary Club of Saipan organized this polio eradication event. I hope that all of you will join me in raising awareness of Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio and help us do our part. Let’s have a fun and injury-free cycling today. I will ride slowly as it is my first time to ride this course.”

RCS treasurer and the event’s coordinator, Charles Cepeda, also joined the race. In an interview after, he said the turnout was great with about 100 participants. “

RCS thanked its Rotarians along with president-elect Joann Aquino, Irene Holl, Catherine Attao-Toves, Laarni Zapanta, and Billy Grow; Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan; Tan Holdings president Jerry Tan who came out to race with a group of people; Triathlon Association of the CNMI; and Northern Mariana Islands Cycling Federation, along with Manny Sitchon and Jay Diyco.