Sports on Anna Maria Island is running into the new year.
Longtime Galati Yacht employee Mickey Hooke competed Dec. 3 in the 29th Annual Ride and Run with the Stars event hosted by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office at Fort De Soto Park. Cyclists went off first for a 25-mile and 10K rides, followed by 146 runners in the 5K race.
The race closed out Hooke’s 2022 run schedule.
And, oh boy, did he ever compete. Hooke, 62 years young, started off in sixth place and by the 1.2-mile mark was tied for the lead with Caroline Gipe of Tampa. The duo battled back and forth but by the 2.3-mile mark, Gipe fell off and Hooke surged — and never lost the lead.
He finished first overall with a time of 20:04, setting four records — the course record, Masters, Grandmasters and Senior Grandmasters records.
Hooke went on to praise the sheriff’s office for a great event. Proceeds from the race will provide for needy families during the Christmas season. Hooke said the atmosphere was electric, with lots of kids, families, music, raffles and an appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Claus, who dropped in by helicopter.
This is the last running event of the year for Hooke but we can expect more in 2023.
Congratulations to Hooke from The Islander.
Champ crowned in adult soccer
Another season of adult soccer is in the books at the Center of Anna Maria Island following the Dec. 8 championship game.
No. 5 seed Gulfview Windows & Doors continued its run of upset victories from the playoffs, scoring a 4-3 victory over No. 2 Sato Real Estate. They also upset No. 4 seed Pool America in the first round of the playoffs and followed that with a victory over No. 1 seed Wash Family Construction.
Raul Loera led the Gulfview’s offensive attack with three goals. Thomas Mangotic scored a goal and Keith Mahoney had an assist. Goalie Tuna McCracken helped preserve the victory with nine saves.
Will Kretzman scored two goals to lead Sato, which also received one goal from Pedro Gonzalez and an assist from JD Webb.
Horseshoe news
Horseshoe action Dec. 7 at the Anna Maria City Hall pits saw four teams advance to the knockout round. Gary Howcroft and Bob Baker defeated Steve Doyle 23-9 in the first semifinal, while Bob Heiger and Bob Palmer advanced with a 21-12 victory over Bob Lee and Jay Disbrow. It was all Heiger and Palmer in the finals as they cruised to a 22-10 victory over Howcroft and Baker.
It was another four-team affair during the Dec. 10 games. Palmer and Doyle advanced to the finals with a 21-10 victory over Bob Mason and Tom Skoloda, while Rod Bussey and Lee eliminated Baker and Bob Rowley 22-14. The championship match was a tight, back-and-forth affair until Bussey ended the match with a double ringer, propelling him and Lee to a 21-12 victory.
Play gets underway at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m., followed by random team selection.
There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.
Key Royale golf news
The weekly golf action at the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach got started with the men’s modified-Stableford system match Dec. 5.
Bill Shuman grabbed first place with a score of plus-6, one point ahead of second-place finisher Mike Gillie. John Cassese and Ken Nagengast tied for third with matching scores of plus-4.
KRC members were back on the course Dec. 8 for a nine-hole shamble. First place went to the team of Ron Huibers, Art McMillan, Gary Razze and Nub Turner with a score of 2-under-par 63. The team of Mike Gillie, Mike Clements, Ken Nagengast and Larry Pippel matched the even-par 65 carded by the team of Rod Hammonds, Tom Nelson and Terry Tarras to tie for second place.