Haiku siblings take titles on Front Street

LAHAINA - Seven-year-old Kekoa Hunt of Haiku was the first winner at Saturday's seventh annual Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Run Forrest Run Front Street Mile, and his excitement set the tone for the rest of the field.

''It was pretty awesome and it was pretty fun,'' said Hunt, who won the boys under-8 division. ''It didn't feel that long. It was really, really fun.''

Hunt, who also played in a youth football game Saturday morning and wasn't certain if he would race in the afternoon, finished with a time of 7 minutes, 35 seconds.

''This is my third time doing this race,'' he said. ''This was my first time (getting first place) on the Front Street Mile.''

His top finish also motivated older sister Christina, 10, who won the girls 9-10 division title.

''My little brother got first and I wanted to try to get first, too,'' she said when asked what was going through her mind during the race.

Christina Hunt finished with a time of 6:53 for her first-ever top finish at the Mile. She had been a runner-up once before.

The race itself had a new layout, beginning in front of Bubba Gump and heading to the Banyan Tree at Lahaina Harbor before looping around and heading back down Front Street.

Fans stood two and three deep in some spots along the sidewalks and street, cheering on the runners of each division and ready with water bottles and cool towels at the finish line.

''I love hearing the crowd cheer for everyone,'' said King Kekaulike High School's Bailey Massenburg, who won the women's open division with a time of 5:19.

''It's fun because a lot of times when you're out there and you're running by yourself (in cros- country), you're like, 'Ah, I need somebody,' so having people is fun. It's just a fun race for everyone.''

Massenburg won her school's home cross country meet earlier that morning.

''I didn't even know I was going to run it until after the (cross-country) race and I was like, 'Oh sure, I'll do the Front Street Mile,''' she said. ''I did 5:18-ish, which is good, that's my PR.''

Na Alii teammate Reid Hunter took first in the men's open division with a time of 4:28.

''I took a breather yesterday, which I normally don't do - I only ran a few warm-up miles in preparation and that was about it,'' he said. ''I was shooting for a sub-4:20. I thought there would be someone to push me, but not today.''

Each of the open division winners won $250 of the $1,750 total purse. Massenburg and Hunter both donated their earnings to the Meet the Need Foundation, which helps the Maui Food Bank.

''I was telling Bailey if I won the prize money, I'd donate to her Meet The Need Foundation, so I'm really proud of myself that I got to do that,'' Hunter said.

Massenburg also was donating her prize money to Meet The Need, but she was grateful for the support from her teammate.

''He's an awesome teammate and he pushes me and he's a great encourager,'' she said.

Massenburg also encouraged people to bring donations to Na Alii's home meet and she says there was a good response.

''It went pretty well,'' she said. ''I kind of wanted it to do a little better but every little bit helps. I'm really happy with all the people who participated.

''We got, I think, 210 to 220 pounds and I think 90 to 100 dollars, which is good, and so I mean they really need food there.''

The other Front Street Mile division winners were Skylar Lickle (girls under-8, 7:49). Wesson Rogers (boys 9-10, 6:16), Isaiah Maddela (boys 11-12, 5:53), Dakota Grossman (girls 11-12, 5:47), Alden Simmer (boys 13-14, 5:26), Lia Matsunaga (girls 13-14, 6:38), Jacob Sandoval (boys 15-16, 4:53), Cady Cadiz (girls 15-16, 6:36) and Whit Raymond (masters, 5:30).