Runners Quench Their Thirst at Craft Brew Races Newport

More than 1,800 runners, brewers, vendors and festival attendees basked in the sun at Fort Adams this past Saturday for the Craft Brew Races 5K and beer festival. Fifty local and regional craft breweries poured samples of their beer for thirsty runners, who had completed a 3.1-mile looping course around Fort Adams state park, as well as for festival-only attendees. Local favorites such as Mission Burger, Binge BBQ, and Brick Alley Pub served up their tasty dishes, while Vice Cream, KIND Snacks, Cabot Cheese, and Polar Seltzer handed out free samples of their products.

Falcone (top row, right) with Team Tall Boys

The race, which started at noon when the temperature reached into the low 80s, looped once around the Fort itself before following a larger loop including the Fort Adams Harbor Walk, before finishing inside the walls of the Fort. Brian Falcone, visiting from Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, won the race with an elapsed time of 16 minutes and 30 seconds. “I’m in town with some friends and we saw this race and it just seemed so cool to get to run and enjoy the beer,” said Falcone. “I can’t wait to try all of the beer in the festival!” Christopher Horel, from Middletown, Rhode Island finished second at 16:36, and Joe Mitchko from Newport, Rhode Island rounded out the men’s podium at 17:21.

Chandler Self, from New York City, took home top prize for the women with an overall time of 18:54. “I’m here running with my boyfriend who lives in town, and we thought this event sounded like a ton of fun,” said Self. “I had three [Grey Sail Brewing] Captain’s Daughter’s last night, thinking that it’d be a great way to carb-load for the race. It worked!” Robyn Daniels, from Attleboro, Massachusetts, came in just behind Self with a time of 18:59, and Victoria Varone from Providence, Rhode Island finished third for the women at 19:25.

Newport Storm brewery won the prize for largest team, with 36 “Storm Troopers” taking to the course, while Ragged Island Brewing, of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, had the fastest brewery team. Team “Tall Boys,” of which overall male winner Falcone was a member, won the prize for the fastest non-brewery team.

Following the race, runners and festival attendees filed into the festival where they enjoyed 3.5 hours of unlimited beer sampling, live music from Steve Demers, great food trucks, vendors and samples from Craft Brew Race’s sponsors. The Rhode Island Brewers Guild was the charitable beneficiary of the Newport Craft Brew Races, and a portion of all event proceeds will be donated to The Guild.

The final stop of the 2017 Craft Brew Races tour will take place on August 5th in New Haven, Connecticut. More information and tickets are available at www.craftbrewraces.com. Photos: Clancy Creative/Craft Brew Races

Craft Brew Races Newport start, on July 22nd, 2017

The finish line of Craft Brew Races Newport, on July 22nd, 2017

Chandler Self, female overall winner

Local and regional breweries, vendors, food trucks and participants enjoyed the 3.5 hour beer festival following the 5K race at Fort Adams.