By Richard Slate
GLOUCESTER — St. Peter's Fiesta is one of the signature events every year of a Cape Ann summer. So when 224 runners completed the Fiesta Five (5K) Road Race last night, the male and female winners fittingly had myriad ties to Gloucester.
Former Gloucester High (class of 2000) and Princeton University track star Tristan Colangelo captured the men's race in a time of 15:51. After teaching at a high school in Virginia the last two years, Colangelo recently came home to live back in Gloucester. He began his teaching career at Veteran's Memorial Elementary School in Gloucester.
"You get to see everybody, it's like a reunion every year," said Colangelo in regards to his favorite part of the Fiesta Five Road Race. "There's a ton of guys I graduated with that run this and then kids that were younger that ran at Gloucester High."
Nan Gorton Demaso, a native of Wellesley and current resident of Melrose, grew up spending summers in Annisquam with her family. She was the first woman to finish last night, crossing the tape at 19:06.
"My great-grandfather was the founder of Gorton's so he'd be very proud of me," noted Gorton Demaso, a mother of two (2-year-old Luke, 1-year-old Annie). "It's fun for me to win, I think it's the first win I've ever had in a race."
Besides raising her young kids, Gorton Demaso helps manage Hilltop Training, which is a local coaching business.
"We coach a lot of triathletes, runners, cyclists and swimmers," said Gorton Demaso. "We swim at Gordon College, we run and bike all over the North Shore and do treadmill training at the Manchester Athletic Club."
She had never run the Fiesta Five Road Race before so she was quite surprised to come out on top.
"I should quit while I'm ahead, I'm just getting back into 5K's," remarked Gorton Demaso. "I've done Ironman triathlons and 5K's, so both long and short races. I come to see the Greasy Pole and I want to see the seine boat races because a friend of mine is doing that."
Fiesta Five Road Race Results
Top 5 Men Finishers
Place%Name%Time%Hometown
1%Tristan Colangelo%15:51%Gloucester
2%Peter Arsaro%16:04%Gloucester
3%Dan Verrington%16:13%Not mentioned
4%Joel Parker%16:27%Portsmouth (Va.)
5%AJ Migonis%16:37%Gloucester
Top 5 Women Finishers><p>
Place%Name%Time%Hometown
1%Nan Gorton Demaso%19:06%Melrose
2%Jenn Brooks%19:22%Gloucester
3%Michaeline Nelson%19:29%Gloucester
4%Laura Schulte%19:41%Reading
5%Layce Alves%20:00%Rockport
