The 15th edition of the South Coast Running Club’s memorial event proved to be a huge success with the addition of the first South Coast Half-Marathon.

The four races combined for a record 109 entrants at last weekend’s Jennifer’s Catching Slough Classic.

Jared Watkins outsprinted his Bandon High School cross country teammate Gerald Davis to win the inaugural half-marathon run/walk by five seconds in 1 hour, 34 minutes and 35 seconds. Anthony Collins of North Bend was the third-place finisher and the masters champion.

Tiffany Crutchfield of Coos Bay led the women, finishing 12th overall in 1:47:07. She was followed by Amy Brown of Langlois and Tracy Heley of North Bend, who also was the masters winner.

The second-annual 12-kilometer run was won by Libby Hetrick of North Bend in 58:27. She was followed by the men’s champion, Ryan Keeler of Bandon, and Catherine Huberty of Coos Bay.

In the 15th-annual 5-kilometer run/walk, Steven Garboden of North Bend set an age-group record as he cruised to an easy win in 16:22. Karl Smith of Myrtle Point and Connor Devereux of Coos Bay took second and third.

The 5-kilometer women were led by Jessianne Heley of North Bend, who repeated her 2008 win while running 17 seconds faster, in 22:07. Second and third went to Julie Herbst of Coos Bay and Hailie Huffman of Myrtle Point. Lori Winger of North Bend and Myra Lawson of Bandon set age-group records. For Lawson, it was her third different age-group record.

Emily Turman of Coos Bay moved up from second place in 2008 to win the 1-mile kids race in 15:00. Jackson Huberty of Coos Bay finished second.

The event serves as a fundraiser for the Jennifer Turman Memorial Scholarship, awarded annually to one or more Coos County high school senior cross country or track distance runners. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Bandon High School cross country team, coached by running club member Chuck McLauchlin, for providing volunteers to help with the event.

Firecracker run

The annual Mayor’s Firecracker Run will be held on July 4 in Mingus Park.

The event includes a 1-mile kids run on the paved trail around the pond in the Coos Bay park and a 4-kilometer race that includes the paved trail as well as dirt and gravel trails through the forest and area roads.

The 1-mile run begins at 10 a.m., and will be followed by the 4K.

For more information, call Rex Miller at 269-1199.