Rodgers and Dove rule the roads in the world's Watermelon Capital

Cordele, Georgia is the watermelon capital of the world.


Just about anyone from Cordele will tell you that. Who is to say they are wrong? Or right? Other cities may claim the title as well, but there isn't a United Nations commission to decide these things. In support of Cordele's right to watermelon capital status, watermelons are actually grown in the area (although most people drive by too quickly on Interstate 75 to see any of the melons). Cordele is also the home of Watermelon Capital Speedway, and the city celebrated its 68th annual Watermelon Festival in 2017. Cordele is also the home of the Watermelon Road Race.


The race has been contested at a variety of distances over the years, but on Saturday morning, 17 June 2017, the race was at five kilometer. Cordele's own William Rodgers won that 5K by over a minute, running 19:06. Juan Garcia of Cordele took second in 20:09. Cordele's Jerard Castro edged Aultman Hurt for third, 20:37 to 20:40.


Kimberly Dove of Byrom, Georgia took the women's title, placing sixth overall in 21:39. Hazlehurst, Georgia athlete Marie Ann Escobar, a rising senior on the cross-country team at Jeff Davis High School, was second in the women's standings and eighth overall in 22:00. Vienna, Georgia's Caitlin Mixon, the 2016 Watermelon Race women's champion, was the third woman and ninth overall in 22:09.


Harold Benton of Leesburg, Georgia was the fastest master runner in the race and the eighth male finisher, coming in eleventh overall in 22:36. Karen Stewart of Dawson, Georgia was the top woman master and sixth female finisher, 15th overall in 26:00.


89 athletes finished Cordele's 2017 Watermelon Road Race.


Top Ten Men, 2017 Cordele Watermelon 5K

1. 19:05.90, William Rodgers (M, 29) Cordele, GA
2. 20:08.64, Juan Garcia (M, 33) Cordele, GA
3. 20:36.61, Jerard Castro (M, 19) Cordele, GA
4. 20:39.29, Aultman Hurt (M, 17) Cordele, GA
5. 21:06.61, Bucky Thompson (M, 34) Byromville, GA
6. 21:57.82, Robert Bishop (M, 17) Pitts, GA
7. 22:35.30, Cameron Clark (M, 27) Rochelle, GA
8. 22:35.93, Harold Benton (M, 60) Leesburg, GA
9. 23:47:95, Julian Strickland (M, 52) Leesburg, GA
10. 26:08.37, Isaac Rhodes (M, 15) Pitts, GA

Top Ten Women, 2017 Cordele Watermelon 5K

1. 21:38.61, Kimberly Dove (F, 29) Byron, GA
2. 21:59.92, Marie Escobar (F, 17) Hazlehurst, GA
3. 22:08.78, Caitlin Mixon (F, 27) Vienna, GA
4. 23:24.92, Ame Gibbs (F, 39) Cordele, GA
5. 25:44.41, Brooke Marshall (F, 33) Cordele, GA
6. 25:59.51, Karen Stewart (F, 52) Dawson, GA
7. 26:19.89, Jessica Childers (F, 31) Leslie, GA
8. 26:23.46, Diane Heath (F, 47) Leesburg, GA
9. 27:07.46, Sofia Gevara (F, 32) Cordele, GA
10. 27:27.99, Georgia York (F, 43) Cordele, GA

Cordele Watermelon 5K
Date	Distance	Men	Women	Finishers
14 June 2008	10K	33:46, David Marley	51:34, Elizabeth Lambert	45
	5K	20:37, Patrick Calcutt	22:25, Neeli Fortson	70
13 June 2009	12K	43:34, Austin McDonald	60:35, Cheryl Vail	63
	5K	17:47, Nathan Norton	24:35, Katherine McGarr	84
12 June 2010	12K	54:24, Bret Campbell	62:39, Emily Parker	59
	5K	19:00, Nathan Norton	22:12, Molly Smith	95
10 June 2011	10.5K	45:54, Sean McConnell	51:16, Leah Ellis	25
	5K	18:47, Masked Avenger	24:50, Heidi Taylor	64
9 June 2012	10.2K
	5K
8 June 2013	5K	18:54, Robert Bledsoe	21:18, Katherine McGarr	103
7 June 2014	5K	18:45, Hunter Kimball	24:41, Lauren Pollock	78
27 June 2015	5K	21:21, Robert McCoy	25:49, Charlene Pennymon	67
18 June 2016	5K	19:44, Robert McCoy	24:02, Caitlin Mixon	59
17 June 2017	5K	19:06, William Rodgers	21:39, Kimberly Dove	89

Links

• Complete results of the 2017 Cordele Watermelon 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vhGbpxHeRqOimMtzpJ8O5EW74ni5zT7zQX0ouv0JtW0/pubhtml
  
  
• 2016 story, “McCoy and Mixon master the Melon Run”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/06/cordele-watermelon-2016.html
  
  
• “Summer is Watermelon [Run] Season”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/06/melon-runs.html
  
  
• The Onion, “'Watermelon Capital Of World' Claim Goes Unchallenged”
  http://www.theonion.com/article/watermelon-capital-of-world-claim-goes-unchallenge-3164
  
  
• Find all the upcoming Watermelon Runs in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2011