MATTAPOISETT — The weather was “pretty thick and juicy” for the 51st Annual Mattapoisett Road Race on Tuesday, July 4, said Race Director Bill Tilden.

But rain and the occasional crack of thunder didn’t stop over 950 racers from lining up at Shipyard Park for a four-mile road race around Mattapoisett. 

“I think it’s an amazing gathering of people,” said Race Mayor and organizer Dan White. “Standing here, looking up the hill and seeing the wave of people coming down, and 20 minutes later, [they’re] still coming.”

The first place overall winner, Fairhaven’s Will Benoit, finished with a time of 19:54. 

“[The race] felt good, it’s a fun race [and] the weather was honestly fine,” said Benoit. “It’s an awesome time, I absolutely love Mattapoisett and love the area and it’s fun to come back for a race, shout out to everyone else who ran.”

Rochester resident Adam Sylvia finished second overall with a time of 20:09, and Marion resident Tim Bolick finished third overall with a time of 20:27.

The top three female overall finishers were Mattapoisett resident Margot Appleton with a time of 23:30.06, Marion resident Kimberly Dixon with a time of 23:56.3 and Charleston resident Erin Lohrenz with a time of 26:03.6.

The complete list of racers and their times can be found online at www.presidentialtiming.com/results. 

This is the first year that the Mattapoisett Fourth of July Road Race is four miles long instead of five, said White.

“If it’s five miles it scares some people away,” he said. “If it’s four miles it’s a little easier — and it shows.”

This year’s route started at Shipyard Park, kept runners mostly south of Route 6 — with only a brief stint on the highway between the end of Church Street and Bolles Corner — looped around Neds Point and ended back at the park. 

Aside from needing more traffic cones on Route 6, the new route “worked pretty well,” said White, who ran the race himself “about 20 years ago.”

According to White, he got involved in the Mattapoisett Road Race through its founder Bob Gardner.

“I used to sing the national anthem [before the race] with the Harpoon Harmonizers,” said White, noting that he and Gardner were members of the New Bedford-based barbershop group. 

“This is our parade,” said White. “Mattapoisett doesn't have a parade, it has its July Fourth Road Race.”