Open, Masters, and Grand Masters M/F Half Marathon overall winners receive Asics running shoes courtesy of Omega Sports.  There is an Active Duty and Retired Military Awards category in the Half Marathon.

In the 5K Open, Masters, and Grand Masters M/F overall winners receive New Balance running shoes courtesy of New Balance Wilmington. All runners in both races receive a free ticket to tour the Battleship.

Race Features:

• Custom designed FINISHER MEDALS for all Half Marathon finishers.
• USATF Certified Half Marathon & 5K course.
• First 1,200 entries in the Half Marathon receive a free custom made Race Pin
• Dedicated 7:00 AM Walker start (4-hour time limit) Runner Start at 8:00 AM.
• Military Awards Category (active duty & retired) in the Half Marathon
• Half Marathon shirts are very nice, long sleeved technical shirts. 5K shirts are nice long sleeved cotton shirts.
• River Taxis and Trolley Buses depart near the Hilton downtown Water Street and ferry racers, fans, and spectators to and from the race start/finish at the Battleship on race day - No charge for boat or bus transportation.           
• Chip Timing (State Records, overall & age group finishes based on Gun time, not chip time)
• Race Expo and Packet Pickup Saturday afternoon at the Battleship Memorial 12:30 PM until 5:30 PM.
• Local Mid-Pack Award of 1-year individual membership to Golds Gym. One local (Wilmington area) Male & one Female in each race will be selected as the Mid-Pack winners. NOTE: Race Director is sole judge of winners.

RACE DEDICATION:
The race is dedicated to the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces, to those who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to the men who served on the Battleship North Carolina "The Immortal Showboat".

2009 Special Dedication: This year Karen Foley will be coming down from Clifton, New Jersey and runnning the Half Marathon in honor of her father, Dante Renta, who was a member of the crew of the Battleship North Carolina in World War II. Dante attended the WWII 60th Anniversary ceremony on board the Immortal Showboat held in 2005 here in Wilmington and came to Wilmington many times over the years to see the Battleship. Dante passed away in 2007 at the age of 89 so he can only be here with us in spirit, but this year our race in Dedicated specially to Dante Renta in honor of his service to our country on the Battleship North Carolina in WWII.

BIG NEWS:
Carolina Sports Medicine here in Wilmington is our Title Sponsor again this year. Dr David Esposito, Steven Bright ATC-L, and the other fine physicians, therapists, trainers, and staff at Carolina Sports Medicine are showing the Athletic Community in southeastern North Carolina that they truly support running and fitness in our community.  Everyone associated with the race is extremely excited and pleased that Carolina Sports Medicine is going to sponsor our race. Please take your Sports Medicine related needs to them and support Carolina Sports Medicine as they support running and sports in our area. 

Also, www.baysixusa.com will be the Title Sponsor of our 5K again this year. Check out the Bay Six website for clothing and gear. Bay Six supplies all kinds of race supplies. Give them a call and you'll get prompt, good service and prices.

River Taxi - TWO River Taxi Boats this year. Park free downtown or stay at the Hilton Hotel and take the River Taxi on the USS Maffitt to the Battleship. That’s right – runners take a free River Taxito the race start on race morning from 6AM until 7:30 AM. Runners will board the boats first to help ensure that all runners get to the start on time. If runnes have fans/spectators trying to ride the boat with them, the fans may have to wait for another boat or take a trolley bus to the Battleship until all runners have boarded every time the boat crosses to the Battleship.

Expo and Packet Pickup will be held at the Battleship in the auditorium from 12:30PM until 5:30 PM Saturday afternoon. You can also pickup your packet on Race Morning at the Battleship in the auditorium from 6:00 AM until 7:30 AM. 

The Hilton Downtown Riverside as well as three other nice local hotels offer discount rooms to runners on race weekend. See the "Accommodations" page for more info. Reserve early to ensure you get the discount race, or a room there at all.

The Bay Six 5K is a USATF Certified (NC-08075-PH) challenging out and back course that starts with you running south on Battleship Road down to the a turnaround underneath the Memorial Bridge, there you do a U-turn, run back past the Battleship Memorial, head out the access road, turn right and loop over and back across the Brunswick River bridge, and return to finish in front of the “Immortal Showboat.” It is a sweet little course but also has a bit of a bite. Open, Masters, and Grand Masters M/F winners receive a free pair of New Balance shoes courtesy of New Balance of Wilmington. Also, the local Mid-pack M/F runners in both races receive a free 1-year membership to Golds Gym.
NOTE: There is only one male and one female Mid-pack award winner in each race. A total of two Mid-pack awards will be given out in each race. The Mid-pack runner is picked solely by the Race Director.

The race is directed by Ed Fore with indispensable help from the members of the local running community and staff of the Battleship North Carolina and the many great volunteers who make the race happen.