Event Name: 2nd Annual Watermelon 5K West Palm Beach
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
There are races that ask you to suffer, and there are races that hand you a cold slice of watermelon and tell you to go dance. The 2nd Annual Watermelon 5K West Palm Beach was firmly the second kind. It went off at 7:30 in the morning on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at John Prince Park, where the path wraps around the lake and the pines throw long shadows across the asphalt before the South Florida heat wakes all the way up.
If you've never been out there at that hour in August, here's what it's like. The air is already thick. The lake sits flat and silver behind a line of tall grass. And the entire course is lit up in green and hot pink, because a couple hundred people decided that watermelon was a personality for the morning. We saw watermelon socks, watermelon tutus, watermelon shorts, watermelon capes, and one runner in a full head-to-knee watermelon slice. This is our kind of race day.
Here's how the morning ran. Every participant got a personalized bib with an RFID chip inside, timed by Victory Sports Management, so results were posted almost as fast as people crossed the mat. Every finisher earned an event shirt and that watermelon finisher medal — a big enameled slice on a red-and-green seed-print ribbon that photographs beautifully, if we're being honest about our own bias. Awards went to the top three overall men and women, plus the top finishers in each age group. And then there was the food. We have to say something about the Victory Sports Management crew here, because they hauled in more watermelons than we could count. Table after table of them, sliced and cold and ready before the first runner came through. That's a lot of heavy lifting at 6 a.m. so that strangers can have a good morning, and it showed.
When it was over, 215 people had crossed the line. Joshua Skielnik (bib 248) of Boca Raton won the whole thing in 18:43, a 6:01 pace, with Pedro Navarro Jr (bib 243) of Fort Lauderdale second in 20:46 and Mike V (bib 134) of Wellington third in 21:43. On the women's side, Emily Skielnik (bib 249) of Boca Raton took the win in 23:55 — 7th overall — ahead of Jessica Weliky (bib 153) in 26:08 and Elizabeth Larkin (bib 183) in 26:11.
Now here's the rest of the field, which is where a race like this really lives.
Under the Pines: The Early Miles Around the Lake Loop
The first stretch of the course runs beneath a row of old palms, and the light coming through them at that hour is the reason we get out of bed. Nikki Carpenito (bib 71) of Palm Beach Gardens came through it in full watermelon uniform — green crop top, red shorts, white cap — and she wasn't just dressed the part. She ran 26:29 for 25th overall, 5th woman, and first place in the women's 35-39 age group. Fast and festive is a tough combination to pull off. She made it look easy.
A few frames later we got Elvis Pimenta (bib 77) of Boynton Beach, running in the neon-green event shirt with the cartoon watermelon on the front, sunglasses on, both thumbs up for the camera. He finished in 27:55, good for 31st overall and second in the men's 45-49 group. Is there a better way to say “I'm having a great time” than a double thumbs-up at mile two? We don't think so.
Kristian Langston (bib 66) of Sunrise came up that same shaded stretch with earbuds in and a crossbody strap over his event tee, all business. He's 15 years old, and he ran 31:00 for 54th overall and third in the men's 15-19 group. We loved this frame so much it ended up as the cover of this post.
Then Yisel Cabrera (bib 45) of West Palm Beach came through and threw her sunglasses in the air. Pink shorts, green top, pink shoes, pigtails flying, a grin that took up the whole frame. She crossed in 28:29 for 33rd overall, 9th woman, and third in the women's 35-39 group. That's a serious result from someone who looked like she was at a party.
Refusing to Fade: The Age-Group Winners Who Owned the Heat
Some of the best racing on this course happened well behind the leaders. Ramon Garcia (bib 118) of Wellington came around the lake with a fist in the air, a knee brace on one leg, and a shirt that read “GET UP — YOUR STORY IS NOT OVER YET.” He ran 28:48 for 34th overall and won the men's 50-54 age group outright. We photograph a lot of races, and that frame is going to stick with us for a while.
Right behind him in that same age group came Carlos Romero (bib 127) of Lake Worth, driving hard past the water in a light blue tee and a Puerto Rico flag cap, finishing in 29:15 for 38th overall and second in the 50-54s. Two guys in their fifties, both beating a whole lot of runners half their age.
The runner wearing bib 109 came through the same stretch in a hydration vest, mirrored shades, and hot pink shorts, locked in and moving well. The name attached to that bib in the posted results doesn't match the runner in our frame, so we're not going to guess — we'd rather leave a name off than put the wrong one on. Whoever you are: that was a strong, steady race.
And then the finish line, which is where Isabella Mendoza (bib 25) of West Palm Beach turned in one of our favorite shots of the day. Both arms flung wide, rainbow shades on, neon tee, watermelon socks, one foot landing right on the timing mat in 31:36. That's 57th overall out of 215. That's also just a great picture of someone who is completely, unreservedly happy.
Full Commitment: The Costume Crew Takes the Course
Every themed race has a few people who go further than everyone else, and this one had a lot of them. One runner came down the path holding a watermelon-print sarong open like a cape, head back, laughing out loud. We couldn't read a bib in the frame, so we won't put a name to him — but that photo is pure joy and it earned its spot here anyway.
Yanira Cabrera (bib 212) of Boynton Beach ran the whole thing in the event shirt and pink shorts with her phone in her hand and pink mirrored sunglasses on, smiling straight down our lens. She finished in 32:51 for 68th overall.
Ines Garcia (bib 37) of Wellington came onto the timing mat mid-laugh in a green top, pale pink shorts, and — of course — pink watermelon socks with black seeds printed down the side. She ran 33:07 for 69th overall. Small detail, big personality.
Just after her, Claudia Conde (bib 29) of West Palm Beach came through in a green sports bra and pink shorts, water bottle in hand, holding a steady rhythm all the way to the line for 33:26. That was 73rd overall and second place in the women's 30-34 age group.
Family Pace: Strollers, Side-by-Side Miles, and Cape Energy
Yadira Hernandez (bib 31) of Lake Worth ran with her phone up, filming the whole thing, in a green zip crop, pink shorts, a visor, and yes — more watermelon socks. She finished in 33:43 for 78th overall and first place in the women's 40-44 age group. Winning your age group while making content is a flex, and we respect it.
Then came Angela Padilla (bib 113) of Port Saint Lucie, pushing a running stroller with a toddler tucked inside holding a sippy cup, cool as anything. She ran 34:18 with the extra cargo — 84th overall. Anybody who's ever tried to steer a stroller through 3.1 miles in August knows exactly how hard that is.
Doris Dixon (bib 87) of Delray Beach came down the path with a watermelon-print scarf stretched over her head like a sail, a coral tutu bouncing, watermelon socks on both feet, and a smile that could be seen from the parking lot. She crossed in 37:02 for 109th overall. If there were style points, she'd have won them.
Farther back, we caught Brenda Gimez (bib 110) of Palm Springs and Preston Hilderbrand (bib 143) of Haverhill running stride for stride in the sun, one in green and red, one in the event tee. They finished nine seconds apart — Preston in 39:17, Brenda in 39:26 — and you can see in the frame that neither one was going to let the other one go.
Slice of Life: Going All In on the Theme
We have to give the costume crown to R. Claudia Duarte (bib 105) of Palm Beach Gardens, who ran the entire 5K inside a giant foam watermelon slice — green rind hood, red flesh, black seeds, the whole thing — with matching green leggings underneath and a water bottle in one hand. In August. In Florida. She finished in 39:54 for 130th overall and first place in the women's 55-59 age group. Wearing a watermelon. We're still thinking about it.
Daniela Laterrade (bib 23) of West Palm Beach came through the same stretch throwing up a peace sign, long braids swinging, green sports bra and hot pink shorts, green sweatbands on both wrists. She ran 41:08 for 133rd overall. Some people race the clock. Some people race the vibe. She was clearly here for the vibe, and she'll be back on your screen in a minute.
Chasing the Screen: The Crowd at the Results Board
Here's a scene we love shooting at every race — the huddle around the results monitor. Phones up, finishers still catching their breath, medals already around necks, everybody scanning for their own name. In this frame you can spot Geraldo Garcia (bib 129) of Lake Worth, who had a monster morning: 23:17 for 6th overall and first place in the men's 40-44 age group. Angie Lewis (bib 54) of Palm Beach Gardens is right there with her phone out after her 46:21 finish, and Tony Toons (bib 232) of West Palm Beach — 48:50, in watermelon-print shorts, naturally — is grinning in the middle of it all. That's what a well-run race looks like fifteen minutes after the gun.
Medals and Melon: The Party That Started at the Mat
The finish line was really just the doorway to the pavilion, where the watermelon tables were waiting. Laura Montes (bib 35) of West Palm Beach held up her finisher medal in one hand and a slice in the other, still in the event shirt and pink leggings, after running 37:19 for 111th overall.
And there's Daniela Laterrade (bib 23) again, medal around her neck, taking a bite out of a slice with a look on her face that says this was absolutely worth 41 minutes of Florida humidity.
Yisel Cabrera (bib 45) turned up again too, this time holding a slice out toward the camera like she was offering it to you personally, medal on, pigtails still perfect after 28:29 of racing.
Next to her, Grecia Bello (bib 26) of West Palm Beach posed with headphones around her neck and her medal held up in one hand, a little watermelon tattoo on her shoulder to match. She finished in 44:18 for 153rd overall.
Last Ones In, Loudest Cheers: The Back of the Pack
Kells Domond (bib 218) of West Palm Beach took an enormous bite of watermelon, medal swinging, eyes squeezed shut in what we can only describe as total satisfaction. He's 19, he ran 39:27, and he earned every bit of that slice.
Elaney Shellman (bib 60) of Lake Worth held her phone up for a selfie in the middle of the grass, medal on, green top, hot pink shorts, surrounded by her crew. She crossed in 51:42 — and if you think the party had died down by then, look at the background of that photo. It hadn't.
Signed Up Together: The Group That Made It a Morning Out
Our favorite thing about this race might be how many people showed up in groups. This lineup says it all — a whole row of friends in matching green and pink, medals on, arms out, posing in the grass with the playground behind them. Mariannina Savoca (bib 40) of Wellington is in there, fresh off a 43:14 finish. Nobody in this photo is checking a watch. That's the point.
And this is what they all came for. A whole table of them, red and green enamel slices on seed-print ribbons, piled up and waiting. We could have photographed this pile for an hour.
Why West Palm Beach Runners Trust Us With Race Day
Here's what we've learned after years of shooting races across Palm Beach County: the medal goes in a drawer and the shirt ends up in the wash, but the photo lasts. That shot of you crossing the mat with both arms out, or holding up a slice of watermelon with your medal around your neck, or laughing in a line of friends in the grass — that's what you post, that's what your family sees, and that's what a race director uses to fill next year's start line.
So we treat every event like it matters, because it does. We get there before the sun is up, we stay until the last finisher walks in, and we shoot the entire field — the winners, the first-timers, the stroller pushers, the person in the watermelon costume. Then we turn galleries around fast, sorted by bib number, so runners can find themselves in seconds instead of scrolling for twenty minutes. That's not just a nice thing to do for runners. For race directors, it's marketing — those are the images that get shared, that sponsors notice, and that sell next year's race before registration opens.
If you're putting on a 5K anywhere from John Prince Park to downtown, and you're looking for a West Palm Beach sports photographer who knows the local courses and the August light, we'd love to be your crew. And to everyone who ran this one in green and pink — thank you for making our morning. Find the complete set of race results at Victory Sports Management.
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