Victor, Tammy top Roll Out 5K

Victor Nash Santos and Tammy Ackerman topped the Inaugural Roll Out 5K organized by the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority last July 9, starting from the Garapan Fishing Base along Beach Road.

Santos, fresh from breaking the CNMI national 10,000m record in the 2025 Palau Pacific Mini Games, paced everyone with a time of 18:43. Jody O'Sullivan was second in the men’s field after clocking in at 20:41, while Pony Tang completed the Top 3 in 20:56.

Ackerman, who won the July 4th Independence Day 2-Mile Race 2025 the week prior, was without peer among the women after crossing the finish line in 22:40. Krista Hawley and Rosemarie Chisato came in second and third with times of 24:34 and 26:56, respectively. 

“It was challenging. I didn't expect there to be a lot of people. Way harder than I expected, definitely. I knew it wasn't going to be super hard like when I was in Palau, but I knew it was still going to be challenging, and I just ran my race today,” said Santos.

And what’s more amazing is that the 17-year-old Saipan International School incoming senior won after just arriving on the morning of the race from Palau. 

“I just made sure I was well-rested. I drank my electrolytes, just like my coaches and teammates always tell me to do. I just made sure I got a lot of rest, some sleep. And when I came back from Palau, I made sure I slept immediately and then got ready for this race,” he said. 

Ackerman, for her part, said the race was simply lovely and thanked organizers.

“The weather was perfect. COTA and Run Saipan did an amazing job, as usual. I think this is my third run in the past few days, and this was my favorite one just because the conditions were lovely,” said the 26-year-old.

As for her back-to-back victories in a week, Ackerman said she doesn’t see herself as a bona fide runner.

“I don't run that much aside from a weekend hash, and so I'm just trying to find my pace, and I think every race I've improved in my pace, but I still haven't quite got it yet,” she said.

In the boys’ U12, Beau Bauer smoked the competition after finishing in 24:51. Andreas Roberto was second with a time of 38:08, while Vontae John Borja came in third in 39:16.

Leilani Ruszala topped the girls U12 after tearing the tape in 30:52, while Quinn Bauer and Aubrey Roberto came in second and third with times of 37:30 and 45:09, respectively.

Special assistant for Public Transportation Alfreda Camacho-Maratita thanked the over 100 participants who took part in the Inaugural Roll Out 5K, which kicks off COTA’s launch of Rural Transit Day on July 16. She also gave kudos to everyone who made the event possible. 

“I really would like to give a big shout out to Dube’s Smokehouse Tacos, who's set up shop here to be able to provide some really good food, some tacos, so please check them out. And, also to run Saipan for collaborating with them. It's been an honor, and we look forward to the first of many. I'd like to thank the Office of the Governor and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, all our partner agencies, and our very dedicated team. We couldn't have done it without this hardworking team,” said Camacho-Maratita.

The COTA chief said the agency currently has two ride services available to the public—the Demand Responsive Shared Ride Program and the Fixed Route Service. 

“There's a lot of planning involved, and also expanding our route. We are currently working on the north side, it's called the Green Line, and we have bus stops already underway, and we look forward to launching that very shortly,” she said, while adding that ridership on the Fixed Route Service is around 5,000 monthly and Shared Ride Program at 1,000, also monthly.

Camacho-Maratita said COTA recently expanded the Shared Ride Program to Rota and soon will launch that service on Tinian and, in fact, the agency is in the process of looking for COTA drivers on the island.

Aside from these, COTA is also busy constructing bus shelters and, coincidentally, is working on a Request for Proposal with the Division of Procurement Services.

Report by Mark Rabago