It’s the 17th year the Salisbury Rowan Runners have sponsored a Winter Flight race. The event started in 1984, when both 5- and 10-mile races were held. The feature race has been the 8K (approximately 5 miles) since 1987.

The 8K run and health walk will start outside Catawba College’s Goodman Gym at 2 p.m. and end in Shuford Stadium. A 1-mile fun run is set for 1:30.

“We’ve got our fingers crossed that this snow will have come and gone by then and we can count on temperatures at least in the high 40s as in previous years,” said Judy Zirt, secretary for Salisbury Rowan Runners.

“A special thanks goes to the City of Salisbury, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Department, the Salisbury Post, the Rowan Amateur Society, and the numerous volunteers that help make Winter Flight one of the top races in North Carolina,” she added.

The registration fee for the 8K is $15 before Saturday, Jan. 29, and $25 on race day, and $8 and $10, respectively, for a 1-mile fun run. Youngsters age 6 and under can run the fun run free.

Long-sleeved sweatshirts are guaranteed to the first 700 runners and walkers in the 8K. Medals will be given to all finishers in the fun run.

Awards will be given to the top three male and female finishers overall, in the masters (40&over) division and in each age group.

There will also be special Clydesdale and Athena divisions with awards going to the top three males weighing over 200 pounds and the top three female finishers weighing over 150. A middle-of-pack prize is also planned.

A $100 bonus will be awarded to any person breaking the male and female course records established by Hans Koeleman of The Netherlands (23:34 in 1988) and Joan Nesbitt of Chapel Hill (26:48 in 1992).

Last year’s winners were John Hinton of Carrboro in 25:14 and Patty Pitcher of Charlotte in 29:29.

Sponsors are Silver Eagle Distributors, Catawba College, Salisbury-Rowan Merchants Association, Athlete’s Foot, KOSA, Gold’s Gym, and Max Bar. Other contributors include Hampton Inn, Cheerwine, SideKick Karate, Food Lion, Rowan Regional Medical Center, Rowan Rescue Squad, Action Sports of America and North Pines.

Applications are available at Salisbury YMCA, Athlete’s Foot, Gold’s Gym and today’s Salisbury Post.