More than 700 runners joined in for the Run Wild 5K and Wild Child Fun Run in Huntersville’s Birkdale neighborhood Saturday, raising $30,000 for the African Children’s Project. Davidson-based Olympian Anthony Famiglietti won the race in one of the fastest 5K times in the area in recent memory. Claire Naisby of Davidson won the women’s division. See results and photos in our latest Running column, in SPORTS»

MOORESVILLE - A goal in the first overtime gave Lake Norman a 2-1 victory over Hough Monday night in a game that decided the I-Meck 4A girls’ soccer championship. Barry Pulver reports. Story & photos in SPORTS»

What will it take to elevate the game of soccer in the U.S.? Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids and the youth sports nonprofit North Meck Soccer Club think the answer lies in a youth-to-adult training network. On Tuesday, they announced an alliance that will bring that model to the Charlotte area, and transform North Meck into the Carolina Rapids Soccer Club. See more in SPORTS»

Is your boat’s battery charged? Are you signal lights working? Do you have enough life jackets? As the boating season gets into full gear, the Lake Norman Sail & Power Squadron is hosting a boat safety check this Saturday at the Peninsula Yacht Club, on Lake Norman. Read the full story

More than two dozen Lake Norman area runners were in Boston for Monday’s 117th Boston Marathon, which was cut short by two deadly explosions. We’ve heard from a several local runners, including a Cornelius town commissioner, who report that they and other local entrants they know are OK. But they echoed the news reports of chaos at the scene. Read the full story

A crisp spring morning and cash prizes welcomed runners to the inaugural American Two Mile Road Race at Jetton Park in Cornelius. The road through the park was a “phenomenal setup” for the approximately 70 local and out-of-state athletes, according to organizers. Darren Brown and Heidi Dahl, both of Knoxville, came away winners. Story and photos in SPORTS»

The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday afternoon that it will delay until June 15 the planned budget-related closings of federal contract air traffic control towers. The closings were scheduled to take effect April 1 at 149 towers, including the one at Concord Regional Airport. Read the full story

Two partners in a local athletic clothing business – one a former U.S. Olympian – have teamed up to stage a big race Saturday in Cornelius that’s the first of its kind in the area. The inaugural American Two-Mile road race is begins at 8:45am Saturday at Jetton Park, on Lake Norman. Story in SPORTS»