PORT ANGELES — The marine layer fog burned off right around the start of the girls varsity race at the 37th annual Salt Creek Invitational, just in time for Interlake’s Annie Tansley.
Tansley, who won the girls race Saturday in a time of 18 minutes and 35 seconds, has a fondness for the vistas visible during the run, as they help her forget the discomfort of the 3-mile competition.
“It’s my favorite course of all time,” Tansley said. “The view, it’s very distracting from the pain.”
Port Angeles freshman Gracie Long, who led for much of the race, was second with a time of 18:49.
“I thought I did OK,” Long said.
Tansley took over the lead on the backside of the race’s second and final lap.
“I probably started my kick at the second or third school bus on the downhill portion [near the entrance to Salt Creek County Park],” Tansley said.
Nathan Hale claimed the overall girls team title edging the Roughriders in points 56 to 53.
Forks placed sixth with 176 points and Port Townsend was eighth with 187.
Port Angeles’ Madelyn Dougherty was ninth with a time of 20:12.42 and the Forks’ Tristin Williams was 11th, coming in at 20.28.8.
Repeat winner
On the boys side, Interlake’s Luke Beauchamp benefited from a course-management mistake by Nathan Hale’s Stuart Smith to win the boys race at Salt Creek for the second year in a row.
“It [his victory] can probably be attributed to the fact that he ran off course, but I still ran a good race,” Beauchamp said.
Stuart took a wrong turn more than halfway through the course and Beauchamp seized the opportunity soon after, increasing his speed through a downhill portion of the course to finish with a time of 15:14.
That decision nearly cost him, as he finished the race wobbling on unsteady legs.
“I turned it on way back in the forest and I think that’s why I fizzled out there [near the finish line],” Beauchamp said.
Interlake won the boys title with 35 points and Nathan Hale was second with 50.
Port Townsend was fifth with 169 points, Port Angeles sixth with 166 and Forks eight with 214.
Port Townsend’s Ryan Clarke was the highest North Olympic Peninsula racer, finishing third in 15:32.
The Roughriders’ duo of Peter Butler and Simon Shindler finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in 15:54.63 and 15:56.9.
Forks’ top boys runner was Alan Ensastegui, who finished 14th in 16:18.23.
Crescent’s lone competitor, senior Martin Waldrip, finished 15th in the boys junior varsity race in 18:15.66.
The boys winner helped sum up many visitors’ feelings toward the race.
“I’m really happy Port Angeles puts this event on for us,” Beauchamp said.
“This race is the highlight of everyone’s season at Interlake. I don’t foresee us leaving [for another race] anytime soon.”
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
