PORT ANGELES — More than 400 runners from 14 states and three countries were treated to near-perfect conditions in the wilds west of Port Angeles in the 10th annual Olympic Adventure Trail run.
The race contained both a 12K, a half-marathon and a 50K (32-mile) race held along the OAT in the hills and thick forests between Joyce and U.S. Highway 101. The race is put on by Peninsula Adventure Sports, which puts on other events such as the Frost Moss Relays, the Great Olympic Adventure Trail run and the Big Hurt.
Unlike the OAT run last year, there was no snow during this year’s race.
A couple from The Netherlands, Inge VanDoor and Danny Jonathans, traveled to the Olympic Peninsula specifically for the trail race and built an extended vacation around the race, said organizer Lorrie Mittmann. Another runner, Nathan McDonald, traveled all the way from Georgia to participate in his first 50K race.
Winning the 50K in a time of 4 hours, 19 minutes 18.36 seconds was Jarrett Manca of Oak Harbor. A close second was put in by Quincy Gill of Seattle with a time of 4:21:03.92.
The top women’s time in this event was by Stephanie Decker of Bremerton in a time of 5:24:46.02.
In the half-marathon (13 miles), Michael Lessor of Port Angeles, running in the first wave, had the top time at 1:25:53.97. Garrett Grove won the second wave of the marathon in a time of 1:29:14.02, the fifth-best time in this event.
The best women’s time in the half marathon was by Alison Howe of Bremerton (1:40:33.24).
In the 12K (About 7½ miles), the top time was by Stuart Gerger of Portland, Ore., who clocked in at 51:32.06. The top women’s time was by Lucy Wait of Port Angeles, good for third overall, at 56:48.02.
Also, new for 2023, Peninsula Adventure Sports started out the race weekend by co-hosting with Peninsula College the Trail Running Film Festival on Friday night.
OAT Run
Top 10 Finishers
50K Men — Jarrett Manca, Oak Harbor, first, 4:19:18.36; Quincy Gill, Seattle, second, 4:21:03.92; Luke Thiele, Port Angeles, third, 4:34:37.71; Calvin Kuo, Olympia, fourth, 4:43:05.33; Jared Kariniemi, Monroe, fifth, 4:55:02.35; Blake Hansen, Tacoma, sixth, 4:55:37.56; George White, Seattle, seventh, 4:55:55.54; Andrew Noreeen, Shelton, eighth, 5:01:36.66; Thomas Meyer, Seattle, ninth, 5:05:25.90; Jess Sheehan Zettel, Challis, Idaho, 10th, 5:16:01.24.
50K Women — Stephanie Decker, Bremerton, first, 5:24:46.02; Kristal Wittmann, Olympia, second, 5:35:48.22; Yela Carey, Sequim, third, 6:17:12.26; Emily Johnston, Port Angeles, fourth, 6:17:16.75; Stephanie Green, Burnaby, B.C., fifth, 6:19:16.63; Robyn Reed, Seattle, sixth, 6:38:53.22; Lily Kitagawa, Oakland, Calif., seventh, 6:39:37.15; Emma Clausen, San Francisco, eighth, 6:43:20.33; Brittany Shrout, Port Angeles, ninth, 6:46:05.98; Melissa Lashua, Sequim, 10th, 6:48:08.76.
Half-Marathon Men — Michael Lessor, Port Angeles, first, 1:25:53.97; Joshua Corbin, Silverdale, second, 1:27:04.25; Chris Fields, PA, third, 1:29:08.66; Andy Siegel, Seattle, fourth, 1:29:11.91; Garrett Grove, PA, fifth, 1:29:14.02; Brett Morris, San Francisco, sixth, 1:29:31.73; Jonathan Moore, Port Townsend, seventh, 1:36:15.87; Chris Cummings, PA, eighth, 1:36:33.14; Morgan Scherer, Hoodsport, ninth, 1:37:45.77; John Dore, Alpharetta, Ga., 10th, 1:39:03.35.
Half-Marathon Women — Alison Howe, Bremerton, first, 1:40:33.24; Jo Markham, Tacoma, second, 1:42:02.83; Brynne Dykes, third, 1:42:32.94; Ava Stone, Bellingham, fourth, 1:42:33.08; Suzanne Messinger, Bainbridge, fifth, 1:45:37.97; Samantha Wilford, Snohomish, sixth, 1:47:02.95; Alison Duvall, Seattle, seventh, 1:47:43.21; Sarah Hack, Seattle, eighth, 1:51:03.40; Emily Little, PA, ninth, 1:53:18.32; Carshena Harvin, Lakewood, 10th, 1:55:40.21.
12K Men — Stuart Gerger, Portland, Ore., first, 51:32.06; David Ashmead, Seattle, second, 54:09.63; Royal Sons, Chehalis, third, 58:25.01; Clint Valentine, Seattle, fourth, 58:54; Shane Duff, Mountlake Terrace, fifth, 59:01.97; Donald Young, Port Townsend, sixth, 59:36.60; Tim Branham, PA, seventh, 1:00:57.76; Jacob Phillips, PA, eighth, 1:01:17.01; Alex Illuzzi, Springfield, Pa., ninth, 1:02:52.55; Michael Cassella-Blackburn, Port Townsend, 10th, 1:06:21.77.
12K Women — Lucy Wait, PA, first 56:48.02; Jessica Lechtenberg, Seattle, second, 1:02:57.36; Lucy Holtsnider, Denver, third, 1:03:36.71; Cecilie Burleson, Silverdale, fourth, 1:06:43.76; Lillie Phillips, PA, fifth, 1:07:05.32; Candice Muntz, Dupont, 1:07:32.1; Kristin Kinnamon, Marysville, seventh, 1:07:34.81; Nicole Boucher, Duncan, B.C., eighth, 1:08:44.07; Priyanka Jayanthis, Seattle, ninth, 1:08:48.27; Jessica Crook, Poulsbo, 10th, 1:09:29.43.
