PORT TOWNSEND — More than 1,500 runners from all around the Pacific Northwest competed in 6K and 12K races at the 41st annual Rhody Run this weekend.
The top men’s 12K winner, Taye Babeker Tirfea of Ethiopia (he lives in Yakima), won his race with a time of 37 minutes, 37 seconds, nearly three full minutes better than the second-place runner, Keith Laverty of Bainbridge.
The women’s 12K winner was a Port Townsend local, Brittany Grant, whose margin of victory was much smaller. She won with a time of 47:14, 19 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Jenine Adam of Bainbridge.
The 6K men’s winner was Caleb Minner of Gig Harbor, who won with a time of 22:21. Second place was Adam Carter of Port Townsend with a time of 23:13.
In the women’s 6K, the winner was Carley Haydu of Poulsbo with a time of 27:24. The second-place finisher was Nicole Boehm of Sequim at 29:16.
Three local high school runners finished in the top 10 in the men’s and women’s 12Ks. Port Angeles’ Lauren Larson, who won the 800 meters, the 1,600 meters and the 3,200 meters at the West Central District III 2A track meet on Friday and Saturday, came in fifth in the women’s 12K with a time of 49:06. You add it all up, she ran 17,600 meters Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Her high school teammate Kynzie DeLeon came in 10th with a time of 55:02.
Port Townsend’s Seamus Fraser finished ninth in the boys’ 12K with a time of 46:13.
A total of 985 runners competed in the 12K, 552 women and 433 men. A total of 560 runners competed in the 6K, 361 women and 199 men.
The number of 12K runners was down from 2018, when 1,225 competed for the race’s 40th anniversary. However, the number of 6K runners was up from 493 in 2018 to 560 this year.
Rhody Run
May 19, 2019
Port Townsend
12K Men
Top 15 finishers
Taye Babeker Tirfea, first, 37:37; Keith Laverty, second, 40:32; Andrew Wise, third, 41:18; Uli Steidl, fourth, 42:04; Michael Cepowski, fifth, 44:07; Michael Krisman, sixth, 44:29; Andy Wyman, seventh, 45:11; Ian Fraser, eighth, 45:39; Seamus Fraser, ninth, 46:13; Aidan Anderson, 10th, 46:40; Bill Haldeman, 11th, 47:44; John Craft, 12th, 47:49; Greg Garner, 13th, 47:57; River Yearian, 14th, 48:42; John Christian, 15th, 49:08.
12K Women
Top 15 finishers
Brittany Grant, first, 47:14; Jenine Adam, second, 47:33; Kristi Houk, third, 47:49; Amber Hoak, fourth, 47:59; Lauren Larson, fifth, 49:06; Trisha Steidl, sixth, 49:36; Samantha Miller, seventh, 53:22; Thury Gudmundsdottir, eighth, 53:41; Emily Kuhn, ninth, 54:09; Kynzie DeLeon, 10th, 55:02; Sherry Whitley, 11th, 55:28; Brooke Anderson, 12th, 55:28; Nikki Walder, 13th, 56:01; Lauren Carson, 14th, 56:01; Michelle Behan, 15th, 56:34.
6K Men
Top 15 finishers
Caleb Minner, first, 22:21; Adam Carter, second, 23:13; Liam Hutchinson, third, 23:38; Colby Ellefson, fourth, 23:42; Robert Bondurant, fifth, 24:14; Henry Roller, sixth, 24:19; Peter Thomas, seventh, 26:15; Sam Day, eighth, 26:40; Jay Strickland, ninth, 26:56; Bryce DeLeon, 10th, 26:57; Barak Howell, 12th, 27:18; Colten Larsen, 13th, 27:22; Guy Yotsaksri, 14th, 28:10; Frank Bekken, 15th, 28:52.
6K Women
Top 15 finishers
Caley Haydu, first, 27:24; Nicole Boehm, second, 29:16; Jackie Waller, third, 29:39; Stacy Olson, fourth, 30:30; Kiley Winter, fifth, 30:46; Vicki Montelongo, sixth, 31:11; Haley Peper, seventh, 31:18; Kate Philbrick, eighth, 31:44; Kari McKee, ninth, 31:53; Camille Clarke, 10th, 32:14; Eleanor Steele, 11th, 32:27; Rachel Ballew, 12th, 32:32; Lou Hilken. 13th, 32:43; Heidi Oshaughnessy, 14th, 32:49; Emma Bolin, 15th, 32:54.
