PORT ANGELES — More than 360 competitors took on the annual Olympic Adventure Trail run held in the woods and hills west of Port Angeles this weekend.
The event that takes place along Kelly Ridge between the Elwha River and Lake Crescent is put on by Peninsula Adventure Sports and features trail-running 12K (7.5 miles), half-marathon and 50K (31 miles). Runners came from as far away as Philadelphia and Massachusetts to compete.
The winner of the grueling 50K race was Aaron Long of Seattle, who completed it in 3 hours, 46 minutes, 46.78 seconds. The top women’s runner was Suzanne Evans of New Westminster, B.C., who finished in 4:54:30.21. She finished seventh overall.
Because so many people signed up for the half-marathon — 212 people finished — this event went in two waves.
Winning the first wave was Chet Wellington III of Maynard, Mass., in a time of 1:27:05.04. The top women’s runner in the first wave, and fourth overall, was Natalia Sisolokova of Whistler, B.C., in a time of 1:40.27.18. She had the best women’s time including both waves.
Winning the second wave was a repeat winner of many local races, John Mauro of Port Townsend, in the best overall time of either wave of 1:25.10.86. The top woman in the second wave was Jennifer Wills of Silverlake, with a time of 1:51:40.34.
The winner of the 12K was Sam Leighton of Seattle in a time of 46:43.07 and the top women’s 12K runner was Jessica Lechtenberg of Seattle in 1:03.29.05.
A total of 116 people finished the 12K and 57 hardy souls finished the 50K.
Peninsula Adventure Sports puts on numerous team and endurance events year-round, from the Frosty Moss team relays, to the popular multi-discipline Big Hurt in and around Port Angeles in September. They also put on the longer Great Olympic Adventure Trail run in September, the Salt Creek 24-hour race in October, the Gravel Unravel and the Couch to 5K.
The next event on the calendar is the first leg of the Gravel Unravel gravel bike race called the Gamble Graveller near Port Gamble on Saturday.
Between the OAT Run and the NW Cup races at nearby Dry Hill, nearly 900 competitors were in the woods west of Port Angeles this weekend.
To get full results, people can go to: www.tinyurl.com/2024OATRunResults.
Top three finishers of each race include:
Olympic Adventure Trail run
50K Men — Aaron Long, Seattle, first, 3:46:46.78; Joseph Pitt, Pendleton, Ore., second, 3:57:26.08; Jayden Petro, Arlington, third, 4:21:46.53.
50K Women — Suzanne Evans, New Westminster, B.C., first, 4:54:30.21; Noelle Biittner, Sequim, second, 4:47:33.26; Kathryn Thien, Seattle, third, 5:12:42.7.
Half-Marathon Wave 1 Men — Chet Wellington III, Maynard, Mass., first, 1:27:05.04; Brett Morris, San Francisco, second, 1:35:44.72; Sebastian McRae, Redmond, third, 1:36:41.35.
Half-Marathon Wave 1 Women — (First overall) Natalia Sisolakova, Whistler, B.C., first, 1:40:27.18; Anna Eshelman, Pendleton, Ore, second, 1:40:47.26; Kelly MacDonald, Seattle, third, 1:45:30.04.
Half-Marathon Wave 2 Men — (First overall) John Mauro, Port Townsend, first, 1:25:10.86; Chris Fields, PA, second, 1:31:18.73; Nathanael Bate, Silverdale, third, 1:34:11.39.
Half-Marathon Wave 2 Women — Jennifer Wills, Silverlake, first, 1:51:40.34; Maryann Zmuda, Eagle River, Alaska, second, 1:54:29.22; Bonnie Laubach, PA, third, 2:00:23.67.
12K Men — Sam Leighton, Seattle, first, 46:43.07; Anthony Degleris, Philadelphia, second, 48:31.04; Alex Leighton, Seattle, third, 54:03.44.
12K Women — Jessica Lechtenberg, Seattle, first, 1:03.29.05; Sabrina Grosveld, San Clemente, Calif., second, 1:04:16.16; Krista Cook, Vancouver, third, 1:06:09.51.
