Briana Sullivan completed 11 climbs of the North Face Trail on Mount Alyeska, and did it with more than a half-hour to spare in the 10-hour limit, to set a women's record Saturday in the annual Alyeska Climbathon in Girdwood.
Sullivan completed her 11 "laps'' -- racers climb the 2.5-mile trail, which gains about 2,000 feet in elevation, before taking the tram down to begin another lap -- in 9 hours, 28 minutes. 6 seconds.
Shawn McTaggert was the other woman to complete 11 laps, clocking 9:51:24.
Brent Knight won the men's climb by completing 12 laps in 9:36:10.
Brian Harder likewise covered 12 laps, clocking 9:48:40.
The fund-raising race was conducted in partnership with Let Every Woman Know - Alaska, and was an official Globeathon event dedicated to raising awareness about gynecologic cancers as part of an international movement during the month of September, Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month.
Alyeska Climbathon
Lap = 2.5 miles, 2,000 elevation gain
Women's Top 10 -- 1) Briana Sullivan, 11 laps in 9:28:06; 2) Shawn McTaggart, 11 in 9:51:24; 3) Sara Sayre, 10 in 9:27:22; 4) Heather Wolfe, 10 in 9:29:29; 5) Karen Williams, 10 in 9:43:30; 6) Kelsey Vrem, 10 in 9:45:18; 7) Gyongyver Schilling, 10 in 9:46:55; 8) Karol Fink, 9 in 9:11:00; 9) Susanne DiPietro, 9 in 9:32:16; 10) Valerie Waldrop, 9:00:55.
Men's Top 10 -- 1) Brent Knight, 12 laps in 9:36:10; 2) Brian Harder, 12 in 9:48:40; 3) tie, Todd Kasteler and John Collins, 11 in 9:49:58; 5) Todd Borke, 10 in 8:55:01; 6) Barney Griffith, 10 in 8:58:33; 7) Keegan Crow, 10 in 9:14:14; 8) Kevin Crossman, 10 in 9:31:02; 9) Chism Henry, 10 in 9:37:47; 10) Gavin Ramsey, 10 in 9:40:12.
Anchorage Daily News