Sports

Saari, Haupert run records in Kesugi Ridge Traverse

Matias Saari and Christie Haupert lopped significant time off the previous course standards Saturday to win the men's and women's titles, respectively, in the second annual Kesugi Ridge Traverse in Denali State Park.

Saari covered the approximately 28-30 miles in 4 hours, 40 minutes, 43 seconds, to knock nearly 23 minutes off the time Harlow Robinson clocked in winning the race's debut in 2013. Robinson on Saturday finished second in 4:43:18, knocking about 20 minutes off his time from last year. A.J. Schirack took third in 4:59:07.

Haupert, runner-up among women a year ago, won the title in 5:53:43. That was about 12 minutes faster than Shawn McTaggert's winning time in 2013 and about 27 minutes faster than Haupert ran a year ago.

Haupert edged Holly Brooks, the two-time Olympic nordic skier who clocked 5:55:14. Rachel Phelps finished third in 6:26:43.

Kesugi Ridge Traverse Results

1) Matias Saari 4:40:45; 2) Harlow Robinson 4:43:18; 3) Andrew Schirack 4:59:07; 4) Willie Stoll 5:16:11; 5) Jim McDonough 5:17:13; 6) Jim Shine 5:48:14; 7) Ben Ward 5:48:14; 8) Christopher Clark 5:51:07; 9) Christie Haupert, 5:53:43 (women's winner; course record; previous record, Shawn McTaggert, 6:05:50, 2013); 10) Joseph Nyholm 5:53:59; 11) Holly Brooks 5:55:14; 12) David Apperson 6:07:50; 13) Rachel Phelps 6:26:43; 14) Stacey Buckelew 6:34:48; 15) Russell Johanson 6:50:10; `6) Dorian Gross 6:54:25; 17) Kate Fitzferald 6:54:32; 18) John Sykes 6:54:32; 19) Teri Buck 6:58:12; 20) Mark Hansen 6:59:39; 21) Lindsey Flagstad 7:03:15; 22) Gina Robinson 7:06:43; 23) Martti Lindeke 7:06:52; 24) Shawn McTaggart 7:06:54; 25) Amber McDonough 7:09:22; 26) Sarah Wood 7:13:39; 27) Laura McDonough 7:27:23; 28) Jackie Minge 7:41:46 29) Jared Kern 7:43:50; 30) Amanda Compton 7:56:45; 31) Alec Kay 7:57:31; 32) Gregory Martin 8:01:32; 33) Stephen Harrison 8:22:20; 34) Dan Harrell 8:30:04; 35) Paul Lynn 8:49:37; 36) Tab Ballantine 8:55:47; 37) Jose Gross 8:57:15.

Raven runners rock

Two teams running under the banner of the Skinny Raven running shop in Anchorage seized titles over the weekend at the annual Klondike Trail of '98 International Road Relay from Skagway to Whitehorse.

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Team Raven: Take No Prisoners won the open division, covering the 109 miles in 11 hours, 4 minutes, 51 seconds, to beat the Scarecrows, a team from Whitehorse, by about 10 minutes. Corbyn Jahn and Dylan Peterson each ran two of the 10 relay legs for Team Raven, and Peter Kling, Andrew Ritchie, Ryan Beckett, Lukas Ebner, Abe Meyerhofer and Eric Strabel ran single legs.

Team Raven Sisters won the women's division in 13:08:22 for a comfortable victory of about 91 minutes over Ladies Worth Freezin' Over, a team from Whitehorse. Katie Krehlik and Christi Schmitz each ran two legs for Team Raven, and Susan Bick, Denali Foldager, Emma Bohman, Hallidie Wilt, Ivy O'Guinn and Whitney Bennett each ran a single leg.

Team 8 of Juneau won the mixed division in 12:24:49.

Complete results are available at klondikeroadrelay.com

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