Daniel Luchkin of Vancouver won the first Hot Buttered Run half marathon on Sunday in Vancouver. The 21-year-old finished the 13.1-mile course in 1 hour, 19 minutes and 49 seconds. He was almost five minutes in front of runner-up Brandon Kuljis of Longview.
Sarah Schwab of Vancouver was the women’s champion. The 32-year-old finished in 1:35:25, 18 seconds ahead of Jenna Fallow of Bozeman, Mont.
A total of 380 runners completed the half marathon course, which replaced a 12-kilometer run among the distances offered for the Hot Buttered Run. This was the sixth year Energy Events has staged Hot Buttered Run races in Vancouver.
The runs started and finished at Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver.
A total of 726 runners, more than 500 of them female, completed the popular 5-kilometer Hot Buttered Run. Seven of the top 10 men were from Vancouver, including winner Eric Curtis, 33, who finished in 17:30 to win by 50 seconds.
Wendi Fisher, 32, of Beaverton, Ore., was the first woman to finish. She was 5 seconds in front of Natalie Biddix, 16, of Woodland.
In addition to the two races, a pair of runs for kids attracted 100 participants.
Race organizer Brian Davis of Energy Events said he received mixed reactions to the shift to a half marathon. He said some runners said they miss the unique 12-K distance, and that the longer distance prevented some from joining friends at the post-run party.
“We’ll look at it and see,” Davis said about the future distances for the Hot Buttered Run.
He said he added the half-marathon because it is the fastest-growing footrace distance in the nation. Davis said he was pleased to have more than 1,200 runners and walkers take part in Sunday’s races.
Among the events staged by Davis’ Energy Events company is the Vancouver USA Marathon in June. Davis said abut 400 have registered for that race, scheduled for June 19, 2016.
Remembrance today for tennis aficionado
The life of local tennis champion Martha Frederick will be celebrated at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday with a gathering at the Vancouver Tennis Center, 5300 E. 18th Street.
Frederick, who died last moth at the age of 93, was a longtime member of the tennis center. She also won four national championships in 90-and-older tournaments, two in singles and two in doubles. Her four golden balls are being donated to the tennis center by Frederick’s family.
The remembrance at VTC is open to the public. Anyone interested to honor Frederick can make a donation to fund tennis lessons for kids at Vancouver Tennis Center by visiting vtcf.org.
Holiday run is Saturday
The Ugly Christmas Sweater Run and Walk takes place on Saturday in Ridgefield.
The event will feature 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer courses. The races start at 9 a.m. at 100 Main St., in downtown Ridgefield.
The cost is $25 for the 5-kilometer course, $30 for the 10-kilometer.
Prices are $5 higher for those who register on the day of the race, but $5 lower for those who donate at least two cans of food.
To register, visit runridgefield.com or look for the event at active.com.
• Results from the Clark County Running Club Heritage Trail runs on Nov. 28 are in the Community Sports Scoreboard. There was a 3-mile and a 7-mile run. The next run on the CCRC calendar is a 4.5-mile run on the Discovery Trail that starts at 10 a.m. on Dec. 12 at Lincoln School, 4200 Daniels St.
COMMUNITY SPORTS NEWS is published each Tuesday. Submit items by sending email to paul.danzer@columbian.com or call 360-735-4521.
