Local runners compete at cross country Junior Olympics

Vancouver-based Whisper Running Club sent eight 13-14-year-old runners to the USA Track & Field Cross-Country Junior Olympics on Saturday, Dec. 9th in Tallahassee, Fla.

Six of those runners ran personal-best times on the 4,000-meter course. They were led by Abigail Wall of Washougal, who finished in 15 minutes, 17 seconds to place 73rd out of 200 runners.

Other runners included Kira Mahaffy (15:32, Scappoose Middle School), Katelyn Flolo (15:45, Cornerstone Christian Academy), Emily Rosenkranz (16:17, Shahala Middle School), Callie Ulin (16:23, Liberty Middle School), Ashley McKinstry (16:30, Camas High School), Candice Owen (16:39, Skyridge Middle School) and Kiley O’Brien (16:48, Frontier Middle School).

The team placed 13th out of 30 teams.

Dozens run in honor of Phil Phimister

Dozens of runners gathered in Vancouver on Saturday for the Clark County Running Club’s Phil Phimister Memorial Run at Lincoln Elementary School.

Phimister, a past club president and longtime Prairie High School coach, died Aug. 17. The former Lincoln Cookie Run was chosen as a memorial race since it was among Phimister’s favorite events.

Mack Stilson was the fastest to cover the 4.4-mile course. The 59-year-old from Portland finished in 27 minutes, 16 seconds.

Seventy-four runners in all completed the race.