Youth runners representing Clark County schools and the Whisper Running Club came away with some top-20 finishes at the USATF Junior Olympic Cross County meet on Saturday at Reno, Nev.
Whisper Running girls 13-14 age group team placed 11th out of 26 clubs. It was an improvement over 13th place last year. They were also second from the Pacific Northwest division.
Sara Cordova was the top Whisper runner, completing the 4K course in 47th place out of 311 finishers with a time of 17 minutes, 0.5 seconds.
“The day was cold (low-30’s), wet, muddy, hilly, and slick, making for perfect, albeit slow, conditions for an old school feel of a cross country race,” noted coach Dave Caldwell. “Most participants were 1-2 minutes off their personal best times, so this race was a testament to their fortitude and composure, in which we very fared well.”
Other local runners included Charlotte Wilson (75th, 17:20.6), Madison Wick (115th, 17:44.1), Alyson Robertson (140th, 17:57.4), Natalie Peddie (180th, 18:19.6), Kiley O’Brien (182nd, 18:20.5), Lauren Amato (183rd, 18:20.6), and Abigail Wall (234th, 19:03.3).
The Whisper 11-12 team placed 20th out of 29 teams. The top finisher was Abigail Gavora in 56th out of 326 finishers with a time of 12:40.5 on a 3,000-meter course.
Also competing were Elle Thomas (62nd, 12:42.9), Bethany McKinstry (187th, 13:40.4), Addison Crum (255th, 14:32.9), Abigail Rounds (267, 14:42.5), and Madelyn Cooke (268th, 14:45.9).
In the 9-10 girls division, Whisper runner Ava Gavora was 97th out of 264 with a time of 14:13.7.
For the boys, Sam Soto was 10th out of 339 in the 11-12 age group (12:22.0), Daniel Barna was 149th out of 386 in the 13-14 age group (16:00.6), and Christopher Amato was 220th out of 245 in the 15-16 age group (22:12.4).
Race for Warmth on Jan. 27 in Vancouver
The Race for Warmth 5K and 10K run and walk is scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 27 starting at the Clark Public Utilities building at 1200 Fort Vancouver Way.
Online registration is $30 through midnight Jan. 26 at https://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/event/race-for-warmth/. Day-of-race registration is $40.
The Columbian is a proud sponsor of the event to support Operation Warm Heart, a Clark Public Utilities customer-funded program that helps limited-income families in crisis situations who need assistance paying their electric bills.
Last year’s fourth annual Race for Warmth raised more than $50,000 for this critical assistance program.
More information can be found at the website above.
Resolution Run set for Jan. 6 at Battle Ground
The 2019 Resolution Run is set for 10 a.m. Jan. 6 beginning at Maple Grove School in Battle Ground.
Registration, through Jan. 5, is $20 for the 10K, 5K and 1K Cub runs.
A Polar Bear Slide and post party will also be part of the event with proceeds benefitting Battle Ground’s Cindy Wood, who is fighting cancer.
For more information or to register visit http://www.resolution-run.com/.
Clark County Running Club events upcoming
There are three upcoming runs being staged by the Clark County Running Club.
• The Salmon Creek Trail 3- and 6-mile run is 10 a.m. Saturday. The run begins at on a paved trail by Klineline Park.
• The Pacific Park Runs, a 45-minute, 1.4-mile lap event is 10 a.m. on Dec. 22 at Pacific Park in Vancouver.
• Start the new year with the Hangover Run at 10 a.m. Jan. 1 on the Salmon Creek trail. The course is 3 or 5 miles and starts by the entrance to Klineline.
For information about these events or others visit http://clarkcountyrunningclub.org.
Doubles teams qualify for USTA sectionals
Two mixed doubles teams from the Vancouver Tennis Center have qualified for the USTA Pacific Northwest Sectional tournament after winning playoffs over the weekend at VTC.
The VTC 18-over Mixed Doubles 10.0 Team captained by Craig Pearce includes Richard Sabo, Sanja Lemes, Sean McElderry, Megan Sporndli, Katie Kinsfogel, Stephen Robertson, Kaitlin Burns, Jelena Lazarevic and Mitchell Miyashiro.
The VTC 9.0 team captained by Julie Atchley includes Joey Gaylor, Minou Chau, Lemes, Kinsfogel, Mike Mon, Tara Henerson, Stefan Lagielski, Brent Waddle, John Heim, John Barbieri, James Feeney and Pamela Buckley.
Both teams will compete at sectionals on July 19 at Sunriver, Ore.
