With 51 previous years of tradition the Hudson Bay Run-A-Ree has witnessed some impressive racing over the years. Last year’s race for instance saw Alexis Fuller of Union fly down the stretch with Camas’ Alexa Efraimson. Both were credited with essentially the same time of 18:44 but the victory went to Fuller. This year’s race saw Efraimson blitz the course and come in by herself in a time of 18:00, which is more than a very solid time on a demanding course. It should be noted that the Hudson’s Bay course is not your basic flat XC course but it includes jumps over barriers & water so the winner’s time is of special note. Two year ’s ago Priscilla Timmons of Skyview raced away from the field to win in 18:18 and she is racing well now on the collegiate level, which should give fans an idea of the quality of the time of the Camas Comet. Alexa had a solid spring, which put her on the national stage and Friday’s race suggests she has the ability of a Foot Locker qualifier.
Alexis Fuller, like Efraimson, was one of the top runners in a state loaded with talent and in spite of not being able to stay with her rival this day, she raced home well ahead of any challengers. Her time was so good that that she would have tied Timmons, when she won the race as a junior in 2009. In point of fact in the past few years only Timmons, Efraimson & Fuller have gone under nineteen minutes for the course, so we look forward to her future races in anticipation.
Such was the individual talent up front that the rest of the field was left well behind to challenge for third place. Alissa Pudlitzke of Camas & her team mate Maddie Woodson pulled away from Skyview’s Sara Taferre with Pudlitzke garnering third in 19:15 to top Woodson by six seconds. Taferre finished by herself in 19:45 and Cassie McKinney of Union claimed sixth in twenty flat. Camille Parsons was the fourth runner from Camas & she all but locked up the team victory with her time of 20:33, which was good for seventh. Melissa Starr (21:04) & Julia Wygant (21:05) took 8th & 9th for Mark Morris and Katelynn Horn of Kalama was tenth. Kaitlyn McKinney of Union tan 21:25 for 11th & La Center’s Katie Whitten finished twelfth. The team scoring saw Camas top Union 32 to 47.
Mark Tedder of Battle Ground raced away from his competition to win in a time of 15:40. His time topped the winning mark of Dylan Croeni of Washougal, whose time of 15:41 was the best time in years, if not the record. Andrew Kaler of Camas placed second with a clocking of 16:11 and Colby Gilbert of Skyview, who ran 16:23.
Brad Rich of White Salmon secured sixth with 16:28 to top Andrew Duffy of Camas by six seconds. Austin Blankenship was Columbia River’s top runner with his seventh place effort of 16:36, while Kyle DeGraaff of La Center crossed the finish line in 8th (16:38). Nicholas McMillan came in ninth in 16:39 for Columbia Runner. Mavrick Knoles led Mark Morris with his tenth place time of 16:43 and Levi Sparks of Union was eleventh.
The past few years has seen a surge in quality by the runners in Southwest Washington. Friday’s results suggest that this should be another exciting year for local fans, who follow both the guys and girls. The good news is that some local harriers should merit national attention.