For the second time in four years, Briana Sullivan of Girdwood on Sunday won the women's division of the daunting Pioneer Ridge Vertical Mile, which features the most elevation gain — 5,300 feet — of any uphill-only race in Alaska.
Sullivan, who also won in 2015, clocked 1 hour, 28 minutes, 39 seconds, nearly three minutes faster than her previous victory in the 4.5-mile race. That furnished a margin of more than three minutes over runner-up Varvara Shikanova of Russia and nearly seven minutes ahead of third-place finisher Allison Barnwell. Sullivan's winning time was 2:35 shy of Najeeby Quinn's 2016 women's race record of 1:26:04.
Lars Arneson of Anchorage captured the men's title in 1:13:14, more than three minutes clear of runner-up Peter Mamrol (1:17:33). Noah Ripley took third in 1:18:16. Arneson was about five minutes shy of Matt Shryock's 2015 course record of 1:08:10.
The fourth annual race near Palmer drew 72 finishers, who competed in mostly sunny, warm conditions on a course that featured some muddy sections from Sunday's heavy rains. The temperature was considerably lower at the finish.
Saturday, Grant Stevenson and Crystal Berwick earned the men's and women's titles, respectively, in the grueling Hatcher Pass Marathon, which gains nearly 5,000 feet in elevation on the journey from Willow to Independence Mine.
Stevenson crossed in 3:38:00 and Berwick finished along with men's runner-up Charlie Proknow in 3:48:00. The marathon included 35 finishers.
4th annual Pioneer Ridge Vertical Mile
Sunday's results
Men — 1) Lars Arneson, 1:13:14; 2) Peter Mamrol, 1:17:33; 3) Noah Ripley, 1:18:16; 4) Mike Monterusso, 1:18:42; 5) Tom Ritchie, 1:21:57; 6) Ian Moore, 1:22:15; 7) Brian Kirchner, 1:23:17; 8) Brad Benter, 1:25:19; 9) John Collins, 1:26:49; 10) Chris Flowers, 1:29:17; 11) Dorian Gross, 1:29:26; 12) Dan Brokaw, 1:29:42; 13) Matthew Walker, 1:29:44; 14) Levi Younger, 1:30:02; 15) Jeff Walker, 1:33:10; 16) Ross Henry, 1:36:10; 17) Alex Youngman, 1:36:42; 18) Joseph Bentel, 1:36:56; 19) Ryan Bandy, 1:37:40; 20) Laron Thomas, 1:40:52; 21) Mike Bourdukofsky, 1:41:17; 22) Roman Gross, 1:41:20; 23) Wes Hoskins, 1:41:32; 24) John Kogl, 1:41:35; 25) Jared Beutler, 1:43:59; 26) Mark Carr, 1:44:13; 27) Joe Nyholm, 1:45:26; 28) Jonny Hughes, 1:45:34; 29) Josh Hejl, 1:47:05; 30) Marek Kolendo, 1:49:47; 31) William Harren, 1:52:48; 32) Lance Arnold, 1:52:57; 33) Colin Boswell, 1:53:55; 34) David Retherford, 1:56:02; 35) Todd Henry, 1:56:08; 36) Erik Keskula, 1:56:21; 37) Sebastian Kogl, 1:57:57; 38) Springer Moore, 1:58:18; 39) Fred Moore, 2:03:04; 40) Tab Ballantine, 2:06:18; 41) Evan Steinhauser, 2:12:21; 42) William Heinz, 2:13:39; 43) Derek Rader, 2:17:15; 44) Ken McInally, 2:17:36; 45) Austin Johnson, 2:18:54; 46) Frank Kenworthy, 2:20:06; 47) Joseph Dickerson, 2:35:10.
Women — 1) Briana Sullivan, 1:28:39; 2) Varvara Shikanova, 1:32:08; 3) Allison Barnwell, 1:35:31; 4) Tara Swanson, 1:41:02; 5) Julianne Dickerson, 1:41:59; 6) Jen Jolliff, 1:42:45; 7) Jocelyn Kopsack, 1:45:29; 8) Jennifer Aschoff, 1:46:47; 9) Rachel Zafreh, 1:48:28; 10) Kathleene Simonson, 1:48:44; 11) Kim Riggs, 1:50:49; 12) Leah Legate, 1:50:59; 13) Madison Pachoe, 1:51;14; 14) Sarah Freistone, 1:51:21; 15) Kaitlyn Kogl, 1:51:47; 16) Paula Westbrook, 1:52:58; 17) Karen Williams, 1:54:01; 18) Kara Honesen, 1:57:47; 19) Ellyn Brown, 1:57:50; 20) Maggie Hejl, 2:11:06; 21) Annie Swentik, 2:16:28; 22) Sarah Hurkett, 2:17:44; 23) Ali Tremaine, 2:48:00; 24) Jennifer Frazier, 3:10:19; 25) Chelsey Homan, 3:12:30.