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PORT TOWNSEND — Graeme Fell of Vancouver, B.C., won the 23rd annual 12-kilometer Rhody Run on Sunday, nosing out Puget Sound standout runner Michael Lynes of Tacoma.
The 42-year-old defending champion Fell won in 36 minutes, 57 seconds while Lynes was runner-up in 37:39.
Sequim’s Rebecca Payne, 35, captured third place in the women’s race behind Seattle’s Becky Drees, 34, and Nancy Sheehan, 44, of Steilacoom.
Drees won in 48:45 while Sheehan was runner-up in 49:11 and Payne was right behind in 49:22.
There were 2,414 runners and walkers finishing the race.
There were three local age-group winners. Charlie Robbins of Port Angeles, 16, won the boys 16-18 race in 46:16. Sequim’s Sammy Pinnell, 12, won the girls 12 and under division in 1:03:16 while Port Townsend’s Nikki Gamble, 17, won the girls 16-18 competition in 50:36.
First-year race director Kevin Sanford’s two sons helped the locals sweep the male 16-18 top three places. Kyle Sanford, 18, was second behind Robbins while Brett Sanford, 16, was third.
Port Townsend runners also went 2-3 in boys 12 and under while Port Angeles athletes were 2-3 in boys 13-15. Devin Wesenberg and Joel Thomas of Port Townsend coasted home in 12 and under while Kevin Clancy and Mickey Burnett of Port Angeles were second and third at 13-15.
Harold Huff of Sequim and William Chapman of Port Townsend also finished in the top three of their age divisions. Huff (51)was third in men’s 50-59 while Chapman (73) was third in men’s 70 and over.
Several area females also finished in the top three.
Port Townsend’s Kaia Namico was third in 12 and under; Port Ludlow’s Kjersten Bailey was second at 13-15; Cassie Weyhmiller of Port Townsend took second at 16-18; and Port Townsend’s Barbara Thomson (71) was third in 70 and over.
