Stark Mountain hill climb

Fayston, VT, October 4, 2008

10th annual Stark Mountain hill climb

by Dot Helling

10TH ANNUAL STARK MOUNTAIN HILL CLIMB RESULTS, held October 4, 2008, Fayston, Vermont Thanks to its wonderful sponsors and volunteers, the 10th Annual Stark Mountain Hill Climb raised over $500 to help support the preservation of the Stark Mountain ecology and environmental programs on the mountain. Stark Mountain is home to a section of the Long Trail between Lincoln Gap and the Appalachian Gap, and to the Mad River Glen Ski Area. The Stark Mountain Foundation puts on the event and, among its many projects, has established the Theron Dean Nature Center and educational programs for kids and adults. The Hill Climb’s generous sponsors include Mad River Glen, Onion River Sports, Canus Goat Milk Products, the SkiRack and Penny Parson. The Foundation thanks these sponsors and the many volunteers who make this event successful year after year.

This year’s run took place on Saturday, October 4, 2008. Once again the women’s race was won by Harriott Shea of East Montpelier, the defending champion and course record holder. Men’s champion Dave Dunham was sidelined with a stress fracture opening the door for Tim Van Orden of Bennington, Vermont. Van Orden took the men’s race and overall title by a lead of more than five minutes over second place winner Bill Holland of Montpelier, Vermont. Harriott’s time of 32:46, good for sixth place overall, fell about two minutes shy of her 31:09 course record. No records were to be broken this day given windy and slippery conditions with the upper slopes covered by a thin sheen from overnight snowfall. Van Orden finished in 26:10, a good two minutes slower than Dunham’s record of 23:51. The downhill was won by Garin Frost of Williston, Vermont. First master went to Charlie Tipper of Burlington, and first senior to Brian Holtan of Waitsfield. Third place male overall was Peter Wadsworth of Winooski who went on to win the duathlon. Second and third females were Rebecca Ryan of Huntington and Kiimberly Odachowski of Shelburne, with Joan Kavanaugh of Waitsfield capturing the women’s masters title.

For the second year in a row, 65 year old Carl Sturcke of Essex Falls, New Jersey stole the veteran’s race, while setting a veteran’s course record for the downhill. Sturcke is the event’s oldest competitor while Caleb Kessler of Waitsfield at age 12 is the youngest. Caleb finished just 27 seconds back from his 48 year old Dad, Gary Kessler. Competitors are offered the choice of riding down the historic Mad River Glen Single Chair or running down in the optional downhill event. Nine of the runners also competed the next day in the Allen Clark Memorial Hill Climb, a bike up the Appalachian Gap on Route 17. The women duathletes were Rebecca Ryan in first place and Joan Kavanaugh in second. The male duathletes in finish order included Peter Wadsworth, Charlie Tipper, Gary Kessler, Marc Hammond, Eric Smith, George Gonnella and Terry Ryan. More information on both events can b e found on the Stark Mountain foundation website, www.starkmountain.org and on the Allen Clark Hill Climb website, www.achillclimb.org

Mark your calendars now to compete in the 2009 event, always held in conjunction with Green n Gold weekend at Mad River Glen. Proceeds from the events go to the Stark Mountain Foundation and Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports.

Submitted by Dot Helling, SMF Hill Climb Race Director, ultradot@verizon.net

2008 10th Annual Stark Mountain Hill Climb Results October 4, 2008 Uphill Run – Course Records: Dave Dunham 23:51:05 (’07) Harriott Shea 30:09

Downhill Run – Course Record: Matthew Dugan 16:38 (’07)

Uphill/Downhill Combined Course Record: Dave Dunham 42:03 (’07)

2008 Uphill Top Three Men Overall: Tim Van Orden (40) 26:10 William Holland ( 57) 31:26 Peter Wadsworth(29) 31:29

2008 Uphill Top Three Women Overall: Harriott Shea (52) 32:45 Rebecca Ryan (51) 44:37 Kimberly Odachowski (28) 49:50

2008 Uphill/Downhill Combined Winner: Garin Frost (40) 54:04 2008 Downhill Winner: Garin Frost (40) 19:04

Youngest finisher: Caleb Kessler Oldest finisher: Carl Sturcke