King of the mountain

PALMER — Matias Saari remains the king of the mountain.

The Anchorage runner won the Government Peak Climb for the second straight year. Saari tackled three miles and 4,500 feet of elevation in 47 minutes and 41 seconds to win the race near Hatcher Pass for the second time in as many years. Saari, who has also won the Matanuska Peak Challenge on the other side of Palmer, even managed to shave a few seconds off a 48:11 mark that won the race last year.

Robert Whitney finished as the runner-up with a time of 48:13, and was one of four participants to break the 50-minute mark. Third-place Matthew Nokavich (48:49) and fourth-place Eric Strabel (49:19) also finished in less than 50 minutes.

Amy Glen won the women’s class with a time of 58:58.

The Government Peak Climb annually marks the start of the Alaska Mountain Runners calendar. The list of events also includes Mount Marathon in Seward on July 4 and the Matanuska Peak Challenge July 30 outside of Palmer.

2011 Government Peak Climb

Saturday, Hatcher Pass

Men:

1. M. Saari, 47:41.6; 2. R. Whitney, 48:13.9; 3. M. Novakovich, 48:49.8; 4. Er. Strabel, 49:19.5; 5. T. Christopherson, 51:01.1; 6. P. Johnson, 51:54; 7. M. Knotek, 52:30; 8. E. Mundahl, 53:07; 9. B. Griffith, 53:16; 10. B. Dengel, 54:27; 11. E. Johnson, 54:46; 12. A. Stavich, 54:51; 13. P. Mamrol, 54:58; 14. Ly. Kopsack, 55:06; 15. I. Bertschi, 55:25; 16. D. Apperson, 56:43; 17. K. Romig, 57:34; 18. D. McPhetres, 57:44; 19. M. VanderLugt, 58:21; 20. K. Labonte, 59:04; 21. M. Wick, 59:08; 22. G. Szweda-Mittelstadt, 59:32; 23. La. Kopsack, 59:36; 24. J. Collins, 1:00:41; 25. C. Ess, 1:01:24; 26. T. Smayda, 1:02:16; 27. M. Smith, 1:03:06; 28. J. Kogl, 1:03:29: 29. J. Pedersen, 1:03:27; 30. K. Crow, 1:03:30; 31. J. Jessen, 1:04:18; 32. J. Hogge, 1:04:27; 33. R. Anderson, 1:04:39; 34. M. Kenney, 1:04:43; 35. B. Kopsack, 1:06:10; 36. D. Dunlap, 1:06:14; 37. T. Fisher, 1:06:32; 38. J. Zwiefel, 1:06:37; 39. K. Knotek, 1:06:57; 40. P. Quimby, 1:08:04; 41. J. Allely, 1:09:06; 42. D. Nottingham, 1:09:27; 43. K. Vig, 1:09:37; 44. S. Giles, 1:09:41; 45. T. Ballantine, 1:09:52; 46. M. Quimby, 1:09:54; 47. B. English, 1:09:56; 48. Ed Strabel, 1:10:22; 49. J. Hiasny, 1:11:00; 50. J. McDonough, 1:11:31; 51. D. Ruzicka, 1:12:26; 52. L. Whiteman, 1:12:26; 53. S. Clifton, 1:13:02; 54. F. Moore, 1:13:31; 55. J. Taylor, 1:14:09; 56. R. Wooten, 1:15:43; 57. S. Flora, 1:16:10; 58. S. Babos, 1:16:17; 59. R. Kemppel, 1:16:48; 60. D. Kochendorfer, 1:17:00; 61. J. Conley, 1:18:55; 62. J. Leask, 1:20:03; 63. G. Wright, 1:22:17; 64. A. Kay, 1:23:35; 65. H. McAnally, 1:23:54; 66. L. Sigle, 1:25:34; 67. G. Haugan, 1:29:58; 68. C. Beegle, 1:31:21; 69. D. Deshazo, 1:31:27; 70. T. Conley, 1:36:40’ 71. J. Bryant, 1:40:39; 72. J. Sims, 1:43:18; 73. E. Steinhauser, 1:46:35; 74. M. Minogue, 2:03:21.

Women:

1. A. Glen, 58:58; 2. G. Taylor, 1:00:22; 3. A. Smith, 1:06:15; 4. L. Robbins, 1:06:19; 5. C. Haupert, 1:08:02; 6. D. Pratt, 1:08:37; 7. H. Doner, 1:08:56; 8. L. Dengel, 1:09:10; 9. W. Sailors, 1:09:46; 10. T. Mannix, 1:10:54; 11. L. Dale, 1:11:25; 12. T. Novakovich, 1:11:27; 13. K. Sieminski, 1:12:32; 14. C. Conley, 1:12:59; 15. D. Dietz, 1:13:00; 16. A. Kopsack, 1:13:04’ 17. J. Kopsack, 1:13:15; 18. W. Shaw, 1:13:17; 19. S. Gifford, 1:14:07; 20. T. Kornfield, 1:14:25; 21. A. Hayes, 1:14:45; 22. A. Jahn, 1:15:54; 23. M. Radonich, 1:16:39; 24. A. McDonough, 1:16:55; 25. K. Hansen, 1:17:28; 26. C. Brown, 1:18:06; 27. C. Ess, 1:19:26; 28. R. Millard, 1:19:32; 29. R. Waggood, 1:21:14; 30. K. Riggs, 1:21:41; 31. M. Bundtzen, 1:25:13; 32. K. Paldanius, 1:25:50; 33. S. Henry, 1:26:38; 34. E. Nelson, 1:27:38; 35. A. Taylor, 1:27:46; 36. J. Kopsack, 1:29:29’ 37. J. Simek, 1:29:41; 38. A. Liggett, 1:33:10; 39. B. Cornell, 1:54:02.