Palmer woman wins Crow Pass Crossing

EAGLE RIVER — Two cracks at Crow Pass. Two titles for Christy Marvin.

Marvin, of Palmer, who also won as a rookie last season, defended her championship Saturday with another first-place finish in the women’s class of Crow Pass Crossing. Marvin finished the 24-mile wilderness race in 3 hours, 31 minutes and 37 seconds to become the fourth woman to earn consecutive titles in the 31-year history of the race. Marvin also had just enough in the tank to hold off Olympian Holly Brooks. Marvin edged Brooks, a U.S. Olympic Nordic skier, by 27 seconds. Kiersten Lippmann, a former three-time Crow Pass champ (2011-13), finished third at 3:50:50. Shawn McTaggart, also of Palmer, placed sixth, with a mark of 4:05:33.

On the men’s side, Valley products were scattered throughout the top 10. Allan Spangler, Colony High School graduate and 2014 men’s Crow Pass champion, was the runner-up in the 2015 race. Scott Patterson, the Crow Pass champ in 2012 and 2013, reclaimed his throne with a win Saturday. Patterson finished his race in 2:56:12. Patterson was only about two minutes off record pace, and the overall mark of 2:54:44 set by Geoff Roes in 2010.

Spangler was also within minutes of the race record, also breaking the three-hour mark with a time of 2:59:23. Spangler’s winning time last year was 3:01:45.

This marks the first time since Roes set the record of 2:54:44 in 2010 and third time in the 30-year history of the race that the winner broke three hours. Spangler also became only the fourth person in the history of the race to finish in under three hours.

Roes broke the three-hour mark en route to his wins in 2009 (2:57:12) and 2010. Eric Strabel also finished in less than three hours as the runner-up in both 2009 (2:58:30) and 2010 (2:59:41).

Spangler’s time of 2:59:23 Saturday is also the fifth-fastest in race history, behind times notched by Roes in 2009 and 2010, Patterson Saturday and Strabel in 2009.

A.J. Schirack, a Wasilla High School graduate, finished third with a time of 3:04:47. Schirack improved on both his lace and his finish from last year. In 2014, Schriack was fifth with a time of 3:13:23.

Cody Priest, a Palmer High School grad, was fifth at 3:10:11. Priest also improved, beating the seventh-place finish and time of 3:16:51 he posted last year.

Lyon Kopsack, another CHS graduate, was seventh Saturday, with a mark of 3:14:28.

Crow Pass Crossing, hosted by UAA athletics, is recognized as one of the state’s premiere, but among the most difficult running events. The race covers about 24 miles across Crow Pass Trail, with a total gradient of 5,959 feet and peak elevation of 3,888 feet, according to UAA athletics.

The race starts just north of Girdwood and ends at the Eagle River Nature Center.

Cross Pass Crossing

Saturday, Eagle River

Women’s results:

1. C. Marvin, 3:31:37; 2. H. Brooks, 3:32:04; 3. K. Lippmann, 3:50:50; 4. G. Gehler, 3:58:51; 5. L. Siemons, 4:00:49; 6. S. McTaggart, 4:05:33; 7. J. Walsh, 4:18:50; 8. M. Tarby, 4:19:45; 9. A. Connelly, 4:20:19; 10. J. Boer, 4:26:06; 11. A. Walker, 4:26:32; 12. C. Cook, 4:30:16; 13. E. Evans, 4:35:12; 14. H. Brown, 4:35:19; 15. R. Todd, 4:35:31; 16. A. Ostrovsky, 4:35:58; 17. L. McDonough, 4:38:32; 18. A. McDonough, 4:39:46; 19. R. Patterson, 4:40:25; 20. T. Weaver, 4:45:30; 21. R. Posey, 4:49:51; 22. J. Miller, 4:50:04; 23. A. Van Henert, 4:54:21; 24. C. Van Henert, 4:54:21; 25. S. Edwards, 4:54:57; 26. B. Paynter, 4:55:11; 27. S. Casey, 4:56:22; 28. S. Casey, 4:56:56; 29. M. Graham, 4:57:21; 30. E. Brown, 4:57:29; 31. R. Windt Pearson, 5:02:02; 32. K. Storlie, 5:02:11; 33. N. Schminghammer, 5:08:43; 34. K. Hansen, 5:09:11; 35. E. Ershova, 5:11:51; 36. K. Hone, 5:12:20; 37. A. Pace, 5:30:29; 38. H. Martinson, 5:33:08; 39. S. Duffy, 5:47:03.

Men’s results:

1. S. Patterson, 2 hours, 56 minutes, 12 seconds; 2. A. Spangler, 2:59:23; 3. A. Schirack, 3:04:47; 4. K. Brewer, 3:09:12; 5. C. Priest, 3:10:11; 6. H. Robinson, 3:13:27; 7. Ly. Kopsack, 3:14:28; 8. F. Mahlen, 3:25:01; 9. W. Stoll, 3:25:29; 10. T. Warner, 3:26:50; 11. S. Tilly, 3:29:55; 12. C. Wolfe, 3:30:44; 13. K. Rankin, 3:31:02; 14. B. Spiess, 3:33:15; 15. J. Nyholm, 3:35:26; 16. M. Knotek, 3:35:58; 17. M. Monterusso, 3:37:38; 18. S. Lee, 3:38:47; 19. L. Younger, 3:39:18; 20. S. Severin, 3:40:31; 21. G. Schultz, 3:43:51; 22. A. Hone, 3:44:58; 23. J. McDonough, 3:47:28; 24. La. Kopsack, 3:47:39; 25. S. Wuerth, 3:49:33; 26. J. Weddleton, 3:52:58; 27. J. Clark, 3:52:30; 28. B. Pautzke, 3:57:02; 29. T. Wells, 3:57:16; 30. R. Hall, 3:57:20; 31. S. Gage, 3:57:23; 32. D. Apperson, 3:58:14; 33. T. Slatonbarker, 3:58:42; 34. J. Burgess, 3:58:46; 35. L. McMahon, 3:59:47; 36. J. Scott, 4:03:16; 37. D. Myer, 4:03:18; 38. E. Ross, 4:03:43; 39. M. Vander Lugt, 4:05:09; 40. A. Ostrovsky, 4:05:30; 41. M. Bonney, 4:11:31; 42. A. Anderson, 4:11:46; 43. K. Knotek, 4:12:23; 44. A. Dougherty, 4:13:23; 45. J. Weber, 4:13:25; 46. W. Timmons, 4:14:26; 47. C. Wood, 4:15;02; 48. J. Walsh, 4:16:38; 49. J. Ginter, 4:17:28; 50. M. Wahlig, 4:19:36; 51. D. Hull, 4:20:23; 52. C. Gilmore, 4:21:55; 53. M. Brady, 4:22:02; 54. T. Nenahlo, 4:22:16; 55. D. Nottingham, 4:26:44; 56. M. Michener, 4:27:01; 57. M. Hansen, 4:27:48; 58. R. Hansen, 4:29:07; 59. T. Carlson, 4:29:31; 60. W. Hoskins, 4:32:11; 61. J. Weaver, 4:32:23; 62. J. Hickel, 4:34:03; 63. M. Johnson, 4:34:07; 64. G. Kentch, 4:35:24; 65. D. Ketterer, 4:36:23; 66. K. Forrest, 4:38:28; 67. D. Virgin, 4:38:56; 68. M. Zemtsov, 4:39:05; 69. T. Stille, 4:39:58; 70. J. Brandt, 4:40:15; 71. E. Patteron, 4:40:26; 72. R. Kulin, 4:42:20; 73. A. Shidner, 4:50:16; 74. M. Shidner, 4:50:17; 75. B. Stolen, 4:50:18; 76. B. Kopsack, 4:51:10; 77. J. Edwards, 4:54:58; 78. T. Paynter, 4:55:11; 79. B. Yang, 4:55:20; 80. S. Casey, 4:55:33; 81. S. Zumwalkt, 4:57:18; 82. M. Byrne, 4:57:19; 83. T. Hepler, 4:57:42; 84. C. Walker, 5:00:59; 85. J. Gross, 5:02:38; 86. J. Smole, 5:08:04; 87. K. Bruening, 5:10:41; 88. R. Stromberg, 5:16:17; 89. J. Bancroft, 5:19:41; 90. B. Roeder, 5:22:18; 91. A. Christie, 5:24:24; 92. D. Gross, 5:25:10; 93. R. Pico, 5:26:21; 94. J. Kern, 5:27:29; 95. A. Smith, 5:30:14; 96. E. Steinhauser, 5:40:56; 97. D. Woody, 5:46:25; 98. R. Kemppel, 5:50:13; 99. M. Kullberg, 5:57:13; 100. B. Sherry, 5:57:14; 102. D. Glazier, 5:57:47.