Upper Left: The field quickly spread out at the start of the 5-mile Fisherman’s Picnic trail race. Left: Looking amazingly fit, Kieran Scannell (321) and Ailee Larson both easily ran away from their competition to win individual titles. Above: The kids’ race is always a fan favorite. These little runners showed little regard for pacing, running all out until they were exhausted.
Two young local runners— Kieran Scannell and Ailee Larson— who both compete in track and cross country for their respective college teams came away with victories in this year’s Pincushion 5-mile trail race.
Kieran won the men’s division with a time of 29:33.7, averaging 5:54 per mile over the hilly five-mile course that was wet and muddy in spots. Two years ago Scannell finished second in an almost the identical time in 29:44.
A total of 67 men completed the race with two dropping out.
Ailee Larson won last year’s race in 34:04. This year she again came away the winner, beating 45 women to the line in 34:02.7. Both she and Scannell are marvels of consistency in their pacing.
Eight women runners dropped out, several due to sprained ankles.
It was a clean sweep for the alumni versus the current crop of Cook County High School cross country team members, said event organizer Chris Hegg.
Hegg, a longtime CCHS cross country coach and now the assistant coach, designated the Fisherman’s Picnic race as a get together for former and current CCHS runners. Each team had a total of 10 male and female runners.
However, said Hegg, “All three CCHS captains went down with injury in the race. Still, it was a fun event and one we hope to continue in the future.”
Other top local men (or finishers with ties to the area) were Jay Arrowsmith-Decoux, who was third in 32:03.6; Cory Berg, 5th in 33:51; Jeremy Dockan, 6th in 34:33; Austin Lovaas, 7th in 34:38.9; Ben Seaton, 11th in 36:29; Joey Chmelik, 14th in 37:16; Tony Hegg, 15th in 37:21; Levi Axtell,17th in 37:46; Jeff Stodddard, 29th in 41:42; Karl Olson, 30th in 42:19; Will Ramberg, 32nd in 42:53; Michael Garry, 34th in 44:03; Mark Abrahamson, 36th in 44:15; Adam Nelson, 37th in 45:30; Patrick Johnson, 42nd in 46:12; Mike Crook, 44th in 46:55; Rolf Morck, 46th in 47:05.3; Caleb Phillips, 47th in 47:23; Andy Kern, 57th in 51:67; Harvey Parker, 58th in 52:10; Terry Olmen, 64th in 59:53 and Treg Axtell, 66th in 1:02.05.
Top finishing local women were Kerrie Berg, 7th in 39:45; Jackie Nelson, 12th in 43:25; Dehlia Seim, 17th in 46:51.9; Melanie Stoddard, 18th in 47:27; Matea Acero, 26th in 53:48; Kelly Summers, 27th in 54:18; and Anne Hegg, 35th in 57:42.
Braidy Powers once again placed first in the 5-mile race walk in 57:59.5, beating many runners to the line.
The women’s race walk winner was Robin Harris of Duluth who crossed the line with former Lutsen resident Jan (Hansen) Strathy hot on her heels. Harris finished in 1:10:40, while Strathy finished in 1:10:43.
Above: Braidy Powers “powered” his way to another title in the walking division of the 5-mile race.
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