CARRABASSETT VALLEY – With cool temps and patchy cloud cover providing ideal conditions for runners this morning, Steven McCarthy, 27, of Greene, won the 32nd Annual Sugarloaf Marathon in 2 hours, 47 minutes, and 10 seconds. Jennifer Vandongen, 36, of Bar Harbor, took home the title in the women’s division, with a time of 2:58:54.
McCarthy captured the title just over a minute ahead of his closest competitor, Seth Holland, 34, of Albuquerque, N.M., who finished with a time of 2:48:36. Rounding out the top three for the men was Dustin Pederson, 31, of Somerville, Mass., who crossed the line in 2:53:24.
Finishing less than a minute behind Vandongen in the women’s division was Sarah Walker, of Natick, Mass., with a time of 2:59:48, and taking third place for the women was Alexandra Bothner of Boston, Mass., with a time of 3:00:50.
In the 15k, Nicholas Wheeler, 28, of Portland, crossed the finish line in first place for men in a blistering time of 47 minutes and 44 seconds, while Christine Irish, 39, of North Yarmouth, emerged as the women’s champion with at time of 55:39.
This year’s field of competitors was the largest in the event’s history, with a total of 1,474 runners from 13 states participating in the two races.
The Sugarloaf Marathon is sponsored by Landry French Construction and is Maine’s oldest continuously run marathon. As an official qualifying race for the Boston Marathon certified by the United States Track and Field Association (USATF), the Sugarloaf Marathon is wildly popular among running enthusiasts. Despite its mountainous setting, the course is primarily downhill and ends with a gradual 16-mile descent. Marathon runners regularly record personal-best times at Sugarloaf.
Proceeds from the marathon benefit the Sugarloaf Region Charitable Trust, which is a private, nonprofit trust dedicated to improving the quality of life for the communities that make up the Sugarloaf area. This year’s event will result in a record donation of more than $15,000 for the trust, which will be distributed to deserving non-profit organizations in the Sugarloaf area.
The top three men and women in each race receive cash prizes, and all entrants received a T-shirt, post-race breakfast, massage, and a finisher’s medal.
For complete results from both races, please visit: http://allsportsevents.com/Results/running_results/SugarloafMarathon-15K2014.html
