Prince of Wales Island Marathon and Quilt Show
/It was a big day on the island today! The marathon started at 8a.m. at the Craig High School, and the weather was perfect.
The start of the 15th Annual Prince of Wales Island Alaska Marathon
There was the marathon, a half-marathon, relays, and walkers, and the entrants weren't just twenty-somethings. There were Grandmas and Grandpas. There were toddlers in strollers being pushed by older siblings. There were teams of school kids, bringing laughter and light with them.
It is an out-and-back course with flat stretches and rolling hills. The 26.2 mile course is certified, RRCA approved, and runs through beautiful scenery.
Jesse Agner (#16), Steve Miller (#2), and Jonathon Kreiss-Tompkins (#294) running by the perfectly calm Klawock Inlet.
The First Bank aid station just north of Klawock.
Jesse Agner and JoAnn Day will be married two weeks after running in this marathon.
Jesse Agner, Steve Miller, and Jonathon Kreiss-Tompkins were well out in the lead at the First Bank aid station. Jesse went on to win, Steve came in second, and Jonathon won the half marathon. There's more to the story than that, though.
Jesse is getting married in two weeks, and his fiance is running with the Bride on the Run relay team! Jesse has won the Prince of Wales Island Marathon twice before and holds the course record from when the marathon ran from Hollis to Craig.
Steve is running his 50th marathon!
Jonathon, at age 25, is a member of the Alaska House of Representatives, a distance runner, mountaineer, musician, and lifelong Alaskan. Wow!
Steve Miller flying through the POW Marathon.
Preparations for this event have been going on for quite some time, and people from many of the communities on the island are involved.
Aid stations are in competition for votes from the participants, and put out fruit, cookies, and candy along with the water and sport drinks. Two of the aid stations adorned runners with leis.
Angela Randall hands water to Corby Weyhmiller at the Interisland Ferry Authority aid station.
Marathoner Jessica Goodrich gives the volunteers a smile and a wave.
Rylee and Smokey Bear at the US Forest Service aid station.
Rylee gets back to work and hands off a cup of water to a runner.
Lilly and Larry Williams handled the busy Craig Moose Lodge aid station...with moose hats!
Back at the start/finish line members of the Craig drum line were performing.
Jesse Agner of Petersburg, Alaska at the finish line taking first for the full marathon.
Jessica Goodrich of Klawock, Alaska crossing the finish line to win the 2014 women's division of the Prince of Wales Island Marathon.
Mom and daughter walkers at the finish line.
The Craig Panther Power team at the finish line.
Kathy Kelley passes under the arch to finish the half-marathon.
Hugh Wonderly of Indianapolis, Indiana and his daughter Melissa Bergtold of Craig, Alaska triumphantly finish the half-marathon.
Christina Barlow has a big smile upon finishing the half-marathon. Christina teaches high school in Craig, and is an amazing artist!
You can help me fill in the missing names! Add a comment below or go to the "Contact" page and send me an email. Thank you!
Click on the images to enlarge them.
The Klawock Youth Aid Station Team finishes strong, with support from their peers.
Larry Goodall and Victoria Merritt are two of the wonderful volunteers that make this race so great!
At the same time the Quilters by the Sea Annual Quilt Show was going on at the Craig city Gym.
There were traditional and contemporary quilts, Alaskan quilts, and some very special sculptural items. The quilt show is free to view. There is a raffle for the quilt above left!
Joy Weber of Klawock, Alaska hand pieced this fish with Kendashi flower petals.
Mortley P. Moose quilt by Nonita Dixon of Klawock, Alaska
There was a salmon bake and the awards ceremony for the marathon a little later in the day.
Here are a few of the statistics for the race:
Men's Full Marathon
- Jesse Agner, Petersburg, Alaska 2 hours 58 minutes 01 seconds (2.58.01)
- Steve Miller 3.21.21
- Jason Boyle 3.38.34
Women's Full Marathon
- Jessica Goodrich 3.52.45
- Laura Sklandzinski 4.08.43
- Gina Ostby 4.10.10
Women's Half Marathon
- Trina Nation 1.39.07
- Melissa Castle 1.45.39
- Marketa Ith 1.46.39
Men's Half Marathon
- Jonathon Kreiss-Tompkins, Sitka, Alaska 1.25.50
- Gabe Melendez 1.36.15
- Dale McMurren, Wrangell, Alaska 1.38.15
To all of the race participants: Congratulations!! And to the many volunteers who make this event happen: A big, huge Thank You!!
Thank you, Quilters by the Sea for a beautiful show!!
Alaska Beachcomber