Just a few years ago, Ryan Raff was a valuable member of NAU’s national-champion cross country team. Now, at 24, he’s emerging as a factor on the ultramarathon scene.
Saturday, at the hotly contested The Canyons 100K, a Western States 100 “golden ticket” race, Raff flirted with the top five throughout and ended up finishing 10th in 9 hours 42 minutes 5 seconds. Raff, sponsored by Hoka, was coming off a victory on March 23 at the Crown King Scramble 50K and was sixth last October at the Javelina 100 Miler.
Stephen Kersh was the top finisher with Flagstaff roots, placing 5th in 9:05:56. The winner was Rod Farvard of Mammoth, Calif., followed by Boulder’s Drew Holmen. Those two get automatic entry into June’s Western States. Katie Schide beat EmKay Sullivan for the women’s title.
Flagstaff’s Craig Hunt, attempting the difficult task of running The Canyopns 11 days after running 2:22 in the Boston Marathon, dropped after 29.5 miles. Hunt had placed fourth at last month’s Black Canyon 100K, one place off of a Western States spot.
It was a dominant, nearly wire-to-wire lead for Farvard, who was coming off a 14th place finish at Black Canyon 100K.
On Friday, in Japan, Flagstaff’s Pete Mortimer survived a brutal course and an arm injury to place 36th in the Mt. Fuji 100 Mile Run in 26:32:09. Read Mortimer’s Instagram account of the grueling race here.
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