Though some Watercade festivities were affected by Saturday’s rain showers, the Watercade Lake Ripley Run was already wrapped up before one drop fell.
“Everything went really smoothly,” said Jennifer Fairbanks, one of the organizers of this year’s event. “It was a great morning for running and I think people really enjoyed it.”
Two-hundred thiry-seven runners completed in the four-mile race, and both the men’s and women’s divisions were won by Willmar runners: Thomas Seifert, 18, won the men’s event with a time of 23:20, and Tracy Sik, 44, won the women’s race with a time of 26:52.
Caleb Kraganbring, 18, was the top men’s finisher from Litchfield: Kraganbring ran the four-mile race in 24:14, good for a third-place finish; Mark Mortenson, 45, of Litchfield, finished in fourth place, five seconds behind Kraganbring.
Dawn Lagergren, 43, was the top female finisher from Litchfield, completing the race in 30:56, good for fifth place.
The one-mile kids’ fun run immediately followed the four-mile Lake Ripley Run.
2014 Watercade Lake Ripley Run Results
Men’s Leaderboard (Four Miles)
1. Thomas Seifert, 18, Willmar — 23:20
2. Eric Januszewski, 26, Grove City — 23:23
3. Calab Kraganbring, 18, Litchfield — 24:14
4. Mark Mortenson, 45, Litchfield — 24:19
5. Kevin Van Heuveln, 52, Pennock — 25:24
6. Dan Bardva, 27, Indianapolis, IN — 25:43
7. Michael May, 34, Willmar — 25:51
8. Jim Watt, 47, Litchfield — 25:57
9. John Busche, 14, Dassel — 26:07
10. Jesse McCann, 25, Grove City — 26:16
Women’s Leaderboard (Four Miles)
1. Tracy Sik, 44, Willmar — 26:52
2. Annie Kopplin, 27, Minneapolis — 27:54
3. Beth Vangulijk, 48, New London — 29:46
4. Gabbi Day, 14, Burnsville — 30:42
5. Dawn Lagergren, 43, Litchfield — 30:56
6. Sara Girard, 44, Hutchinson — 31:07
7. Charity Sanden, 28, Dassel — 31:15
8. Alisa Johnson, 35, Pennock — 31:24
9. Rebekah Fawcett, 36, Plymouth — 31:27
10. Sheri Bundy, 43, Willmar — 31:55
Copyright 2014 Litchfield Independent Review/Crow River Media/Media News Group.