S PORTS
www.hoodrivernews.com
Hood River News, Wednesday, July 8, 2015
A7
Three CrossFit Hood River athletes
qualify for the CrossFit Games
CHRISTINE WELLS
Hood River residents Christine Wells, Karen McCadam, and Regan
Huckaby qualify for world-level competition held later this month
By BEN MITCHELL
News staff writer
KAREN McCADAM
Photo by Cheryl Boatman Photography
REGAN HUCKABY
For the second year in a row, Cross-
Fit Hood River Athletes are heading to
the annual CrossFit Games in south-
ern California to compete against
some of the sport’s best athletes on the
planet.
Hood River residents Regan Hucka-
by, Christine Wells, and Karen Mc-
Cadam will be attending the games
that start July 21 in Carson, Calif.,
which serves as the world champi-
onships for the sport. This is the sec-
ond year for Huckaby and Wells and
the first for McCadam. All three are
trainers at CrossFit Hood River, which
is located at 1813 Cascade Avenue.
Jeri McMaster, owner of CrossFit
Hood River, said this is the most indi-
viduals from her gym that have ever
qualified for the games, which began
in 2007. Huckaby, 28, qualified for the
U40 open category after placing fourth
in the west regionals in Seattle. Wells
and McCadam both qualified in the
Masters category, with Wells in the 45-
49 age group and McCadam in the 40-44
group.
Worldwide, about 207,000 people try
out for a chance to compete in the
CrossFit games, with only the top 20 in
each regional qualifier making it to
the games. Each athlete has to com-
plete a number of different exercises
in a designated timeframe and meet a
certain performance standard to qual-
ify, McMaster explained.
“The concept is all-around fitness,”
McMaster said of the philosophy be-
hind CrossFit. “The idea is that all the
m ove m e n t s a re f u n c t i o n a l - b a s e d
movements. There’s no machines —
everything is going to be on the floor
on a bar or with a barbell. You’re
scored for how quickly you can finish
or how many reps you complete in a
specific amount of time, or strength.
We’re testing strength and speed to-
gether.”
Last year, Huckaby finished 30th
overall in her category and Wells fin-
ished 10th after originally entering the
contest as an alternate. McMaster
noted that McCadam has been “almost
making it (to the games) for several
years” and is “real excited” to see
what McCadam can do.
Getting down to and living in South-
ern California while the games are
going on isn’t exactly cheap, though,
and CrossFit Hood River will be host-
ing two events to help raise funds for
the athletes.
The first event will be a car wash on
Saturday, July 11 from 12-3 p.m. in
front of the gym on Cascade Avenue.
The second event is a party and silent
auction at Rack and Cloth in Mosier
on Sunday, July 12. The event starts at
5:30 p.m. with a group bike ride (if you
want) through the Mosier Twin Tun-
nels to Rack and Cloth. The auction
opens up at 6 p.m. and live music
starts at 7. The event concludes with a
bike ride at 9:30 p.m. through the Twin
Tunnels and back to Hood River.
For more information, call CrossFit
Hood River at 541-387-4504.
Photos by Ben Mitchell
40TH ANNUAL KOLLAS CRANMER RUN
Fourth of July celebrations kicked off with the 40th Annual Kollas Cranmer Run early Saturday morning that saw 213 runners and 107 walkers make the 7.4-mile trek from downtown Odell to Jackson Park
in Hood River. Longtime race organizer Mary Gumm said the attendance of runners had dropped significantly from last year’s numbers (387 runners, 118 walkers), which she attributed to the day’s extreme
heat. Apparently, the older runners are tougher, as Gumm said there were a notable number of participants in this year’s event who were over the age of 70, which prompted the inclusion of a new age cat-
egory for the race (70+). Gumm wanted to thank the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office and the Hood River Police Department for serving as escorts during the race and keeping runners and walkers safe.
At top left, runners take off during the start of the race; at top right, incoming Hood River Valley High School senior Michael Holmes gets ready to hand out water at an aid station in between Tucker Bridge
and Portland Drive. Holmes is also a member of the high school’s wrestling team, which volunteers at the event every year. Bottom row, left to right: runners slog up the hill coming out of Tucker; Hood River
resident Matt Cooper, who reportedly ran the entire race backwards, starts off his feat in Odell; runners with HRCSO escorts are reflected in a car’s side mirror. Official results were not available as of dead-
line; the top three in each age category will be printed in the Saturday edition of the Hood River News.
SPORTS BRIEFS
Wild Woman run in TL July 18
Photos by Ben Mitchell
CLOSE ONES
The American Legion Single A Carson Oilers nearly grabbed what would have been their first wins of the season last week in a double-
header against St. Helens Wednesday evening. Coach Terry Bryant said his squad had two tight games, leading for a majority of both
frames of the doubleheader, but ended up dropping the first game, 11-4, and the second game, 8-3, after giving up a number of late runs.
At left, pitcher Isaiah Enriquez throws one over the plate in Game One. At right, Ben Ahrens gets a hit in Game One. The Oilers have a
doubleheader at Putnam this weekend, then return to Hood River Monday for a doubleheader against Scappoose that will be the Oiler-
s’ final home games of the season. The first game of Monday’s doubleheader starts at 4 p.m. and is at Traner Field.
Over 200 women will converge in Trout Lake on July 18 for
the 4th Annual Wild Woman Trail Marathon, 50K, or Relay for
the good trails, good food, and good friends. The Wild Woman
is a trail run created by and for women. If running a marathon
or 50K is too much, participants can form teams with up to four
member with four different legs varying in length from 4.6 to 8
miles. The run starts early, so racers can camp under the stars
onsite at the base of Mt. Adams (also a few lodging options
nearby for those who’d rather have a bed). After the run, reju-
venate with post-run yoga poses, splash in the cold water tubs,
and refuel with some outrageous lunch compliments of Tofurky.
Wild Woman is a no-waste event (so BYO hydration pack or
water bottles) and a portion of proceeds goes to Helping Hands
Against Violence, a non-profit organization in the Gorge that
supports victims of domestic violence through shelter, advoca-
cy, education, and outreach. Online registration open until July
16th
(no
registration
on
race
day):
www.wildwomanmarathon.com or email at mtadamsrun-
ner@gmail.com.
HRVLL teams fare well in All-Star tourney
The Little League All-Star tournament for District 5 wrapped
up last week, with many teams from Hood River Valley Little
League placing well. As we reported last week, the 10U softball
team won its championship and will be heading to the state
tourney, which starts July 18 in Portland. In baseball, the 12U
team placed third in its nine-team bracket, ultimately losing to
Bend North, and 11U also placed third in a five-team bracket,
ultimately losing to Bend North. The 10U team played in a com-
petitive 10-team bracket and lost in the opening rounds to Red-
mond and South Central.