PINKHAM NOTCH, N.H. (AP) — A pair of Colorado residents repeated as winners of the 61st annual Mount Washington Road Race on Saturday, which had to be cut in half because of the treacherous weather conditions at the summit of New England's highest peak.
Joseph Gray, 38, of Colorado Springs, topped the men's field for the sixth time in 27 minutes, 33 seconds, on the 3.8-mile (6.1-kilometer) course from the base of the mountain to the halfway point of the Mount Washington Auto Road.
Kim Dobson, 38, of Eagle, Colorado, topped the woman's field for a record seventh time, finishing in 31:59.
The race is normally 7.6 miles (12.2 kilometers).
The temperature at the summit of the New Hampshire mountain was in the 20s, with 75 to 85 mph sustained winds, race spokesperson Randy Zucco said. Even at the start of the race, it was no picnic — with drizzle, high winds and temperatures in the 50s that dropped to the low 30s at the finish line, he said.
Amber Ferreira, 40, of Concord, New Hampshire, was second in the women's field in 34:32, while Kim Nedeau, 42, of Leverett, Massachusetts was third in 35:26.
Everett Hackett, 32, of Hartford, Connecticut, placed second in the men's race in 28:50, while Eric Blake, 43, of West Hartford, Connecticut was third in 29:12.
There were more than 980 finishers this year.
The last time the race had to be cut was in 2002, Zucco said.
The race raises funds for the dental division of Coos County Family Health Services to provide dental care for residents of rural northern New Hampshire.
