A year after women finished 1-2 in the Whidbey Island Marathon, men captured the top 22 spots Saturday, April 16, in the 15th running of the event.

Steve Vesbach, who finished second in 2014, won the 26.2-mile race in 2:44, nearly eight minutes in front of New York’s Chuck Engle (2:51:54).

Martha Scheler of Chicago was the first female to cross finish line (3:36:42); she was 23rd overall.

Whidbey Island runners put in a strong showing, grabbing four of the top eight spots. Oak Harbor’s Andrew Wyman (2:57:42) and Jackson Brown (3:04:42) finished fourth and sixth, Coupeville’s James Steller (3:13) was seventh and Langley’s Paul Ringsrud (3:13:56) eighth.

Wyman was second in 2013.

Amanda Romo (4:21:02) of Oak Harbor led the local women by placing 18th among females and 70th overall.

Port Orchard’s Kristi Houk (1:25.:37), who was third overall, continued to dominate the women’s half marathon, winning the division for the third straight year. She’s won five races and finished second twice since 2010.

Luke Shy of Seattle won the half (1:24.35).

Oak Harbor High School’s Ben Gasper (1:26:07) placed fourth to lead the local males. Coupeville’s Holly Salinger (1:41:50) was 10th among women, 32nd overall.

Oak Harbor’s Tony Moralez (39:21) won the 10K, and Oak Harbor’s Linda France (41:32) finished fourth, one spot behind Seattle’s Margaret Chute (41:21).

The 5K was won by Jaden Krauser (21:35); no home town was given. Jackson Wesley (23:07) and Elizabeth Banham (24:11) finished fourth and fifth to lead local runners. Banham was second among females to Mill Creek’s Bambee Garfield (23:07), who was third overall.

Participation was down this year with 1,243 finishers in the four races. Last year, 1,562 competed after a high of 2,634 in 2014.

2016 results:

Marathon, top five males (88 male runners): 1, Steve Vesbach, Seattle, 2:44; 2, Chuck Engle, New York, 2:51:54; 3, Adam Almond, Seattle, 2:56:02; 4, Andrew Wyman, Oak Harbor, 2:57:42; 5, Dave Dixon, Tucson, 3:00.52.

Marathon, top five females (50 women runners): 1, Martha Scheler, Chicago, 3:36:42; 2, Pam Olsen, Snohomish, 3:43:46; 3, Tara Vanselow, Vashon, 3:45.33; 4, Hannah Linth, Portland, Ore., 3:49:54; 5, Sabrina Naftel, Longmont, Colo., 3:55:43.

Marathon, top five local males (rank among men): 4, Andrew Wyman, Oak Harbor, 2:57:42; 6, Jackson Brown, Oak Harbor, 3:04:42; 7, James Steller, Coupeville, 3:13; 31, JT Armstrong, Oak Harbor, 3:50:19; 37, Mat Evans, Oak Harbor, 4:01:56.

Marathon, top four local females (rank among women): 18, Amanda Romo, Oak Harbor, 4:21:05; 32, Hannah Gray, Oak Harbor, 4:52:38; 33, Maria Summers, Coupeville, 4:52:45; 37, Tara Martinez, Oak Harbor, 5:05:49.

Half marathon, top five males (223 male runners): 1, Luke Shy, Seattle, 1:24:35; 2, Jon White, Seattle, 1:24:53; 3, Ben Gasper, Oak Harbor, 1:26.07; 4, Peter Grossenbach, Tacoma, 1:17:18; 5, Mark Hargrove, Oak Harbor, 1:29:13.

Half marathon, top five females (489 female runners): 1, Kristi Houk, Port Orchard, 1:25:37; 2, Rorrielle Latham, Mount Vernon, 1:36:29; 3, Bryanne Petrie, Spokane, 1:36:44; 4, Katrina Schwerdtfeger, Bellingham, 1:37:28; 5, Alyssa Stickney, Monroe, 1:38:28.

Half marathon, top five local males (rank among men): 3, Ben Gasper, Oak Harbor, 1:26:07; 5, Mark Hargrove, Oak Harbor, 1:29:13; 8, Reed Harbeck, Coupeville, 1:34:13; 12, Caleb Peek, Oak Harbor, 1:37:01; 16, Robert Armer, Oak Harbor, 1:38:30.

Half marathon, top five local females (rank among women): 10, Holly Salinger, Coupeville, 1:41:50; 19, Arielle Corrin, Oak Harbor, 1:46:40; 47, Mary Chamberlin, Oak Harbor, 1:54:49; 53, Melissa Nigro, Oak Harbor, 1:55:44; 61, Christine Parker, Oak Harbor, 1:58:03.

10K, top five males (59 male runners): 1, Tony Moralez, Oak Harbor, 39:21; 2, Matthew Bischof, Ellensburg, 40:30; 3, Matt Hermsen, Seattle, 43:57; 4, Chris Starostka, Ridgecrest, Calif., 49:04; 5, Jason Damazo, Seattle, 49:20.

10K, top five females (145 females runners): 1, Margaret Chute, Seattle, 41:21; 2, Linda France, Oak Harbor, 41:32; 3, Kelly Lefler, Washington, DC, 45:02; 4, Brianna Bischof, Ellensberg, 45:22; 5, Megan McQueen, Seattle, 45:58.

10K, top five local males (rank among men): 1, Tony Moralez, Oak Harbor, 39:21; 8, Brian Wasinger, Oak Harbor, 50:59; 11, Zach Harris, Coupeville, 52:13; 12, Bill Montross, Oak Harbor, 52:41; 14, Jerry Engle, Oak Harbor, 52:52.

10K, top five local females (rank among women): 2, Linda France, Oak Harbor, 41:32; 6, Suzanne Phay, Oak Harbor, 51:57; 10, Meredith Bezold, Oak Harbor, 55:05; 13, Susan Walker, Oak Harbor, 55:40; 15, Krista McLeroy, Oak Harbor, 55:54.

5K, top five males (47 male runners): 1, Jaden Krauser, hometown not listed, 6:57; 2, Jary Krauser, hometown not listed, 22:37; 3, Jackson Wesley, Oak Harbor, 23:07; 4, Gerardo Villarreal, Woodinville, 24:23; 5, Brandon Sims, Oak Harbor, 25:10.

5K, top five females (127 female runners): 1, Bambee Garfield, Mill Creek, 23:07; 2, Elizabeth Banham, Oak Harbor, 24:11; 3, Lola Chargualaf, Oak Harbor, 25:45; 4, Laura Castro, Bellingham, 26:15; 5, Marian Quarrier, Coupeville, 26:56.

5K, top five local males (rank among men): 3, Jackson Wesley, Oak Harbor, 23:07; 5, Brandon Sims, Oak Harbor, 25:10; 6, Charlie Brooks, Oak Harbor, 25:31; 7, Gavin Clark, Oak Harbor, 26:39; 8, Gideon Cauffman, Oak Harbor, 26:49.

5K, top five local females (rank among women): 2, Elizabeth Banham, Oak Harbor, 24:11; 3, Lola Chargualaf, Oak Harbor, 25:45; 5, Marian Quarrier, Coupeville, 26:56; 7, Gretchen Arndt, Oak Harbor, 27:31; 11, Jennifer Brooks, Oak Harbor, 28:41.

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Coupeville’s Holly Salinger was the top local female finisher in the half marathon. Photo by John Fisken.