Dedicated athlete and trainer Miles Fink-Debray collected his eighth Baldy Hill Climb championship Saturday, completing the 1.86-mile, 3,140 vertical foot course from the bottom of Warm Springs to the top in 37 minutes and 57 seconds. With the victory, 27-year-old Fink-Debray became the only man to win the BHC eight times, breaking a seven-victory tie with Michael Tobin. Cross-country skier Henry Gorman was second in 38:51 and Gus Pelican third in 40:26 and second in the Cheeso Double.

“That was pretty impressive for Gus to be on podium for the double and the racing class,” SVSEF coach and co-organizer Tom Smith said.

Cheeso Double record-holder Brooke Hovey tackled the course on foot this year, winning in 43:33 to best a field of 23. She finished eighth overall in the 82-strong racing class. SVSEF Cross Country Gold Team member and last year’s champion Mary Rose was runner up in 50:24. Angenie McCleary was third in 51:43.
A Wayne Gretzky-like 99 turned out for hiking class, with Michele Hampton celebrating a recent birthday topping the field by more than a minute, clocking in at 54:38 to runner-up Scott Montgomery’s 55:43. Perennial competitor Tricia Swartling placed third in 56:38.
Connor, Bill and John Campbell combined to win the family class in 2:46.41.
In the 400-foot Kinderclimb, Nick Fehr, Michael Fehr and Lucy Lamoureux finished in under six minutes. Macy Devore and Will Lamoureux clocked in in less than seven minutes and Cody Lloyd, Ethan Chizum and Thijs Lloyd were under the 11-minute mark.
Richard Feldman barreled his way to a new course record in the biking portion of the Cheeso Double, completing the 2,600 vertical, nine-mile Cold Springs course in 59:54, lowering Josh Berry’s standard of 1:03.31 by more than three and a half minutes. He went on to place seventh overall in the climb and win the Double in 1:42.54. Pelican was second in 1:44.56 and Eric Chizum third in 1:54.07.
“I think Richard Feldman was one of the more impressive performances of the day, breaking the record by that much,” Smith remarked.
Janelle Connors captured the women’s Double division in 2:41.46. Eva DeWolfe finished second, just 1:23 off Connors’ first-place pace. Third place went to Brett Stevenson in 2:51.18.
Feldman claimed the biking crown ahead of Josh Berry, who lowered his personal best to 1:01.04. Pelican was third. Rebecca Rusch was the top woman and seventh overall in 1:17.35 followed by Connors and DeWolfe.
Racing class champions (youngest to oldest) were 19-under: Libby Kaiser (1:05.25), 20-29: Rose (50:24), 30-29: McCleary (51:43), 40-49: Hovey (43:33), 50-59: Kim Kawaguchi (54:29), 70-79: Gabriele Anderson (1:02.46), 19-under: Lukash Platil (41:23), 20-29: Fink-Debray 37:57, 30-39: Ceja Ramon (44:23), 40-49: Greg Lindstrom (41:56), 50-59: Jon Engen (44:35), 60-69: Cleve Johnson (56:23), and 70-79: Del Pletcher (57:48).
The event attracted 205 participants.

Calvin, Scott, Owen and Tizz Miller all made it to the top.

“I think it went really well,” Smith said. “Overall, results were a little bit slower than the past due to the re-grading of the ski run. It made for a really tough course. But I think it is a testament to how strong the field was as people still had really good times. It was a great day.”
Smith went on to thank community sponsors and supporters, including Sturtevants, Sun Valley Company, Backwoods, The Elephant’s Perch. Durance Cycleworks, Solomon, Sport Stat USA and Sun Summit.
“We would also like to thank the ski team parents for volunteering and making it happen. It’s a huge community event that would not take place without their help and the support of our sponsors,” Smith said.
2015 Baldy Hill Climb Results 
Racing Class
Hiking Class 
Cheeso Double Class
Biking Class