An Alaska Airlines jet prepares to land at the Juneau International Airport as runners compete in the Wild for Conservation 5K, Saturday, June 10. The race raised money for the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, a non-profit conservation group based in Juneau. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

An Alaska Airlines jet prepares to land at the Juneau International Airport as runners compete in the Wild for Conservation 5K, Saturday, June 10. The race raised money for the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, a non-profit conservation group based in Juneau. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Nevalainen wins Wild For Conservation 5K

A little over 70 individuals gave a thank you to the Southeast Alaska Land Trust on Saturday morning by running the Wild For Conservation 5K. The event raised money for the nonprofit that purchases, owns and manages lands for conservation around Southeast. The race started and ended at the Airport Dike trailhead at the end of Radcliffe Road.

Alec Nevalainen won the race and was over a minute faster than second-place finisher Jesse Stringer. The 43-year-old finished the out-and-back 5K course in 17 minutes, 18 seconds. Logan Harvey, Georgi Dobrev and Randy Peterson were the next runners to cross the finish line after Stringer.

Dobrev, who arrived in Juneau last month from Bulgaria, works as a line cook at the Sandpiper Cafe.

He said he takes Saturdays off from the kitchen to explore Juneau on foot and “attend as many races as I can,” Dobrev said.

Top 25 results

1. Alec Nevalainen, 17:18

2. Jesse Stringer, 18:53

3. Logan Harvey, 19:25

4. Georgi Dobrev, 21:37

5. Randy Peterson, 22:00

6. Hristomir Dobrev, 22:52

7. John Krapek, 23:20

8. Lennon Weller, 23:59

9. Dimitar Bratovanov, 25:09

10. Quinn Tracy, 25:28

11. Stephanie Harvey, 25:33

12. Guy Crockroft, 25:50

13. Kristin McTague, 26:08

14. Reed Stoops, 26:19

15. Lucrecia Mervine, 26: 34

16. Jeremy Hsieh, 26:49

17. Tom O’Day, 26:49

18. Adam Weed, 27:00

19. Kelly Kari, 27:01

20. Jacklynn Burbank, 27:20

21. Travis Brown, 27:31

22. Youlian Ninkov, 27:32

23. Megan Costello, 27:34

24. Jack Freysinger, 27:44

25. Elizabeth Figus, 27:47


• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.


Serena Crupi, left, runs with a friend in the Wild for Conservation 5K along the Airport Dike Trail, Saturday, June 10 as a float plane arrives in Juneau. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Serena Crupi, left, runs with a friend in the Wild for Conservation 5K along the Airport Dike Trail, Saturday, June 10 as a float plane arrives in Juneau. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

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