Kavulich wins Columbia Gorge Marathon

THE GORGE — Former University of Portland runner John Kavulich won the 2026 Columbia Gorge Marathon on Oct. 18, capping two days of road racing in Hood River.

The Scappoose High School graduate and former Oregon Class 4A state cross country champion won the annual race in a record time of 2 hours, 29 minutes, 16 seconds. He averaged 5:21 miles for the 26.2-mile race. The fastest female finisher was Portland’s Sarah Moench in 3:28.34; she was sixth overall. Two hundred sixteen runners finished the marathon.

Other race category winners were: half marathon, Ian Sharman, 1:16.43; half marathon relay, Joshua Carley and Brayden Strong, 1:21.52; 10K, Kevin Farrell, 37:39; 5K, and David Barnhart, 22:03. More than 1,300 runners experienced overcast and sunny fall weather in the Gorge during weekend of racing and activities centered around the event site on the waterfront.