CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine — Judson Cake of Bar Harbor took first place in the 2009 Uphill Climb at Sugarloaf on Sunday in a time of 27 minutes 5 seconds. Cake, who is a 4-time Sugarloaf Marathon champion, beat a field 156 runners in a race that takes racers up more than 2,500 vertical feet over 3 miles to Sugarloaf’s 4,237 foot summit.

Runners battled severe weather changes as they climbed the mountain, with temperatures dropping to 29 degrees on the summit and frequent snow showers throughout the day.

John Swain of St. Paul, Minnesota finished slightly more than a minute behind Cake, with a time of 28:17, and Wyatt Fereday of Colby College finished in third with a time of 29:21. .

Lucy Garrec was the top finisher on the women’s side, with a time of 36:58, followed by Olga Golovkina, who finished in 38:14.

The Uphill Climb is an annual tradition during Sugarloaf’s Homecoming Weekend. Other events include a Kid’s Climb, the Upcountry Artists Arts & Crafts Show, and the annual Carrabassett Valley Academy Used Ski and Sports Equipment Sale, ranked the top ski swap in the east by Skiing Magazine in 2007.

2009 Sugarloaf Uphill Climb Men’s Top Ten:

1 Judson Cake, 27 minutes 5 seconds
2 John Swain, 28:17
3 Wyatt Fereday, 29:21
4 Corey Park, 30:07
5 Todd Coffin, 30:55
6 Jake Barton, 32:46
7 Chase Hammond, 33:07
8 Garth Altenburg, 33:47
9 Peter Rummel, 33:53
10 Nat Lucy, 35:07

2009 Sugarloaf Uphill Climb Women’s Top Ten:

1 Lucy Garrec, 36:58
2 Olga Golovkina, 38:14
3 Jennie Brentry, 39:41
4 Sadie James, 42:01
5 Meghan Cornwall, 42:02
6 Alison Leavitt, 42:57
7 Kaitlyn Bernard, 44:07
8 Jodi Gildea, 45:29
9 Amy Lones, 45:53
10 Denise Kowal, 46:02