Chairman of Hood to Coast replaced over awards dispute

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The founder of the Hood to Coast race has been replaced as chairman days after he was criticized for not mentioning this year’s top women’s team during the awards ceremony.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Tuesday that Bob Foote’s daughter, Felicia Hubber, has been promoted to chairwoman and is now the organization’s highest-ranking employee.

Race participant Emily Pritt says that Foote told her to “talk to someone who cares” when her team complained about the omission.

She noted that the top-performing men’s team, walking team and high school team were all acknowledged.

The organization has since apologized for not publicly recognizing Pritt’s team or the second- and third-place all-female teams at the awards ceremony.

Hood to Coast says 70 percent of runners in the annual, two-day relay race are women.