(6-30-09) From Press Release - The 2009 Hulaman Triathlon has a new course for this season and has also added some events to the weekend. First, starting on Saturday the 15th of August, we'll have the Hula Kids Triathlon located on campus at Pacific University. The swim, bike and run will all be located on the school's grounds in downtown Forest Grove, OR. On Sunday August 16, along with the Long Course Triathlon, the Hula Sprint has been added to the lineup. The Hula Sprint swim will take place at Hagg Lake just outside of Forest Grove, and will be followed by a 16-mile bike into downtown Forest Grove, with 3.2-mile run along the same course at the Hulaman Triathlon.
Hulaman is also proud to announce this year's prize purse, which is sponsored by the Washington County Visitors Association. The amount of $20,000 for the Professionals and $5,000 for the Amateurs will be handed out Sunday afternoon during our famous post race Luau. Many pros are signed up already including Samantha McGlone and Kieran Doe.
The city of Forest Grove will be hosting Hulaman with our new finish line inside Lincoln Park Stadium on the campus of Pacific University. There will be a farmers market all day on Saturday and Sunday, and the city will be hosting an event Saturday the 15th on the streets of downtown called "Uncorked" - celebrating the wine and food of the region.
Saturday afternoon at packet pickup, the Portland Triathlon Club will be hosting a clinic put on by Cliff English and Samantha McGlone. They'll talk about the sport, tips on racing and answer questions. Cliff English has been a coach of the pro's for many years and is an icon in the sport; Sam McGlone is a world Champion at the 70.3 distance.
New for 2009
Pro Purse
1st Overall - $6000 Male and Female
2nd Overall $2,500 Male and Female
3rd Overall $1000 Male and Female
4th Overall $500 Male and Female
Amateur Purse
1st Overall - $500 Male and Female
2nd Overall - $250 Male and Female
3rd Overall $100 Male and Female
Hula Kids Triathlon
Ages 6 - 15. This event will take place on Saturday the 15th on the campus of Pacific University. Watch you kids race and then pick up your race packet for Sunday's race right after the event.
Hula Sprint Triathlon
500-yard swim, 16-mile bike, 3.2-mile run
To register or for more information please visit www.hulamantri.com.
Race Report: 2009 Pacific Crest Long Course Triathlon
(6-29-09) Submitted by Dave Campbell - Looking back on my eighth Pacific Crest Long Course Triathlon, one thing that really stands out is the outstanding performances by women. Race winner Mackenzie Madison (9th overall with the fastest women's time ever recorded on the current PCT course), runner-up Brynje Enderle (also 16th overall), and 21st placed Amy Bottenberg all came in under the esteemed five hour mark. This was the 13th running of the ultra challenging and iconic Northwest triathlon that pays out $5000 to the top five men and women overall and had 433 finishers.
Athletes handled a 30 minute delayed start (an accident slowed one of the athlete buses en route to the swim venue) well, lounging and chatting in transition, but more than a few nervously noted the mercury rising, ultimately peaking in the mid 80s for the always grueling run. Of all PCT's difficulties, to me it is the final five miles of the run by the river, the stables, and ultimately the golf course approaching the Sunriver Lodge that are so exposed and sun-drenched that make the final stretch to the finish extremely difficult.
As previously reported on RaceCenter.com, Mark Van Akkeren of Boulder, CO was in control from the gun beginning with an impressive 23:16 swim in Wickiup Reservoir. Champ Matt Lieto of Bend, a frequent leader out of the water, emerged in third on the heels of Guy Crawford of Seattle, three minutes in arrears. When I spoke to Matt in transition before the race Saturday, he told me he couldn't walk on Tuesday and ran two miles on Thursday. The contusion on his hip from an accident suffered at a race several weeks earlier stuck out visibly several inches in a huge lump beneath his tri shorts. "I figured if I can run two, I can run thirteen so I signed up". We also spoke of the late Steve Larsen, an athlete I have known since the Junior December cycling camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado in 1985 and a frequent rival and training partner of Matt's. Many people were thinking of Steve on Saturday, in a race Larsen won twice and was also second to Lieto in Matt's 2005 win, one of three. Matt's plan was to "throw down on the bike" and hope to hang on... not unlike past Larsen strategies!
All the athletes faced a bit of a headwind throughout the bike course, adding to the already formidable challenges of elevation and heat. My top speed on the descent was "only" 45 mph and I have previously hit 50, one indicator of the slowing breeze. The two final climbs up to the Mt Bachelor ski resort had abundant roadside snow, which some enthusiastic friends and family were even handing up as snow balls to hot, tired riders for cooling off.
The aforementioned breeze on the mountain was nowhere to be found on the baking hot run, where abundant and enthusiastic volunteers sprayed athletes with water pistols and handed up ice, electrolyte drink, and cold water to desperately cramping, tiring, and boiling athletes. 29-year-old Van Akkeren, only two minutes behind Lieto's race-best 2:15:05 bike split, left no doubt that he was the best on this day with a race-best run of 1:24:48 to win the race in one of the best times ever of 4:07:09. 31-year-old Lieto, running a seventh best 1:31:38, despite the hip injury that had him visibly limping afterwards, was second in an amazing 4:15:12. 30-year-old Crawford was third overall two minutes back and Brendan Halpin, 25, of Missoula, MT nabbed fourth on the heels of a second-best run (1:25:04) in 4:21:56. The last man to "make the money" was the consistently strong, consistent, and omnipresent Grant Folske of the Ironheads club from Beaverton in 4:31:42.
"The Energizer Bunny", also representing Ironheads, 43-year-old David Ciaverella of Happy Valley, OR was sixth overall in 4:36:38 and Masters Champion for the second year in a row. He gave me a running commentary on how lax his swim training had been and how slow he swam as he flew by me on the bike (if I only I had so much energy!) enroute to a super consistent 32:17/2:29:08/1:32:11 race. Perennial long-course presence Steffen Brocks of Portland was second Master in 4:19:18.
On the women's side, Enderle led out of the water in 34:37, but 22-year-old Madison was only six seconds back before she laid down a scorching 2:34:17 bike (17th overall on the day) to take firm control of the race. Her 1:34:11 run was also the best among the women and an even more astounding 11th best overall giving her a convincing victory, arguably the best ever women's PCT performance. Enderle won her age group and finished second overall in 4:56:10, followed by 36-year-old Bottenberg and fourth place Lisa Spinner, 34, from Boise, ID in 5:00:56. Rounding out the top five and the final "money winner" was the amazing 46-year-old Lauren Trent of San Jose, CA in 5:13:42. Lauren also took the Masters title with a well-rounded 35:46/2:49:40/1:42:36 performance. Suzanne Endsley of Couer d'Alene, ID was the second Master in 5:15:51, further emphasizing the depth and quality of this years women's field.
The Endurance Duathlon, contested by 53 athletes, was the Dave Florence show. The easy-going friendly Mid Valley Triathlon Club athlete from Canby, OR (whose running prowess and improved bike has been noted here before) was a dominant winner in a very impressive 4:08 flat. Rollston Frangopoullos of Portland led off the bike (2:28:38) with Florence a bit over a minute back. The green-clad 42-year-old Florence, however, ran a very solid 1:36:20, the best run split by over four minutes to break the tape a dozen minutes clear. 40-year-old Chad Sage of Bend was second overall in 4:20:40 and Jason Tavakolian of Eugene was third in 4:25:49. Continuing the theme of amazing women at PCT, 41-year-old Kelli Reed of Eugene was 12th overall in 4:59:01, thanks to a women's best 1:48:21 run. Pam Antoni, 34, of Portland (leader off the bike in 2:56:33) was the second woman and an impressive 15th overall in 5:11:52 with 44-year-old Paula Harkin of West Linn, third in 5:24:26. Both overall winning athletes won the Masters titles as well, showing that endurance sports age and experience actually counts for quite a lot.
Getting to the finish line, no matter what the time, also counts for a lot and great job to each one of the 4000 athletes that participated in the PCT weekend. The next big event for many will be the Hagg Lake Triathlon on July 12 in Forest Grove, OR, which is also the 2009 TRI NorthWest Regional Olympic Distance Championship. The summer is still young, many great events still dot the calendar, and I look forward to seeing you at the races!
Athletes handled a 30 minute delayed start (an accident slowed one of the athlete buses en route to the swim venue) well, lounging and chatting in transition, but more than a few nervously noted the mercury rising, ultimately peaking in the mid 80s for the always grueling run. Of all PCT's difficulties, to me it is the final five miles of the run by the river, the stables, and ultimately the golf course approaching the Sunriver Lodge that are so exposed and sun-drenched that make the final stretch to the finish extremely difficult.
As previously reported on RaceCenter.com, Mark Van Akkeren of Boulder, CO was in control from the gun beginning with an impressive 23:16 swim in Wickiup Reservoir. Champ Matt Lieto of Bend, a frequent leader out of the water, emerged in third on the heels of Guy Crawford of Seattle, three minutes in arrears. When I spoke to Matt in transition before the race Saturday, he told me he couldn't walk on Tuesday and ran two miles on Thursday. The contusion on his hip from an accident suffered at a race several weeks earlier stuck out visibly several inches in a huge lump beneath his tri shorts. "I figured if I can run two, I can run thirteen so I signed up". We also spoke of the late Steve Larsen, an athlete I have known since the Junior December cycling camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado in 1985 and a frequent rival and training partner of Matt's. Many people were thinking of Steve on Saturday, in a race Larsen won twice and was also second to Lieto in Matt's 2005 win, one of three. Matt's plan was to "throw down on the bike" and hope to hang on... not unlike past Larsen strategies!
All the athletes faced a bit of a headwind throughout the bike course, adding to the already formidable challenges of elevation and heat. My top speed on the descent was "only" 45 mph and I have previously hit 50, one indicator of the slowing breeze. The two final climbs up to the Mt Bachelor ski resort had abundant roadside snow, which some enthusiastic friends and family were even handing up as snow balls to hot, tired riders for cooling off.
The aforementioned breeze on the mountain was nowhere to be found on the baking hot run, where abundant and enthusiastic volunteers sprayed athletes with water pistols and handed up ice, electrolyte drink, and cold water to desperately cramping, tiring, and boiling athletes. 29-year-old Van Akkeren, only two minutes behind Lieto's race-best 2:15:05 bike split, left no doubt that he was the best on this day with a race-best run of 1:24:48 to win the race in one of the best times ever of 4:07:09. 31-year-old Lieto, running a seventh best 1:31:38, despite the hip injury that had him visibly limping afterwards, was second in an amazing 4:15:12. 30-year-old Crawford was third overall two minutes back and Brendan Halpin, 25, of Missoula, MT nabbed fourth on the heels of a second-best run (1:25:04) in 4:21:56. The last man to "make the money" was the consistently strong, consistent, and omnipresent Grant Folske of the Ironheads club from Beaverton in 4:31:42.
"The Energizer Bunny", also representing Ironheads, 43-year-old David Ciaverella of Happy Valley, OR was sixth overall in 4:36:38 and Masters Champion for the second year in a row. He gave me a running commentary on how lax his swim training had been and how slow he swam as he flew by me on the bike (if I only I had so much energy!) enroute to a super consistent 32:17/2:29:08/1:32:11 race. Perennial long-course presence Steffen Brocks of Portland was second Master in 4:19:18.
On the women's side, Enderle led out of the water in 34:37, but 22-year-old Madison was only six seconds back before she laid down a scorching 2:34:17 bike (17th overall on the day) to take firm control of the race. Her 1:34:11 run was also the best among the women and an even more astounding 11th best overall giving her a convincing victory, arguably the best ever women's PCT performance. Enderle won her age group and finished second overall in 4:56:10, followed by 36-year-old Bottenberg and fourth place Lisa Spinner, 34, from Boise, ID in 5:00:56. Rounding out the top five and the final "money winner" was the amazing 46-year-old Lauren Trent of San Jose, CA in 5:13:42. Lauren also took the Masters title with a well-rounded 35:46/2:49:40/1:42:36 performance. Suzanne Endsley of Couer d'Alene, ID was the second Master in 5:15:51, further emphasizing the depth and quality of this years women's field.
The Endurance Duathlon, contested by 53 athletes, was the Dave Florence show. The easy-going friendly Mid Valley Triathlon Club athlete from Canby, OR (whose running prowess and improved bike has been noted here before) was a dominant winner in a very impressive 4:08 flat. Rollston Frangopoullos of Portland led off the bike (2:28:38) with Florence a bit over a minute back. The green-clad 42-year-old Florence, however, ran a very solid 1:36:20, the best run split by over four minutes to break the tape a dozen minutes clear. 40-year-old Chad Sage of Bend was second overall in 4:20:40 and Jason Tavakolian of Eugene was third in 4:25:49. Continuing the theme of amazing women at PCT, 41-year-old Kelli Reed of Eugene was 12th overall in 4:59:01, thanks to a women's best 1:48:21 run. Pam Antoni, 34, of Portland (leader off the bike in 2:56:33) was the second woman and an impressive 15th overall in 5:11:52 with 44-year-old Paula Harkin of West Linn, third in 5:24:26. Both overall winning athletes won the Masters titles as well, showing that endurance sports age and experience actually counts for quite a lot.
Getting to the finish line, no matter what the time, also counts for a lot and great job to each one of the 4000 athletes that participated in the PCT weekend. The next big event for many will be the Hagg Lake Triathlon on July 12 in Forest Grove, OR, which is also the 2009 TRI NorthWest Regional Olympic Distance Championship. The summer is still young, many great events still dot the calendar, and I look forward to seeing you at the races!
Kirkland Triathletes Win Pacific Crest Olympic Triathlon
(6-29-09) Athletes from Kirkland, WA took both the men's and women's titles at Sunday's Pacific Crest Olympic Triathlon. 26-year-old Rusty Pruden from Kirkland, WA was pursued by David Gettle of Weiser, ID, but used his running prowess to open up a sizable gap and take the top spot in the men's race.
Kimberly Pancoast, 25, also from Kirkland, executed a similar strategy during the women's race posting the fastest women's run time of the day and the second fastest overall to finish ahead of a chasing 45-year-old Ann Davidson of Portland.
More information about the event can be found at www.racecenter.com/pacificcrest. Full race results can be found at www.racecenter.com.
Men's Overall Results
1. Rusty Pruden, 26, 2:09:03 - Kirkland, WA
2. David Gettle, 27, 2:15:57 - Weiser, ID
3. Mike Scarborough, 49, 2:20:07 - Reno, NV
4. Daniel Hough, 28, 2:20:18 - Talent, OR
5. Jim Larrieu, 49, 2:22:40 - Reno, NV
6. Robert Pritchett, 31, 2:24:20 - Ellensburg, WA
7. Gabe Doebler, 31, 2:24:46 - Tigard, OR
8. Devin VansCoy, 24, 2:27:21 - Salem, OR
9. George Hegarty, 36, 2:27:30 - Bend, OR
10. Evan Deutsch, 35, 2:28:08 - Portland, OR
Women's Overall Results
1. Kimberly Pancoast, 25, 2:24:40 - Kirkland, WA
2. Ann Davidson, 45, 2:25:10 - Portland, OR
3. Sierra Snyder, 32, 2:27:07 - Austin, TX
4. Bridget Dawson, 51, 2:33:26 - Portland, OR
5. Erin Jenkins, 36, 2:34:23 - Vancouver, WA
6. Kristina Hughes, 38, 2:38:18 - Tigard, OR
7. Jill Waskom, 39, 2:38:56 - Bend, OR
8. Sarah Barkley, 29, 2:40:46 - Wenatchee, WA
9. Molly Schmelzle, 29, 2:42:34 - Arcata, CA
10. Greta Zagarino, 38, 2:42:43 - Hood River, OR
Kimberly Pancoast, 25, also from Kirkland, executed a similar strategy during the women's race posting the fastest women's run time of the day and the second fastest overall to finish ahead of a chasing 45-year-old Ann Davidson of Portland.
More information about the event can be found at www.racecenter.com/pacificcrest. Full race results can be found at www.racecenter.com.
Men's Overall Results
1. Rusty Pruden, 26, 2:09:03 - Kirkland, WA
2. David Gettle, 27, 2:15:57 - Weiser, ID
3. Mike Scarborough, 49, 2:20:07 - Reno, NV
4. Daniel Hough, 28, 2:20:18 - Talent, OR
5. Jim Larrieu, 49, 2:22:40 - Reno, NV
6. Robert Pritchett, 31, 2:24:20 - Ellensburg, WA
7. Gabe Doebler, 31, 2:24:46 - Tigard, OR
8. Devin VansCoy, 24, 2:27:21 - Salem, OR
9. George Hegarty, 36, 2:27:30 - Bend, OR
10. Evan Deutsch, 35, 2:28:08 - Portland, OR
Women's Overall Results
1. Kimberly Pancoast, 25, 2:24:40 - Kirkland, WA
2. Ann Davidson, 45, 2:25:10 - Portland, OR
3. Sierra Snyder, 32, 2:27:07 - Austin, TX
4. Bridget Dawson, 51, 2:33:26 - Portland, OR
5. Erin Jenkins, 36, 2:34:23 - Vancouver, WA
6. Kristina Hughes, 38, 2:38:18 - Tigard, OR
7. Jill Waskom, 39, 2:38:56 - Bend, OR
8. Sarah Barkley, 29, 2:40:46 - Wenatchee, WA
9. Molly Schmelzle, 29, 2:42:34 - Arcata, CA
10. Greta Zagarino, 38, 2:42:43 - Hood River, OR
Van Akkeren, Madison Nab Pacific Crest Long Course Titles
(6-29-09) Warm temperatures greeted the field once again for the 13th Annual Pacific Crest Long Course Triathlon on Saturday, June 27 in Sunriver, OR.
Last year's winner (and RaceCenter Northwest Magazine June/July issue cover boy) Matt Lieto was on hand to defend his title and was shooting for win number four at the PCT, but found himself chasing Boulder, Colorado's Mark Van Akkeren from the gun. Van Akkeren led out of the water by nearly three minutes with eventual second place finisher Lieto and third place finisher Guy Crawford (Seattle) exiting the water together in pursuit.
Lieto crashed out of Ironman Boise 70.3 on a rainy bike course in the City of Trees several weeks ago and, until the days leading up to this year's PCT, he hadn't run a step, and wasn't sure how he would feel during the race. The injury didn't seem to slow him down on the bike as he threw down the fastest split of the day. But Van Akkeren's 1 hour, 24 minute run was the trumped the field and was more than enough for the win in the 85-degree temperatures in Sunriver with a finish time of 4:07:09.
On the women's side 22-year-old Mackenzie Madison of Eugene, OR put together a well-rounded race to take the top spot on the podium. Her bike split was the second fastest women's time of the day. Brynje Enderle of Portland was chasing hard during the 13.1-mile run, but had too much ground to make up on Madison who broke the tape in 4:47:47.
More information about the event can be found at www.racecenter.com/pacificcrest. Full race results can be found at www.racecenter.com
Men's Overall Results
1. Mark Van Akkeren, 29, 4:07:09 - Boulder, CO
2. Matt Lieto, 31, 4:15:12 - Bend, OR
3. Guy Crawford, 30, 4:17:26 - Seattle, WA
4. Brendan Halpin, 25, 4:21:56 - Missoula, MT
5. Grant Folske, 32, 4:31:42 - Beaverton, OR
6. David Ciaverella, 43, 4:36:38 - Happy Valley, OR
7. John Craft, 36, 4:42:35 - Bend, OR
8. Warren Bloomberg, 39, 4:45:42 - Salem, OR
9. Steffen Brocks, 40, 4:49:18 - Portland, OR
10. Alex Yale, 28, 4:49:54 - Portland, OR
Women's Overall Results
1. Mackenzie Madison, 22, 4:47:47 - Eugene, OR
2. Brynje Enderle, 31, 4:56:16 - Portland, OR
3. Amy Bottenberg, 36, 4:59:16 - Reno, NV
4. Lisa Spenner, 34, 5:00:56 - Boise, ID
5. Lauren Trent, 46, 5:13:42 - San Jose, CA
6. Rachel Sears Casanta, 34, 5:15:37 - Richmond, CA
7. Suzanne Endsley, 43, 5:15:51 - Coeur D Alene, ID
8. Susan Fox, 42, 5:16:07 - Corvallis, OR
9. Chrissy Ruiter, 30, 5:22:50 - Bend, OR
10. Melissa Lynett, 32, 5:26:16 - Portland, OR
Last year's winner (and RaceCenter Northwest Magazine June/July issue cover boy) Matt Lieto was on hand to defend his title and was shooting for win number four at the PCT, but found himself chasing Boulder, Colorado's Mark Van Akkeren from the gun. Van Akkeren led out of the water by nearly three minutes with eventual second place finisher Lieto and third place finisher Guy Crawford (Seattle) exiting the water together in pursuit.
Lieto crashed out of Ironman Boise 70.3 on a rainy bike course in the City of Trees several weeks ago and, until the days leading up to this year's PCT, he hadn't run a step, and wasn't sure how he would feel during the race. The injury didn't seem to slow him down on the bike as he threw down the fastest split of the day. But Van Akkeren's 1 hour, 24 minute run was the trumped the field and was more than enough for the win in the 85-degree temperatures in Sunriver with a finish time of 4:07:09.
On the women's side 22-year-old Mackenzie Madison of Eugene, OR put together a well-rounded race to take the top spot on the podium. Her bike split was the second fastest women's time of the day. Brynje Enderle of Portland was chasing hard during the 13.1-mile run, but had too much ground to make up on Madison who broke the tape in 4:47:47.
More information about the event can be found at www.racecenter.com/pacificcrest. Full race results can be found at www.racecenter.com
Men's Overall Results
1. Mark Van Akkeren, 29, 4:07:09 - Boulder, CO
2. Matt Lieto, 31, 4:15:12 - Bend, OR
3. Guy Crawford, 30, 4:17:26 - Seattle, WA
4. Brendan Halpin, 25, 4:21:56 - Missoula, MT
5. Grant Folske, 32, 4:31:42 - Beaverton, OR
6. David Ciaverella, 43, 4:36:38 - Happy Valley, OR
7. John Craft, 36, 4:42:35 - Bend, OR
8. Warren Bloomberg, 39, 4:45:42 - Salem, OR
9. Steffen Brocks, 40, 4:49:18 - Portland, OR
10. Alex Yale, 28, 4:49:54 - Portland, OR
Women's Overall Results
1. Mackenzie Madison, 22, 4:47:47 - Eugene, OR
2. Brynje Enderle, 31, 4:56:16 - Portland, OR
3. Amy Bottenberg, 36, 4:59:16 - Reno, NV
4. Lisa Spenner, 34, 5:00:56 - Boise, ID
5. Lauren Trent, 46, 5:13:42 - San Jose, CA
6. Rachel Sears Casanta, 34, 5:15:37 - Richmond, CA
7. Suzanne Endsley, 43, 5:15:51 - Coeur D Alene, ID
8. Susan Fox, 42, 5:16:07 - Corvallis, OR
9. Chrissy Ruiter, 30, 5:22:50 - Bend, OR
10. Melissa Lynett, 32, 5:26:16 - Portland, OR
Seattle Shines Hosting Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
(6-28-09) Courtesy Running USA Wire #52-06-09, by Dan Cruz - On a day that dawned with clear blue skies, the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon & Half Marathon lived up to the hype, kicking off the Seafair season and solidifying its place as a signature summer event in the Pacific Northwest. On Saturday, runners from all 50 states and 14 countries participated in the race, which highlighted some of the area's most scenic locations, including Lake Washington, awe-inspiring Mt. Rainier and Seattle's downtown skyline.
Highlights included, Kenya's Elija Nyabuti setting a new Washington state record for the half-marathon with a time of 1 hour, 5 minutes, 14 seconds and American Michelle Suszek winning the women's marathon in 2:38:37, a full four minutes faster than her previous best.
"I wanted to run my own race today and wanted to break the 2:40 mark," said Suszek, who entered the race just a week ago and recently started working with new coach Lyle Knudson after a disappointing finish in April's Country Music Marathon.
The top five finishers in the women's marathon were Americans. Two-time Chicago Marathon champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia won the women's half-marathon in 1:11:19.
In the men's marathon, Kenyan Peter Omae won in 2:18:17. American Peter Gilmore finished second (2:18:52). Both men pushed the pace after a 10K split of 31:37, breaking away from the lead pack at mile 10. The duo ran shoulder-to-shoulder for the next 10 miles, before Omae pulled away with the lead and the win.
"The first opponent every marathoner has is the distance and the course itself," said Toni Reavis, who commentated during the event's live webcast on Competitor.com. "Because of the challenging nature of the Seattle course the runners had to make sure they handled the distance before trying to outrun their competition."
The unparalleled Seattle landscape made the 4th of 9 Rock 'n' Roll events in this year's series truly one-of-a-kind. The event successfully sold out its 25,000 slots a full two months before its June 27 running. The total number of finishers to cross the line in the parking lot of Quest Field was well over 20,000.
Participants of the race enjoyed a wide variety of entertainment along the tree-lined course, with bands selected by One Reel, a local music and entertainment service. The course, despite its hills and dips, proved to be the perfect combination in helping bring runners across the finish line in record numbers.
The 2nd Rock 'n' Roll Seattle is set for June 26, 2010.
Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon
Seattle, WA, Saturday, June 27, 2009
MEN
1) Peter Omae, Kenya, 2:18:17
2) Peter Gilmore, USA, 2:18:52
3) David Kiprop Yego, Kenya, 2:19:23
WOMEN
1) Michele Suszek, USA, 2:38:37
2) Leah Thorvilson, USA, 2:38:49
3) Christine Glockenmeie, USA, 2:56:02
Half-Marathon
MEN
1) Elija Nyabuti, Kenya, 1:05:14*
2) Pat Rizzo, USA, 1:05:34
3) Rik Ceulemans, Belgium, 1:06:01
*Washington state record (previous, 1:05:43, Dave Mora (USA), 1994)
WOMEN
1) Berhane Adere, Ethiopia, 1:11:19
2) Nuta Olaru, Romania, 1:11:43
3) Isley Gonzalez, USA, 1:20:14
Deeper results at: www.RnRseattle.com
Highlights included, Kenya's Elija Nyabuti setting a new Washington state record for the half-marathon with a time of 1 hour, 5 minutes, 14 seconds and American Michelle Suszek winning the women's marathon in 2:38:37, a full four minutes faster than her previous best.
"I wanted to run my own race today and wanted to break the 2:40 mark," said Suszek, who entered the race just a week ago and recently started working with new coach Lyle Knudson after a disappointing finish in April's Country Music Marathon.
The top five finishers in the women's marathon were Americans. Two-time Chicago Marathon champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia won the women's half-marathon in 1:11:19.
In the men's marathon, Kenyan Peter Omae won in 2:18:17. American Peter Gilmore finished second (2:18:52). Both men pushed the pace after a 10K split of 31:37, breaking away from the lead pack at mile 10. The duo ran shoulder-to-shoulder for the next 10 miles, before Omae pulled away with the lead and the win.
"The first opponent every marathoner has is the distance and the course itself," said Toni Reavis, who commentated during the event's live webcast on Competitor.com. "Because of the challenging nature of the Seattle course the runners had to make sure they handled the distance before trying to outrun their competition."
The unparalleled Seattle landscape made the 4th of 9 Rock 'n' Roll events in this year's series truly one-of-a-kind. The event successfully sold out its 25,000 slots a full two months before its June 27 running. The total number of finishers to cross the line in the parking lot of Quest Field was well over 20,000.
Participants of the race enjoyed a wide variety of entertainment along the tree-lined course, with bands selected by One Reel, a local music and entertainment service. The course, despite its hills and dips, proved to be the perfect combination in helping bring runners across the finish line in record numbers.
The 2nd Rock 'n' Roll Seattle is set for June 26, 2010.
Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon
Seattle, WA, Saturday, June 27, 2009
MEN
1) Peter Omae, Kenya, 2:18:17
2) Peter Gilmore, USA, 2:18:52
3) David Kiprop Yego, Kenya, 2:19:23
WOMEN
1) Michele Suszek, USA, 2:38:37
2) Leah Thorvilson, USA, 2:38:49
3) Christine Glockenmeie, USA, 2:56:02
Half-Marathon
MEN
1) Elija Nyabuti, Kenya, 1:05:14*
2) Pat Rizzo, USA, 1:05:34
3) Rik Ceulemans, Belgium, 1:06:01
*Washington state record (previous, 1:05:43, Dave Mora (USA), 1994)
WOMEN
1) Berhane Adere, Ethiopia, 1:11:19
2) Nuta Olaru, Romania, 1:11:43
3) Isley Gonzalez, USA, 1:20:14
Deeper results at: www.RnRseattle.com
Goucher, Tegenkamp Defend USA 5000m Crowns
(6-28-09) Courtesy Running USA Wire #52-06-09, by Parker Morse - Kara Goucher successfully defended her 5000 meter national title from 2008 Friday evening, running 15:20.94 as part of her preparation for the World Championships marathon in August. Matt Tegenkamp, just a hundredth of a second away from a medal in the men's 5000m in 2007, will have another chance in 2009, as he also defended.
Goucher sharpens up
After a promising marathon season where she finished third in both the ING New York City Marathon last November and the B.A.A. Boston Marathon this April, Goucher entered the 5000m here hoping to both defend the national title she won in 2008 and sharpen her closing speed for her next marathon, at the World Championships in August in Berlin. Much like her training partners Amy Yoder Begley and Galen Rupp in Thursday evening's 10,000m finals, Goucher ran most of the race off the lead while Rebecca Donaghue led the pack through a 3:06.7 first kilometer and to 2K in 6:14.9.
Donaghue found no other takers as the pace lagged in the middle kilometers, and it was only when three-time Olympian Jen Rhines took over with three laps to go that the pack began to string out. Goucher was well back in the tightly-bunched pack at the time, but she covered Rhines' move immediately, and Rhines covered nearly two laps with Goucher close on her shoulder. Goucher burst to the front with 500 meters remaining, and that move proved to be the decisive one as she finished in 15:20.94 to Rhines' 15:26.92.
"I took a lot of inspiration" from Yoder Begley and Rupp's races, explained Goucher. "I told myself, Alberto coached them, he's coaching me. This has been a really challenging season for me. I wasn't beat up from Boston, it was the three months of training before Boston. I was trying to jump in to speed workouts with Amy [Begley], and she's in the best shape of her life."
"If I hadn't done these track races, I would not have realized how much I have to do before Berlin," she continued. "Also, to do these races, I had to sprint. I was afraid of the kick in Boston, and it cost me. I needed to be in races like these to prove to myself that I can finish quickly."
"We thought it would be tactical, so I stayed tucked in," said Rhines. "I knew when I went that it wasn't enough to drop Kara, but I was hoping I'd be able to run away from her. Pretty much every race I've run this year has been bad, but after Prefontaine we went to a week of therapy, and today I felt like myself again. I'm so relieved, and I'm going to be ready to run well in Berlin."
Behind the leaders, NCAA champion Angela Bizzarri of the University of Illinois ran down first Donaghue, then Julie Culley to take third in 15:33.02, leaving the team selection situation for Berlin in temporary disarray. Goucher will not run the 5000, and while Rhines has an "A" standard (sub-15:10.00), Bizzarri lacks even a "B" (sub-15:25.00). The only other "A" qualifier in the final was Sara Slattery, who finished 11th. Should she choose to, Bizzarri might chase the "B" standard and join the team with Rhines and Slattery; otherwise Culley or Donaghue may race themselves on to the team. The qualifying window will remain open for nearly a month.
OTC sweeps the men's team
The men's 5000 benefited from the determined presence of Anthony Famiglietti, last year's steeplechase national champion, who with Bolota Asmerom led a large pack through the early going. "Fam" was shadowed by the former Wisconsin teammates Matt Tegenkamp and Chris Solinsky (4th place finisher at last year's Olympic Trials). When Asmerom stepped up to take the pace from the flagging Famiglietti, both Tegenkamp and Solinsky moved to cover.
Clinging to those four was Tegenkamp and Solinsky's Oregon Track Club teammate Evan Jager, who forfeited his NCAA eligibility to follow coach Jerry Schumacher to Portland. Jager, benefiting from confidence born of training with Solinsky and Tegenkamp day after day, followed his older teammates around Asmerom when they began their final charge for home.
It was Tegenkamp who had the closing speed to win, pipping Solinsky 13:20.57 to 13:20.82. Jager followed them in at 13:22.18, with Asmerom fourth in 13:24.00.
"We were completely relaxed tonight, and ready to run faster," said Tegenkamp. "In a championship race you have to respond to whatever happens, and be in the top three."
The selection situation in the men's 5000m is confusing as well, although simpler than in the women's race. Solinsky and Famiglietti both have "A" standards, while Tegenkamp and Jager have "B" standards. Tegenkamp, Jager and Asmerom will be permitted to chase standards over the next month; if Tegenkamp improves to an "A", as seems likely, the top three finishers will be the team, but if none of the three improve, the team would be Solinsky, Famiglietti and Tegenkamp. Asmerom could claim a spot at Jager's expense if he runs an "A" and neither Tegenkamp nor Jager improve.
"By the middle of July it will be a lock," said Tegenkamp, "because I'll have the standard."
In fifth place, German Fernandez, 19, ran 13:25.46 to set a U.S. Junior record.
USA 5000m Championship - Friday, June 26, 2009
MEN
1) Matt Tegenkamp (OR), 13:20.57
2) Chris Solinsky (OR), 13:20.82
3) Evan Jager (OR), 13:22.18
4) Bolota Asmerom (CA), 13:24.00
5) German Fernandez (OK), 13:25.46*
*U.S. Junior record (previous, 13:29.98, Chris Derrick, May 2, 2009)
WOMEN
1) Kara Goucher (OR), 15:20.94
2) Jen Rhines (CA), 15:26.92
3) Angela Bizzarri (IL), 15:33.02
4) Julie Culley (VA), 15:33.92
5) Rebecca Donaghue (PA), 15:36.09
Complete results at: www.usatf.org/events/2009/USAOutdoorTFChampionships
Goucher sharpens up
After a promising marathon season where she finished third in both the ING New York City Marathon last November and the B.A.A. Boston Marathon this April, Goucher entered the 5000m here hoping to both defend the national title she won in 2008 and sharpen her closing speed for her next marathon, at the World Championships in August in Berlin. Much like her training partners Amy Yoder Begley and Galen Rupp in Thursday evening's 10,000m finals, Goucher ran most of the race off the lead while Rebecca Donaghue led the pack through a 3:06.7 first kilometer and to 2K in 6:14.9.
Donaghue found no other takers as the pace lagged in the middle kilometers, and it was only when three-time Olympian Jen Rhines took over with three laps to go that the pack began to string out. Goucher was well back in the tightly-bunched pack at the time, but she covered Rhines' move immediately, and Rhines covered nearly two laps with Goucher close on her shoulder. Goucher burst to the front with 500 meters remaining, and that move proved to be the decisive one as she finished in 15:20.94 to Rhines' 15:26.92.
"I took a lot of inspiration" from Yoder Begley and Rupp's races, explained Goucher. "I told myself, Alberto coached them, he's coaching me. This has been a really challenging season for me. I wasn't beat up from Boston, it was the three months of training before Boston. I was trying to jump in to speed workouts with Amy [Begley], and she's in the best shape of her life."
"If I hadn't done these track races, I would not have realized how much I have to do before Berlin," she continued. "Also, to do these races, I had to sprint. I was afraid of the kick in Boston, and it cost me. I needed to be in races like these to prove to myself that I can finish quickly."
"We thought it would be tactical, so I stayed tucked in," said Rhines. "I knew when I went that it wasn't enough to drop Kara, but I was hoping I'd be able to run away from her. Pretty much every race I've run this year has been bad, but after Prefontaine we went to a week of therapy, and today I felt like myself again. I'm so relieved, and I'm going to be ready to run well in Berlin."
Behind the leaders, NCAA champion Angela Bizzarri of the University of Illinois ran down first Donaghue, then Julie Culley to take third in 15:33.02, leaving the team selection situation for Berlin in temporary disarray. Goucher will not run the 5000, and while Rhines has an "A" standard (sub-15:10.00), Bizzarri lacks even a "B" (sub-15:25.00). The only other "A" qualifier in the final was Sara Slattery, who finished 11th. Should she choose to, Bizzarri might chase the "B" standard and join the team with Rhines and Slattery; otherwise Culley or Donaghue may race themselves on to the team. The qualifying window will remain open for nearly a month.
OTC sweeps the men's team
The men's 5000 benefited from the determined presence of Anthony Famiglietti, last year's steeplechase national champion, who with Bolota Asmerom led a large pack through the early going. "Fam" was shadowed by the former Wisconsin teammates Matt Tegenkamp and Chris Solinsky (4th place finisher at last year's Olympic Trials). When Asmerom stepped up to take the pace from the flagging Famiglietti, both Tegenkamp and Solinsky moved to cover.
Clinging to those four was Tegenkamp and Solinsky's Oregon Track Club teammate Evan Jager, who forfeited his NCAA eligibility to follow coach Jerry Schumacher to Portland. Jager, benefiting from confidence born of training with Solinsky and Tegenkamp day after day, followed his older teammates around Asmerom when they began their final charge for home.
It was Tegenkamp who had the closing speed to win, pipping Solinsky 13:20.57 to 13:20.82. Jager followed them in at 13:22.18, with Asmerom fourth in 13:24.00.
"We were completely relaxed tonight, and ready to run faster," said Tegenkamp. "In a championship race you have to respond to whatever happens, and be in the top three."
The selection situation in the men's 5000m is confusing as well, although simpler than in the women's race. Solinsky and Famiglietti both have "A" standards, while Tegenkamp and Jager have "B" standards. Tegenkamp, Jager and Asmerom will be permitted to chase standards over the next month; if Tegenkamp improves to an "A", as seems likely, the top three finishers will be the team, but if none of the three improve, the team would be Solinsky, Famiglietti and Tegenkamp. Asmerom could claim a spot at Jager's expense if he runs an "A" and neither Tegenkamp nor Jager improve.
"By the middle of July it will be a lock," said Tegenkamp, "because I'll have the standard."
In fifth place, German Fernandez, 19, ran 13:25.46 to set a U.S. Junior record.
USA 5000m Championship - Friday, June 26, 2009
MEN
1) Matt Tegenkamp (OR), 13:20.57
2) Chris Solinsky (OR), 13:20.82
3) Evan Jager (OR), 13:22.18
4) Bolota Asmerom (CA), 13:24.00
5) German Fernandez (OK), 13:25.46*
*U.S. Junior record (previous, 13:29.98, Chris Derrick, May 2, 2009)
WOMEN
1) Kara Goucher (OR), 15:20.94
2) Jen Rhines (CA), 15:26.92
3) Angela Bizzarri (IL), 15:33.02
4) Julie Culley (VA), 15:33.92
5) Rebecca Donaghue (PA), 15:36.09
Complete results at: www.usatf.org/events/2009/USAOutdoorTFChampionships
Rupp Pleases Hometown Fans, Wins 10k at USATF Outdoor Champs
(6-26-09) From USATF Press Release - In his last ever race in a University of Oregon singlet, 2008 NCAA Cross Country champ, and 2009 5,000m and 10,000m winner Galen Rupp battled two-time Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein most of the way in the 10,000m final, until Rupp broke away with 150 meters to go before winning the race in 27:52.53.
Ritzenhein punched his ticket for a second World Outdoor Championship with his runner-up finish in 27:58.59, and Oregon TC Elite member and 2008 Olympic Trials tenth place finisher Tim Nelson finished third in 28:01.34.
Ritzenhein punched his ticket for a second World Outdoor Championship with his runner-up finish in 27:58.59, and Oregon TC Elite member and 2008 Olympic Trials tenth place finisher Tim Nelson finished third in 28:01.34.
Oregon's Semick named Athlete of the Week After Winning 100k World Title
(6-25-09) From USATF Press Release - Kami Semick has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning the individual title Saturday at the IAU 100 km World Cup in Torhout, Belgium.
Semick dominated the women's race, pulling away early to win by just over nine minutes, running 7 hours 37 minutes 24 seconds. Her win helped lead the Team USA women to the team gold medal.
Now in its eighth year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
2009 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 6, Mason Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27, German Fernandez; February 3, Ashton Eaton; February 10, Shalane Flanagan; February 17, Galen Rupp; February 25, Dexter Faulk; March 3, Terrence Trammell; March 10, Diana Pickler; March 17, Galen Rupp; March 25, Sumi Onodera-Leonard; April 1, German Fernandez; April 7, Cyrus Hostetler; April 14, Curtis Beach; April 21, Kara Goucher; April 28, Mason Finley; May 5, Chris Derrick; May 12, Natalie Willer; May 19, Will Claye; May 27, Nadine O'Connor; June 2, Tyson Gay; June 9, Dwight Phillips; June 17, Galen Rupp; June 24, Kami Semick.
About USA Track & Field
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.
For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org
Semick dominated the women's race, pulling away early to win by just over nine minutes, running 7 hours 37 minutes 24 seconds. Her win helped lead the Team USA women to the team gold medal.
Now in its eighth year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
2009 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 6, Mason Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27, German Fernandez; February 3, Ashton Eaton; February 10, Shalane Flanagan; February 17, Galen Rupp; February 25, Dexter Faulk; March 3, Terrence Trammell; March 10, Diana Pickler; March 17, Galen Rupp; March 25, Sumi Onodera-Leonard; April 1, German Fernandez; April 7, Cyrus Hostetler; April 14, Curtis Beach; April 21, Kara Goucher; April 28, Mason Finley; May 5, Chris Derrick; May 12, Natalie Willer; May 19, Will Claye; May 27, Nadine O'Connor; June 2, Tyson Gay; June 9, Dwight Phillips; June 17, Galen Rupp; June 24, Kami Semick.
About USA Track & Field
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.
For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org
Half Marathon Race Headlines Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Seattle
(6-23-09) From Press Release - An international field of Olympic athletes will take to the roads of the Pacific Northwest Saturday for the Inaugural running of the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon and 1/2 Marathon, a Seafair Signature Event.
The women's professional field will be lead by former 10,000m World Champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia. Adere, who will compete in the ½ marathon, won back-to-back Chicago Marathons in 2006-07 and was the winner of the Dubai Marathon last year. She holds a half-marathon PR of 1 hour, 8 minutes, 17 seconds and is looking to challenge the Washington State record of 1:10:08 set in 1990 by Lisa Weidenbach, the last American to win the Boston Marathon.
"We are delighted to have an athlete of Berhane's caliber come to Seattle," said Matt Turnbull, Athlete Coordinator for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. "She is in fantastic condition and we expect her championship form to carry through in what is shaping up to be a great contest on June 27th."
Romanian Nuta Olaru, winner of the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio last November and two-time L.A. Marathon runner-up, joins Adere amongst the favorites in the women's 1/2 marathon.
The men's 1/2 marathon field is lead by former marathon world record holder Paul Tergat. A two-time Olympic silver medalist, Tergat, 40, won Lake Biwa Marathon in Japan earlier this year and was the first runner in history to run a sub-2:05 marathon with a then record setting time of 2:04:55 in 2003. Tergat will be challenged by fellow Kenyans Nicolas Koech and Elijah Nyabuti. Koech won the Prague 1/2 Marathon in March with a time of 1:00:07. Nyabuti, 29 owns a 1/2 marathon PR of 1:01:19. The half-marathon record for the State of Washington is 1:05:43 set by American Dave Mora in 1994.
Challenging the East Africans in the 13.1-mile road race, will be the Pacific Northwest's own Mark Mandi and Sean Sundwall. Mandi, a 2006 graduate of the University of Washington where he ran track and cross country, has won multiple road races around the region including the individual championship in the 2004 Sundodger Invitational and the 2005 Charles Bowles Invitational. He helped lead the Huskies to the NCAA Championships in 2003 and 2005 as a co-captain of the cross country team. His 1/2 marathon PR of 1:06:37 was set in 2007 in Eugene.
Sundwall, winner of the 2008 Tacoma Half Marathon, is a resident of Snoqualmie, WA and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials. He won the Newport Marathon in Oregon last year with a time of 2:22:47, breaking the course record by four minutes.
Rounding out the men's half marathon field is four-time Belgian half marathon champion Rik Ceulemans, who owns a personal best of 1:02:07 over the distance.
The marathon field will be lead by Americans Mark Batres and Andy Martin. Batres, a five-time All American at Cal Poly Pomona, has a PR of 2:19:07 set in 2007 when he finished second at the Las Vegas Marathon. He won the Santa Barbara Wine Country ½ Marathon last month in 1:05:45, breaking the course record by over a minute. Martin set his marathon PR of 2:20:04 back in 1999 and won the hilly Big Sur Marathon in 2:29:50 last year.
Other contenders in the marathon field include Kenyan trio of David Kiprop Yego, Jynocel Basweti and Zach Nymbaso, all of whom are capable of claiming victory. Basweti, 22, trains in New Mexico and won the Quad Cities, Denver and SunTrust Richmond Marathons in 2008. His PR of 2:14:02 at the Austin Marathon was one of the fastest marathon times on U.S. soil in 2007.
The favorite in the women's marathon field is American Leah Thorvilson of Little Rock, AR. She has already won two marathons this year, in Green Bay (2:37:55) and Little Rock (2:44:19).
The entire field of elite runners will be introduced at a local press conference on Thursday afternoon at 1:00pm. The media event will be held in the clinic area of the Health & Fitness Expo at the Qwest Event Center and moderated by acclaimed running broadcaster Toni Reavis.
About Rock 'n' Roll Seattle
The Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2 Marathon is part of a national series of eleven musically themed marathon and half-marathon events. The inaugural race sold-out with more than 25,000 participants and will feature over 45 live bands and thousands of cheerleaders along the marathon and half-marathon courses. Qwest Field will be the location of both the finish line and Health & Fitness Expo at the Qwest Event Center. The two-day Health & Fitness Expo is free and open to the public, hosting over one hundred running and fitness retailers, exhibits and clinics. For more information, visit: www.RnRseattle.com
The women's professional field will be lead by former 10,000m World Champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia. Adere, who will compete in the ½ marathon, won back-to-back Chicago Marathons in 2006-07 and was the winner of the Dubai Marathon last year. She holds a half-marathon PR of 1 hour, 8 minutes, 17 seconds and is looking to challenge the Washington State record of 1:10:08 set in 1990 by Lisa Weidenbach, the last American to win the Boston Marathon.
"We are delighted to have an athlete of Berhane's caliber come to Seattle," said Matt Turnbull, Athlete Coordinator for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. "She is in fantastic condition and we expect her championship form to carry through in what is shaping up to be a great contest on June 27th."
Romanian Nuta Olaru, winner of the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio last November and two-time L.A. Marathon runner-up, joins Adere amongst the favorites in the women's 1/2 marathon.
The men's 1/2 marathon field is lead by former marathon world record holder Paul Tergat. A two-time Olympic silver medalist, Tergat, 40, won Lake Biwa Marathon in Japan earlier this year and was the first runner in history to run a sub-2:05 marathon with a then record setting time of 2:04:55 in 2003. Tergat will be challenged by fellow Kenyans Nicolas Koech and Elijah Nyabuti. Koech won the Prague 1/2 Marathon in March with a time of 1:00:07. Nyabuti, 29 owns a 1/2 marathon PR of 1:01:19. The half-marathon record for the State of Washington is 1:05:43 set by American Dave Mora in 1994.
Challenging the East Africans in the 13.1-mile road race, will be the Pacific Northwest's own Mark Mandi and Sean Sundwall. Mandi, a 2006 graduate of the University of Washington where he ran track and cross country, has won multiple road races around the region including the individual championship in the 2004 Sundodger Invitational and the 2005 Charles Bowles Invitational. He helped lead the Huskies to the NCAA Championships in 2003 and 2005 as a co-captain of the cross country team. His 1/2 marathon PR of 1:06:37 was set in 2007 in Eugene.
Sundwall, winner of the 2008 Tacoma Half Marathon, is a resident of Snoqualmie, WA and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials. He won the Newport Marathon in Oregon last year with a time of 2:22:47, breaking the course record by four minutes.
Rounding out the men's half marathon field is four-time Belgian half marathon champion Rik Ceulemans, who owns a personal best of 1:02:07 over the distance.
The marathon field will be lead by Americans Mark Batres and Andy Martin. Batres, a five-time All American at Cal Poly Pomona, has a PR of 2:19:07 set in 2007 when he finished second at the Las Vegas Marathon. He won the Santa Barbara Wine Country ½ Marathon last month in 1:05:45, breaking the course record by over a minute. Martin set his marathon PR of 2:20:04 back in 1999 and won the hilly Big Sur Marathon in 2:29:50 last year.
Other contenders in the marathon field include Kenyan trio of David Kiprop Yego, Jynocel Basweti and Zach Nymbaso, all of whom are capable of claiming victory. Basweti, 22, trains in New Mexico and won the Quad Cities, Denver and SunTrust Richmond Marathons in 2008. His PR of 2:14:02 at the Austin Marathon was one of the fastest marathon times on U.S. soil in 2007.
The favorite in the women's marathon field is American Leah Thorvilson of Little Rock, AR. She has already won two marathons this year, in Green Bay (2:37:55) and Little Rock (2:44:19).
The entire field of elite runners will be introduced at a local press conference on Thursday afternoon at 1:00pm. The media event will be held in the clinic area of the Health & Fitness Expo at the Qwest Event Center and moderated by acclaimed running broadcaster Toni Reavis.
About Rock 'n' Roll Seattle
The Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2 Marathon is part of a national series of eleven musically themed marathon and half-marathon events. The inaugural race sold-out with more than 25,000 participants and will feature over 45 live bands and thousands of cheerleaders along the marathon and half-marathon courses. Qwest Field will be the location of both the finish line and Health & Fitness Expo at the Qwest Event Center. The two-day Health & Fitness Expo is free and open to the public, hosting over one hundred running and fitness retailers, exhibits and clinics. For more information, visit: www.RnRseattle.com
Oregon's Semick, U.S. Women Strike Gold at 100K World Cup in Belgium
(6-22-09) Courtesy Running USA Wire #50-06-09, by Dan Brannen - Kami Semick of Bend, Ore. early Saturday morning, June 20 became the second American, man or woman, to win a world ultramarathon title, taking control early and running away from the rest of the world's top women at the IAU 100K World Cup in 7 hours, 37 minutes, 24 second. Irina Vishnevskaya of Russia was a distant runner-up in 7:46:26. Semick, 43, made the only possible improvement she could have over her surprise silver medal at last year's version of the 62-mile world championship, and over the multi-loop course, she led the U.S. women to the second national team gold medal in U.S. history. Fellow Americans Devon Crosby-Helms and Meghan Arbogast placed 4th and 5th to seal the team victory for Team USA. The dominance of the U.S. distaff squad (taking 4 of the top 7 places) was the biggest surprise of the night, and rekindled memories of 1995, when the USA's Ann Trason, Donna Perkins and Chrissy Duryea similarly crushed the global women's national team field at the World Cup.
For the second straight year, multi-ultra national champion Michael Wardian of Arlington, Va. was the top U.S. man as he finished 6th in 6:53:17. Yasukazu Miyazato of Japan won the world title in 6:40:44 over Jonas Buud of Sweden who was a close runner-up (6:41:50). Miyazato, like Semick, led the way to his country's team title.
23rd IAU 100K World Cup
Torhout, BEL, Fri-Sat, June 19-20, 2009
WOMEN
1) Kami Semick (USA), 7:37:24
2) Irina Vishnevskaya (RUS), 7:46:26
3) Monica Carlin (ITA), 7:53:58
4) Devon Crosby-Helms (USA), 7:59:17
5) Meghan Arbogast (USA), 8:04:29
6) Helena Crossan (IRL), 8:04:40
7) Carolyn Smith (USA), 8:07:03
8) Branka Hajek (GER), 8:07:49
9) Mai Fujisawa (JPN), 8:08:48
10) Yoko Yamazawa (JPN), 8:10:05
Other U.S.
19) Connie Gardner (USA), 8:42:37
TEAM
1) USA, 23:41:10
2) Russia, 24:32:06
3) Japan, 24:41:21
MEN
1) Yasukazu Miyazato (JPN), 6:40:44
2) Jonas Buud (SWE), 6:41:50
3) Giorgio Calcaterra (ITA), 6:42:05
4) Marco Boffo (ITA), 6:45:39
5) Masakazu Takahashi (JPN), 6:51:18
6) Michael Wardian (USA), 6:53:17
7) Christophe Buquet (FRA), 6:55:46
8) Angel Jimenez (ESP), 6:55:59
9) Eric Legat (FRA), 6:57:07
10) Alexey Izmaylov (RUS), 6:58:46
Other U.S.
19) Todd Braje (USA), 7:15:13
34) Howard Nippert (USA), 7:40:06
55) Chad Ricklefs (USA), 8:17:31
TEAM
1) Japan, 20:31:01
2) Italy, 20:43:12
3) France, 21:00:46
Deeper results at: www.iau.org.tw
For the second straight year, multi-ultra national champion Michael Wardian of Arlington, Va. was the top U.S. man as he finished 6th in 6:53:17. Yasukazu Miyazato of Japan won the world title in 6:40:44 over Jonas Buud of Sweden who was a close runner-up (6:41:50). Miyazato, like Semick, led the way to his country's team title.
23rd IAU 100K World Cup
Torhout, BEL, Fri-Sat, June 19-20, 2009
WOMEN
1) Kami Semick (USA), 7:37:24
2) Irina Vishnevskaya (RUS), 7:46:26
3) Monica Carlin (ITA), 7:53:58
4) Devon Crosby-Helms (USA), 7:59:17
5) Meghan Arbogast (USA), 8:04:29
6) Helena Crossan (IRL), 8:04:40
7) Carolyn Smith (USA), 8:07:03
8) Branka Hajek (GER), 8:07:49
9) Mai Fujisawa (JPN), 8:08:48
10) Yoko Yamazawa (JPN), 8:10:05
Other U.S.
19) Connie Gardner (USA), 8:42:37
TEAM
1) USA, 23:41:10
2) Russia, 24:32:06
3) Japan, 24:41:21
MEN
1) Yasukazu Miyazato (JPN), 6:40:44
2) Jonas Buud (SWE), 6:41:50
3) Giorgio Calcaterra (ITA), 6:42:05
4) Marco Boffo (ITA), 6:45:39
5) Masakazu Takahashi (JPN), 6:51:18
6) Michael Wardian (USA), 6:53:17
7) Christophe Buquet (FRA), 6:55:46
8) Angel Jimenez (ESP), 6:55:59
9) Eric Legat (FRA), 6:57:07
10) Alexey Izmaylov (RUS), 6:58:46
Other U.S.
19) Todd Braje (USA), 7:15:13
34) Howard Nippert (USA), 7:40:06
55) Chad Ricklefs (USA), 8:17:31
TEAM
1) Japan, 20:31:01
2) Italy, 20:43:12
3) France, 21:00:46
Deeper results at: www.iau.org.tw
Lagat, Symmonds, Rupp look to shine at USA Outdoor Championships in Eugene
(6-17-09) From USATF Press Release - Bernard Lagat, Nick Symmonds and Galen Rupp will headline the men's middle and long distance running events at the 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, June 25-28 at historic Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene.
The final event of the 2009 USATF Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the USA Championships will be televised on the following dates:
June 26: Live on ESPN from 8-10 p.m.
June 27: Live/tape on ESPN from 7:30-9:30 p.m.
June 28: Live on NBC from 4-6:00 p.m.
(All Times Eastern)
The USA Championships will feature the nation's finest professional track and field athletes competing for national honors and spots on the Team USA roster for the 2009 IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Berlin, Germany. The World Championships will be held at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Stadium, where National Track & Field Hall of Famer and American icon Jesse Owens won gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and long jump.
800m
At the 2008 Olympic Trials at Hayward Field, Nick Symmonds, Andrew Wheating, Christian Smith and Khadevis Robinson staged a race for the ages during the 800m final that created a roar whose echoes can still be heard in Eugene.
Recognized as one of the favorites to win the race, Symmonds, a Eugene-area resident, assumed command down the final straightaway of the last lap to win the race convincingly, with University of Oregon star Andrew Wheating finishing as the runner-up. Shortly thereafter they were joined on the Team USA roster for Beijing by fellow Eugene fan favorite and then Oregon Track Club member Christian Smith, who dove across the finish line just ahead of 2004 Olympian Khadevis Robinson for the third and final spot on the Team USA Olympic roster, which sent the sold-out partisan crowd into hysterics. Smith's time of 1:45.47 bettered the Olympic A qualifying standard, which officially punched his ticket to Beijing.
Symmonds, Wheating, Smith and Robinson are all expected to meet again on the fabled Hayward Field track, with Robinson posting the fastest time by an American this outdoor season of 1 minute, 45.67 seconds in Kingston, Jamaica on May 2. Expected challengers include Duane Solomon, who finished sixth at the 2008 Olympic Trials, 2004 Olympian and NCAA champion Jonathan Johnson and Olympic Trials seventh-place finisher Jebreh Harris.
1500m
Reigning world 1,500m & 5,000m champion Bernard Lagat must compete in at least one event in Eugene in order to compete in both events at the World Outdoor Championships in Berlin. He is currently entered in the 800m and 5,000m.
If Lagat chooses to skip the 1,500m, his fellow 2008 Team USA Olympic teammate Leonel Manzano will assume the favorite's role. The 2008 NCAA 1,500m champion and a competitor at the 2007 World Outdoor Championships in Osaka, Japan, Manzano posted the fastest 1,500m time by an American this outdoor season with his personal best time of 3:34.14 at the May 30 Reebok Grand Prix in New York City.
Other expected challengers include 2008 Olympic delegation flag bearer and 2008 Olympic Trials third-place finisher Lopez Lomong and U.S. record holder, three-time USA Outdoor champion and 2004 Olympian Alan Webb, who will be attempting to qualify for his third U.S. World Outdoor Championships team. Additional contenders include 2008 Olympic Trials finalists Jon Rankin, Said Ahmed, Andy McClary, Chris Lukezic and Rob Myers.
3,000m Steeplechase
In 2008, two-time World Outdoor Championships team member Anthony Famiglietti rode his aggressive style to a win at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, a place in the steeplechase finals in Beijing and his rightful place atop the annual U.S. rankings by Track & Field News.
Famiglietti will be challenged in Eugene by his Beijing Olympic teammates, Billy Nelson, the 2003 U.S. Junior 5,000m champion and former University of Colorado standout, who placed second at the Olympic Trials and ended the 2008 campaign ranked #2 in the U.S. Also keep an eye on Olympic Trials third place finisher Josh McAdams, who was the 2007 USA Outdoor champion, who later that summer won the gold medal at the Pan American Games.
Eugene fan favorite Ben Bruce of the Oregon Track Club, who posted the fastest time by an American this season of 8:26:08 in winning the Payton Jordan Classic on May 2 in Palo Alto, Calif., is considered a strong challenger, along with Jake Morse, who finished fourth at the 2008 Olympic Trials and is ranked #4 in the U.S. 2008 NCAA champion Kyle Alcorn, who began his collegiate career at Oregon and finished at Arizona State, could also challenge the favorites.
5,000m
Reigning world champion Bernard Lagat is entered in the 5,000 meters, and will be a heavy favorite to win if he chooses to compete.
Lagat, who posted the fastest time by an American this outdoor season of 13 minutes 3.06 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix last month in New York, is slated to go up against 2008 Olympic finalist Matt Tegenkamp, who placed fourth in the 5,000m final at the 2007 World Outdoor Championships in Osaka, Japan.
Others to watch include 2008 Olympian Ian Dobson, who finished third at the 2008 Olympic Trials, Bolota Asmeron, who placed fourth at the Trials and two-time NCAA Outdoor champion and Olympic Trials fifth-place finisher Chris Solinsky. Also look for 2008 Olympic Trials 3,000m steeplechase winner Anthony Famiglietti, who posted the second-fastest qualifying time in the field of 13:17.98 on April 17 in Walnut, Calif.
10,000m
Look for the men's 10,000m to be a very competitive race with the favorites being the top three finishers from the 2008 Olympic Trials, Abdi Abdirahman, Galen Rupp and Jorge Torres.
A three-time Olympian and three-time national 10,000m champion, Abdi Abdirahman will attempt to make a U.S. World Outdoor Championships roster for the fourth time in his career. Abdirahman, who's best finish at a Worlds was in 2007 when he placed seventh in Osaka, will do battle with Eugene fan favorite Galen Rupp, who recently ended his University of Oregon collegiate career by winning the 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
Others to watch include 2008 Olympic marathoner Dathan Ritzenhein, who finished eighth in the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympic Trials. Additional contenders include 2008 Olympic Trials third-place finisher Jorge Torres, who won this event at the 2006 Championships in Indianapolis. Olympic Trials fourth-place finisher Ed Moran will be in the mix along with Josh Rohatinsky, who placed fifth in the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympic Trials and ninth at the Olympic Trials Marathon. 2000 Olympian Adam Goucher will attempt to make his fourth World Outdoor Championships team roster.
20 km Race Walk
Two-time Olympian Tim Seaman, who won his 36th career national race walk title earlier this year at the USA 10 km Championships in Albany, N.Y., will be in search of his sixth U.S. 20 km crown, and his first since 2005.
Seaman, who will be looking to qualify for his fifth U.S. World Outdoor Championships team, will face, among others, 2008 Olympic Trials third-place finisher Patrick Stroupe, 2004 Olympian John Nunn and Ben Shorey, who placed second at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials - 50 km Race Walk, and ended that year ranked #2 nationally in that event.
For ticket information to the 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships visit: www.visachampionshipseries.com or www.tracktown.net. USATF welcomes you to purchase tickets with your Visa Card. Visa, the only credit card accepted by USATF.
For more information on the 2009 USA Outdoor Championships and the USATF Visa Championship Series, visit: www.visachampionshipseries.com.
The final event of the 2009 USATF Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the USA Championships will be televised on the following dates:
June 26: Live on ESPN from 8-10 p.m.
June 27: Live/tape on ESPN from 7:30-9:30 p.m.
June 28: Live on NBC from 4-6:00 p.m.
(All Times Eastern)
The USA Championships will feature the nation's finest professional track and field athletes competing for national honors and spots on the Team USA roster for the 2009 IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Berlin, Germany. The World Championships will be held at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Stadium, where National Track & Field Hall of Famer and American icon Jesse Owens won gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and long jump.
800m
At the 2008 Olympic Trials at Hayward Field, Nick Symmonds, Andrew Wheating, Christian Smith and Khadevis Robinson staged a race for the ages during the 800m final that created a roar whose echoes can still be heard in Eugene.
Recognized as one of the favorites to win the race, Symmonds, a Eugene-area resident, assumed command down the final straightaway of the last lap to win the race convincingly, with University of Oregon star Andrew Wheating finishing as the runner-up. Shortly thereafter they were joined on the Team USA roster for Beijing by fellow Eugene fan favorite and then Oregon Track Club member Christian Smith, who dove across the finish line just ahead of 2004 Olympian Khadevis Robinson for the third and final spot on the Team USA Olympic roster, which sent the sold-out partisan crowd into hysterics. Smith's time of 1:45.47 bettered the Olympic A qualifying standard, which officially punched his ticket to Beijing.
Symmonds, Wheating, Smith and Robinson are all expected to meet again on the fabled Hayward Field track, with Robinson posting the fastest time by an American this outdoor season of 1 minute, 45.67 seconds in Kingston, Jamaica on May 2. Expected challengers include Duane Solomon, who finished sixth at the 2008 Olympic Trials, 2004 Olympian and NCAA champion Jonathan Johnson and Olympic Trials seventh-place finisher Jebreh Harris.
1500m
Reigning world 1,500m & 5,000m champion Bernard Lagat must compete in at least one event in Eugene in order to compete in both events at the World Outdoor Championships in Berlin. He is currently entered in the 800m and 5,000m.
If Lagat chooses to skip the 1,500m, his fellow 2008 Team USA Olympic teammate Leonel Manzano will assume the favorite's role. The 2008 NCAA 1,500m champion and a competitor at the 2007 World Outdoor Championships in Osaka, Japan, Manzano posted the fastest 1,500m time by an American this outdoor season with his personal best time of 3:34.14 at the May 30 Reebok Grand Prix in New York City.
Other expected challengers include 2008 Olympic delegation flag bearer and 2008 Olympic Trials third-place finisher Lopez Lomong and U.S. record holder, three-time USA Outdoor champion and 2004 Olympian Alan Webb, who will be attempting to qualify for his third U.S. World Outdoor Championships team. Additional contenders include 2008 Olympic Trials finalists Jon Rankin, Said Ahmed, Andy McClary, Chris Lukezic and Rob Myers.
3,000m Steeplechase
In 2008, two-time World Outdoor Championships team member Anthony Famiglietti rode his aggressive style to a win at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, a place in the steeplechase finals in Beijing and his rightful place atop the annual U.S. rankings by Track & Field News.
Famiglietti will be challenged in Eugene by his Beijing Olympic teammates, Billy Nelson, the 2003 U.S. Junior 5,000m champion and former University of Colorado standout, who placed second at the Olympic Trials and ended the 2008 campaign ranked #2 in the U.S. Also keep an eye on Olympic Trials third place finisher Josh McAdams, who was the 2007 USA Outdoor champion, who later that summer won the gold medal at the Pan American Games.
Eugene fan favorite Ben Bruce of the Oregon Track Club, who posted the fastest time by an American this season of 8:26:08 in winning the Payton Jordan Classic on May 2 in Palo Alto, Calif., is considered a strong challenger, along with Jake Morse, who finished fourth at the 2008 Olympic Trials and is ranked #4 in the U.S. 2008 NCAA champion Kyle Alcorn, who began his collegiate career at Oregon and finished at Arizona State, could also challenge the favorites.
5,000m
Reigning world champion Bernard Lagat is entered in the 5,000 meters, and will be a heavy favorite to win if he chooses to compete.
Lagat, who posted the fastest time by an American this outdoor season of 13 minutes 3.06 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix last month in New York, is slated to go up against 2008 Olympic finalist Matt Tegenkamp, who placed fourth in the 5,000m final at the 2007 World Outdoor Championships in Osaka, Japan.
Others to watch include 2008 Olympian Ian Dobson, who finished third at the 2008 Olympic Trials, Bolota Asmeron, who placed fourth at the Trials and two-time NCAA Outdoor champion and Olympic Trials fifth-place finisher Chris Solinsky. Also look for 2008 Olympic Trials 3,000m steeplechase winner Anthony Famiglietti, who posted the second-fastest qualifying time in the field of 13:17.98 on April 17 in Walnut, Calif.
10,000m
Look for the men's 10,000m to be a very competitive race with the favorites being the top three finishers from the 2008 Olympic Trials, Abdi Abdirahman, Galen Rupp and Jorge Torres.
A three-time Olympian and three-time national 10,000m champion, Abdi Abdirahman will attempt to make a U.S. World Outdoor Championships roster for the fourth time in his career. Abdirahman, who's best finish at a Worlds was in 2007 when he placed seventh in Osaka, will do battle with Eugene fan favorite Galen Rupp, who recently ended his University of Oregon collegiate career by winning the 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
Others to watch include 2008 Olympic marathoner Dathan Ritzenhein, who finished eighth in the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympic Trials. Additional contenders include 2008 Olympic Trials third-place finisher Jorge Torres, who won this event at the 2006 Championships in Indianapolis. Olympic Trials fourth-place finisher Ed Moran will be in the mix along with Josh Rohatinsky, who placed fifth in the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympic Trials and ninth at the Olympic Trials Marathon. 2000 Olympian Adam Goucher will attempt to make his fourth World Outdoor Championships team roster.
20 km Race Walk
Two-time Olympian Tim Seaman, who won his 36th career national race walk title earlier this year at the USA 10 km Championships in Albany, N.Y., will be in search of his sixth U.S. 20 km crown, and his first since 2005.
Seaman, who will be looking to qualify for his fifth U.S. World Outdoor Championships team, will face, among others, 2008 Olympic Trials third-place finisher Patrick Stroupe, 2004 Olympian John Nunn and Ben Shorey, who placed second at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials - 50 km Race Walk, and ended that year ranked #2 nationally in that event.
For ticket information to the 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships visit: www.visachampionshipseries.com or www.tracktown.net. USATF welcomes you to purchase tickets with your Visa Card. Visa, the only credit card accepted by USATF.
For more information on the 2009 USA Outdoor Championships and the USATF Visa Championship Series, visit: www.visachampionshipseries.com.
Oregon's Rupp Named Athlete of the Week for Third Time in 2009
(6-17-09) From USATF Press Release - Galen Rupp has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning both the men's 5,000 and 10,000 meters last week at the 2009 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
Having already won three NCAA individual titles this school year, Rupp ran the 5,000m prelims on Wednesday, won the 10,000m on Thursday and came back on Friday to win the 5,000m, all in the span of about 45 hours. In the 10,000m final, Arkansas' Shawn Forrest and Liberty's Samuel Chelanga set out on a fast pace but Rupp kept them in his sights the entire way and with 600m to go he passed the duo and then won the race in 28:21.45, his last 800m ran in 1:58.96.
In the 5,000m, Rupp had to stop to fix his shoe on the second lap and ran from the back of the pack for much of the race. With three laps to go, he moved from 11th to fourth place and then surged again with 600m to go, running away with the win in 14:04.12, running his last 1,600m in 4:00.10. Rupp is the first athlete to complete the 5,000m/10,000m double since 2000.
Also in Fayetteville, the Texas A&M women's 4x100m team of Khrystal Carter, Porscha Lucas, Dominique Duncan and Gabby Mayo set a collegiate record in winning their third consecutive title in 42.36. The previous record of 42.50 was set back in 1989 by LSU. Lucas came back the next day to win the women's 200m title in 22.81.
Oklahoma freshman Will Claye won the men's triple jump in American junior record fashion, with a hop, skip and leap of 17.24 meters/56 feet 6.75 inches. Claye broke his own record of 16.94m/55-7 set in May in Lubbock, Texas.
Now in its eighth year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
2009 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 6, Mason Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27, German Fernandez; February 3, Ashton Eaton; February 10, Shalane Flanagan; February 17, Galen Rupp; February 25, Dexter Faulk; March 3, Terrence Trammell; March 10, Diana Pickler; March 17, Galen Rupp; March 25, Sumi Onodera-Leonard; April 1, German Fernandez; April 7, Cyrus Hostetler; April 14, Curtis Beach; April 21, Kara Goucher; April 28, Mason Finley; May 5, Chris Derrick; May 12, Natalie Willer; May 19, Will Claye; May 27, Nadine O'Connor; June 2, Tyson Gay; June 9, Dwight Phillips; June 17, Galen Rupp.
BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING JUNE 14
MEN
100 - 10.00 Trindon Holliday (LSU) - Fayetteville, AR 6/10
200 - 20.40 Chris Dykes (Texas A&M) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
400 - 44.83 LaShawn Merritt (Nike) = Toronto, CAN 6/11
800 - 1:45.73 Khadevis Robinson (Nike) - Toronto, CAN 6/11
1500 - 3:39.00 German Fernandez (Oklahoma State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/13
Mile - 3:56.75 David Torrence (unat) - Toronto, CAN 6/11
3000SC - 8:29.24 Kyle Perry (BYU) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
5000 - 13:34.00 Dathan Ritzenhein (Nike) - Toronto, CAN 6/11
10,000 - 28:21.45 Galen Rupp (Oregon) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
110H - 13.18 Dexter Faulk (Nike) - Berlin, GER 6/14
400H - 48.47 Jeshua Anderson (Washington State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
HJ - 2.31/7-7 Jesse Williams (Nike) - Vancouver, CAN 6/14
PV - 5.70/18-8.25 Jason Colwick (Rice) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12 & Tim Mack (Nike) - San Diego, CA 6/12
LJ - 8.11/26-7.25 Bashir Ramzy (unat) - Chula Vista, CA 6/13
TJ - 17.19/56-4.75 Will Claye (Oklahoma) - Fayetteville, AR 6/13 AMERICAN JUNIOR RECORD
SP - 20.91/68-7.25 Ryan Whiting (Arizona State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/10
DT - 62.92/206-5 James Dennis (unat) - San Diego, CA 6/14
HT - 72.82/238-11 Jesse Doty (Syracuse Chargers) - Marietta, GA 6/14
JT - 81.80/268-4 Chris Hill (Georgia) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
Dec - 8241 Ashton Eaton (Oregon) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
WOMEN
100 - 11.02 Alexandria Anderson (Texas) - Fayetteville, AR 6/10
200 - 22.38 Porscha Lucas (Texas A&M) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
400 - 49.57 Sanya Richards (Nike) - Berlin, GER 6/14 World leader
800 - 2:00.80 Geena Gall (Michigan) - Fayetteville, AR 6/13
1500 - 4:09.77 Kara Goucher (Nike) - Vancouver, CAN 6/14
3000SC - 9:25.54 Jenny Barringer (Colorado) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12 U.S. leader
5000 - 15:53.91 Molly Huddle (Saucony) - Waltham, MA 6/13
10,000 - 33:39.97 Cecily Lemmon (BYU) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
100H - 12.76 Damu Cherry (Nike) - Berlin, GER 6/14
400H - 54.71 Lashinda Demus (Nike) - Prague, CZE 6/8
HJ - 1.95/6-4.75 Destinee Hooker (Texas) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
PV - 4.40/14-5.25 Kylie Hutson (Indiana State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
LJ - 6.61/21-8.25 Ola Sesay (unat) - Houston, TX 6/12
TJ - 13.34/43-9.25 Tahari James (Boston U.) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
SP - 17.58/57-8.25 Sarah Stevens (Arizona State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
DT - 55.83/183-2 Jere Summers (Louisville) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
HT - 68.08/223-4 Stevi Large (Akron) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
JT - 59.62/195-7 Rachel Yurkovich (Oregon) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
Hept - 5892 Liz Roehrig (Minnesota) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
Having already won three NCAA individual titles this school year, Rupp ran the 5,000m prelims on Wednesday, won the 10,000m on Thursday and came back on Friday to win the 5,000m, all in the span of about 45 hours. In the 10,000m final, Arkansas' Shawn Forrest and Liberty's Samuel Chelanga set out on a fast pace but Rupp kept them in his sights the entire way and with 600m to go he passed the duo and then won the race in 28:21.45, his last 800m ran in 1:58.96.
In the 5,000m, Rupp had to stop to fix his shoe on the second lap and ran from the back of the pack for much of the race. With three laps to go, he moved from 11th to fourth place and then surged again with 600m to go, running away with the win in 14:04.12, running his last 1,600m in 4:00.10. Rupp is the first athlete to complete the 5,000m/10,000m double since 2000.
Also in Fayetteville, the Texas A&M women's 4x100m team of Khrystal Carter, Porscha Lucas, Dominique Duncan and Gabby Mayo set a collegiate record in winning their third consecutive title in 42.36. The previous record of 42.50 was set back in 1989 by LSU. Lucas came back the next day to win the women's 200m title in 22.81.
Oklahoma freshman Will Claye won the men's triple jump in American junior record fashion, with a hop, skip and leap of 17.24 meters/56 feet 6.75 inches. Claye broke his own record of 16.94m/55-7 set in May in Lubbock, Texas.
Now in its eighth year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
2009 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 6, Mason Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27, German Fernandez; February 3, Ashton Eaton; February 10, Shalane Flanagan; February 17, Galen Rupp; February 25, Dexter Faulk; March 3, Terrence Trammell; March 10, Diana Pickler; March 17, Galen Rupp; March 25, Sumi Onodera-Leonard; April 1, German Fernandez; April 7, Cyrus Hostetler; April 14, Curtis Beach; April 21, Kara Goucher; April 28, Mason Finley; May 5, Chris Derrick; May 12, Natalie Willer; May 19, Will Claye; May 27, Nadine O'Connor; June 2, Tyson Gay; June 9, Dwight Phillips; June 17, Galen Rupp.
BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING JUNE 14
MEN
100 - 10.00 Trindon Holliday (LSU) - Fayetteville, AR 6/10
200 - 20.40 Chris Dykes (Texas A&M) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
400 - 44.83 LaShawn Merritt (Nike) = Toronto, CAN 6/11
800 - 1:45.73 Khadevis Robinson (Nike) - Toronto, CAN 6/11
1500 - 3:39.00 German Fernandez (Oklahoma State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/13
Mile - 3:56.75 David Torrence (unat) - Toronto, CAN 6/11
3000SC - 8:29.24 Kyle Perry (BYU) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
5000 - 13:34.00 Dathan Ritzenhein (Nike) - Toronto, CAN 6/11
10,000 - 28:21.45 Galen Rupp (Oregon) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
110H - 13.18 Dexter Faulk (Nike) - Berlin, GER 6/14
400H - 48.47 Jeshua Anderson (Washington State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
HJ - 2.31/7-7 Jesse Williams (Nike) - Vancouver, CAN 6/14
PV - 5.70/18-8.25 Jason Colwick (Rice) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12 & Tim Mack (Nike) - San Diego, CA 6/12
LJ - 8.11/26-7.25 Bashir Ramzy (unat) - Chula Vista, CA 6/13
TJ - 17.19/56-4.75 Will Claye (Oklahoma) - Fayetteville, AR 6/13 AMERICAN JUNIOR RECORD
SP - 20.91/68-7.25 Ryan Whiting (Arizona State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/10
DT - 62.92/206-5 James Dennis (unat) - San Diego, CA 6/14
HT - 72.82/238-11 Jesse Doty (Syracuse Chargers) - Marietta, GA 6/14
JT - 81.80/268-4 Chris Hill (Georgia) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
Dec - 8241 Ashton Eaton (Oregon) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
WOMEN
100 - 11.02 Alexandria Anderson (Texas) - Fayetteville, AR 6/10
200 - 22.38 Porscha Lucas (Texas A&M) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
400 - 49.57 Sanya Richards (Nike) - Berlin, GER 6/14 World leader
800 - 2:00.80 Geena Gall (Michigan) - Fayetteville, AR 6/13
1500 - 4:09.77 Kara Goucher (Nike) - Vancouver, CAN 6/14
3000SC - 9:25.54 Jenny Barringer (Colorado) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12 U.S. leader
5000 - 15:53.91 Molly Huddle (Saucony) - Waltham, MA 6/13
10,000 - 33:39.97 Cecily Lemmon (BYU) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
100H - 12.76 Damu Cherry (Nike) - Berlin, GER 6/14
400H - 54.71 Lashinda Demus (Nike) - Prague, CZE 6/8
HJ - 1.95/6-4.75 Destinee Hooker (Texas) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
PV - 4.40/14-5.25 Kylie Hutson (Indiana State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
LJ - 6.61/21-8.25 Ola Sesay (unat) - Houston, TX 6/12
TJ - 13.34/43-9.25 Tahari James (Boston U.) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
SP - 17.58/57-8.25 Sarah Stevens (Arizona State) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
DT - 55.83/183-2 Jere Summers (Louisville) - Fayetteville, AR 6/11
HT - 68.08/223-4 Stevi Large (Akron) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
JT - 59.62/195-7 Rachel Yurkovich (Oregon) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
Hept - 5892 Liz Roehrig (Minnesota) - Fayetteville, AR 6/12
Race Report: 2009 Blue Lake Olympic Triathlon
(6-17-09) Submitted by Dave Campbell - The traditional Northwest season opener... 500 athletes competing Sunday (with over 800 on Saturday in the sprint events) experienced a warm lake, cool conditions, and the super hot riding of Roger Thompson of Spokane. Holy ultra bike throw down, Batman!!! Thompson recorded what, in my eleven consecutive Blue Lake participations, is the fastest bike split I have ever seen here... 54 minutes flat for 40km! His 27.11 mph average was at least one mile per hour faster than anyone else in the field. To put that in perspective I won two State Masters TT titles in recent years on similar courses (no swim, no wet shorts, no need to eat, drink, and prepare for a run) in MUCH slower times. Wow! Needless to say the race was for second place!
18-year-old Connor McCarroll (Portland) and 42-year-old Mac Skimmin (Seattle) led out of the 70 degree water in a blistering 18:04 with the first of the overall contenders Matt Berg of Milwaukee (in his first road triathlon appearance of the year) in 8th (19:49) and Thompson only 20 seconds and two places behind. 16-year-old Taylor Lakey of Beaverton was the first woman in 19:39 right in front of the 36-year-old Berg.
Thompson, who reported feeling really great on the bike, quickly assumed the lead on the relatively wind free and flat course on Marine Drive along the Columbia River. Meanwhile, one of the quickest swimmers reportedly knocked over some bikes and scattered some gear in his scramble along the elite rack in transition... causing a bit of chaos for some of the later competitors. The first affected was 39-year-old Warren Bloomberg of Salem (11th out of the water) who didn't find his helmet on his bars but did find it (or so he thought) laying on the ground nearby. He could not, however, find his glasses or gel. When I arrived to my bike, there was no helmet like I had left on my bars either... and none anywhere around and so I thought my race was over! Luckily, 50-year-old Dave Skinkle of Bend, noting my distress, found "my" helmet 30 feet from my bike along the fence, and it mysteriously contained some glasses and a gel! Luckily Warren and I have similar sized heads and it all worked out in the end, but it was a bizarre bit of chaos the likes of which I had never experienced in a race.
While Thompson disappeared down the road, Berg rode the third best bike on the day (57:27) to move solidly into second while 21-year-old Cameron Dorn of Waterloo, SC, a convincing winner of Saturday's Sprint, race stayed closest to Thompson (55:57) to move into third. After coming out of the water in 25:09, 49-year-old Lisa Magness of Bend charged, much like Thompson, to the best bike split of 59:01, an incredible 12th best overall and nearly four minutes better than her nearest rival, to take over the lead in the women's race.
The fastest run of the day belonged to Portland's 36-year-old Chris Ramsey who charged up from 7th up to 4th in 36:12. Thompson, nonetheless was untouchable, pulling away still with the fifth fastest run (37:12) to break the tape in a jaw-dropping 1:53:54. The large crowd at the finish line had to wait over four minutes for the consistently strong Matt Berg to cross second in 1:58:22 with both in the 35-39 group. Dorn finished his impressive weekend double third in 2:00:41, winning the 20-24 age group and 5th overall David Gettle (Weiser, ID) tops in 25-29 in 2:03:55. I was the top Master and 40-44, 2:05:15 and 10th overall after struggling mightily on the run. Indicative of the very competitive nature of the event, only 50 seconds separated the last five places in the top ten overall!
The fastest women's runner was 30-year-old local Kaytee Petross, whose 41:14 brought her up from 8th off the bike to 4th overall and a win in her age group. It was the second best run, however (41:47) by 28-year-old Lara Brown of Portland that made the biggest difference, catching long-time leader Magness in the final stretch of the run for a narrow 17 second victory in 2:11:18. Magness' amazing performance netted her the Masters victory as well. Only eight seconds back was Karen Oppenheimer who triumphed in the 40-44 group with the top five rounded out by the ageless Bridget Dawson (51!) in 2:16:51. Chantel Efraimson won the 35-39 age group in 2:17:05, sixth overall.
Blue Lake seems to be the one race where all the top Washington, Oregon, and Idaho athletes meet head to head for an important test of their fitness (and that of their rivals!) before heading in different directions (and distances) for the summer months. For some that means Lake Stevens or Ironman Couer d'Alene but for me that will mean my favorite race in the whole tri world... Pacific Crest! Hope to see you there! Rest up, get fast, and get ready because summer race season is upon us.
18-year-old Connor McCarroll (Portland) and 42-year-old Mac Skimmin (Seattle) led out of the 70 degree water in a blistering 18:04 with the first of the overall contenders Matt Berg of Milwaukee (in his first road triathlon appearance of the year) in 8th (19:49) and Thompson only 20 seconds and two places behind. 16-year-old Taylor Lakey of Beaverton was the first woman in 19:39 right in front of the 36-year-old Berg.
Thompson, who reported feeling really great on the bike, quickly assumed the lead on the relatively wind free and flat course on Marine Drive along the Columbia River. Meanwhile, one of the quickest swimmers reportedly knocked over some bikes and scattered some gear in his scramble along the elite rack in transition... causing a bit of chaos for some of the later competitors. The first affected was 39-year-old Warren Bloomberg of Salem (11th out of the water) who didn't find his helmet on his bars but did find it (or so he thought) laying on the ground nearby. He could not, however, find his glasses or gel. When I arrived to my bike, there was no helmet like I had left on my bars either... and none anywhere around and so I thought my race was over! Luckily, 50-year-old Dave Skinkle of Bend, noting my distress, found "my" helmet 30 feet from my bike along the fence, and it mysteriously contained some glasses and a gel! Luckily Warren and I have similar sized heads and it all worked out in the end, but it was a bizarre bit of chaos the likes of which I had never experienced in a race.
While Thompson disappeared down the road, Berg rode the third best bike on the day (57:27) to move solidly into second while 21-year-old Cameron Dorn of Waterloo, SC, a convincing winner of Saturday's Sprint, race stayed closest to Thompson (55:57) to move into third. After coming out of the water in 25:09, 49-year-old Lisa Magness of Bend charged, much like Thompson, to the best bike split of 59:01, an incredible 12th best overall and nearly four minutes better than her nearest rival, to take over the lead in the women's race.
The fastest run of the day belonged to Portland's 36-year-old Chris Ramsey who charged up from 7th up to 4th in 36:12. Thompson, nonetheless was untouchable, pulling away still with the fifth fastest run (37:12) to break the tape in a jaw-dropping 1:53:54. The large crowd at the finish line had to wait over four minutes for the consistently strong Matt Berg to cross second in 1:58:22 with both in the 35-39 group. Dorn finished his impressive weekend double third in 2:00:41, winning the 20-24 age group and 5th overall David Gettle (Weiser, ID) tops in 25-29 in 2:03:55. I was the top Master and 40-44, 2:05:15 and 10th overall after struggling mightily on the run. Indicative of the very competitive nature of the event, only 50 seconds separated the last five places in the top ten overall!
The fastest women's runner was 30-year-old local Kaytee Petross, whose 41:14 brought her up from 8th off the bike to 4th overall and a win in her age group. It was the second best run, however (41:47) by 28-year-old Lara Brown of Portland that made the biggest difference, catching long-time leader Magness in the final stretch of the run for a narrow 17 second victory in 2:11:18. Magness' amazing performance netted her the Masters victory as well. Only eight seconds back was Karen Oppenheimer who triumphed in the 40-44 group with the top five rounded out by the ageless Bridget Dawson (51!) in 2:16:51. Chantel Efraimson won the 35-39 age group in 2:17:05, sixth overall.
Blue Lake seems to be the one race where all the top Washington, Oregon, and Idaho athletes meet head to head for an important test of their fitness (and that of their rivals!) before heading in different directions (and distances) for the summer months. For some that means Lake Stevens or Ironman Couer d'Alene but for me that will mean my favorite race in the whole tri world... Pacific Crest! Hope to see you there! Rest up, get fast, and get ready because summer race season is upon us.
Oregon and Galen Rupp the Talk of NCAA D1 Track & Field Championships
(6-10-09) This year's NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships are underway in Fayetteville, AK through Saturday. Oregon is in hot pursuit of its first men's title since 1984 and Galen Rupp is picked to win the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Accompanying Rupp is marathon legend Alberto Salazar who has been his coach for the past eight years.
Rupp and his Oregon squad made the front page of USA Today and our friends over at Runnerspace.com will be keeping track of results and posting video through the completion of event. The USA Today article is a good read, so be sure to give it a look.
Here's a interview with Oregon coach Vin Lananna just prior to heading to Arkansas.
Rupp and his Oregon squad made the front page of USA Today and our friends over at Runnerspace.com will be keeping track of results and posting video through the completion of event. The USA Today article is a good read, so be sure to give it a look.
Here's a interview with Oregon coach Vin Lananna just prior to heading to Arkansas.
Hugo, McQuaid win XTERRA Northwest Cup
(6-7-09) From XTERRA Press Release - Melanie McQuaid stayed perfect in 2009 while Dan Hugo broke through at the XTERRA Northwest Cup at Farragut State Park just north of Coeur d' Alene, Idaho this afternoon.
Over the last two years on the XTERRA America Tour the 23-year-old from Stellenbosch, South Africa (the same hometown as Conrad Stoltz) finished in the top 4 in seven straight races including three runner-ups, but today the sports youngest and brightest star found the top step for the first time.
"It sure did help that Josiah (Middaugh) and Mike (Vine) weren't here and Conrad got a puncture, but it's a great start and I'm super excited," said the ever-humble Hugo.
Hugo came out of the swim in the incredibly gorgeous Lake Pend Oreille (the 5th deepest lake in the U.S. at 1,158-feet) with the lead pack that included Stoltz, Craig Evans, Seth Wealing, and Christine Jeffrey in just over 22 minutes.
As planned, Hugo stuck on Stoltz' wheel until about three-quarters of the way through the first of two 11-mile loops on the bike when a nail lodged itself sideways through Stoltz' tire and Hugo found himself all alone in front, where he stayed the rest of the way.
"It was a great day, I had good legs," said Hugo, who clocked the quickest bike split in 1:19:36, a full three minutes better than Nico Lebrun's' 1:22. "The bike was super fast, magically fast and furious and the run was spectacular. Heading along the lake was breathtaking and the technical footing made it perhaps the most interesting run I've seen on the circuit."
By the end of the first loop Hugo had put three minutes on Wealing, Evans, and Branden Rakita and extended that gap to more than five minutes by the bike-to-run transition. Behind him Rakita moved into second heading into the run, followed by Lebrun, Wealing, Evans, and then Stoltz another minute back.
Lebrun, the 3-time XTERRA European Tour and 2005 XTERRA World Champ, put down the fastest run of the day - a 40:43 10k - to pass Rakita and finish second (his best result this season). Wealing had the second-best run to finish in third, Rakita held on for a career-best fourth and Stoltz ran past Evans to finish fifth.
In the women's race "Big Fish" Jeffrey put nearly three minutes on McQuaid during the swim and held the lead through the first lap of the bike where McQuaid was 1:30 back, but by the bike-to-run transition McQuaid - boosted by the best bike of the day (1:33:31) - was more than four minutes in front.
Danelle Kabush made up a minute on Jeffrey to finish in 2nd (her best of the year), and Jeffrey was 3rd to make it an all-Canadian top three. "Canadians rule, ehh," said Jeffrey.
The 39-year-young Jenny Tobin had the fastest run of the day to work herself into fourth, and Emma Garrard rounded out the top 5.
The venue at Farragut State Park was unanimously approved as being one of the prettiest, most pristine, and incredibly beautiful places on earth and as outdoor enthusiasts nationwide celebrated the 17th Annual National Trails Day - the XTERRA Tribe did so in style in the Pacific Northwest.
CUP SERIES STANDINGS
Halfway through the 8-stop XTERRA Cup Series Conrad Stoltz and Melanie McQuaid remain on top. With the win, Dan Hugo leapfrogged past Josiah Middaugh and Mike Vine into second place while Nico Lebrun moved into the top 5 with his runner-up performance today. In the women's chase McQuaid stays perfect, and Emma Garrard (who equaled her career best with a 5th place finish today) jumped past Shonny Vanlandingham and Renata Bucher into the No. 2 spot. Christine Jeffrey moved up two places into 5th.
The XTERRA Northwest Cup was the fourth of eight big XTERRA Cup championship races in the nationwide XTERRA America Tour that boasts 60 races in 32 states, and culminates in Utah at the XTERRA USA Championship on Sept. 26.
AMATEUR RACE: Canada's "Coach Cal" Zaryski won the amateur overall in two hours, 40 minutes (he also won the XTERRA West Cup amateur title) while Rosemarie Gerspache won the women's amateur crown 3:02:07. More details on the age group winners and who qualified for the XTERRA World Championship in Maui will be released in the next XTERRA newsletter.
Next up: XTERRA Atlantic Cup at Brown's Island in downtown Richmond, Virginia on June 14.
The 2009 XTERRA Northwest Cup is presented by Paul Mitchell and XTERRA.TV. National sponsors include GU, Rodale, XTERRAGear.com, Zorrel, Gatorade, Choice Hotels, and the Utah Sports Commission. The XTERRA Northwest Cup is part of the inaugural Adventure Sports Week at Farragut State Park featuring 24 races and more than 1,000 athletes, June 5-14.
Over the last two years on the XTERRA America Tour the 23-year-old from Stellenbosch, South Africa (the same hometown as Conrad Stoltz) finished in the top 4 in seven straight races including three runner-ups, but today the sports youngest and brightest star found the top step for the first time.
"It sure did help that Josiah (Middaugh) and Mike (Vine) weren't here and Conrad got a puncture, but it's a great start and I'm super excited," said the ever-humble Hugo.
Hugo came out of the swim in the incredibly gorgeous Lake Pend Oreille (the 5th deepest lake in the U.S. at 1,158-feet) with the lead pack that included Stoltz, Craig Evans, Seth Wealing, and Christine Jeffrey in just over 22 minutes.
As planned, Hugo stuck on Stoltz' wheel until about three-quarters of the way through the first of two 11-mile loops on the bike when a nail lodged itself sideways through Stoltz' tire and Hugo found himself all alone in front, where he stayed the rest of the way.
"It was a great day, I had good legs," said Hugo, who clocked the quickest bike split in 1:19:36, a full three minutes better than Nico Lebrun's' 1:22. "The bike was super fast, magically fast and furious and the run was spectacular. Heading along the lake was breathtaking and the technical footing made it perhaps the most interesting run I've seen on the circuit."
By the end of the first loop Hugo had put three minutes on Wealing, Evans, and Branden Rakita and extended that gap to more than five minutes by the bike-to-run transition. Behind him Rakita moved into second heading into the run, followed by Lebrun, Wealing, Evans, and then Stoltz another minute back.
Lebrun, the 3-time XTERRA European Tour and 2005 XTERRA World Champ, put down the fastest run of the day - a 40:43 10k - to pass Rakita and finish second (his best result this season). Wealing had the second-best run to finish in third, Rakita held on for a career-best fourth and Stoltz ran past Evans to finish fifth.
In the women's race "Big Fish" Jeffrey put nearly three minutes on McQuaid during the swim and held the lead through the first lap of the bike where McQuaid was 1:30 back, but by the bike-to-run transition McQuaid - boosted by the best bike of the day (1:33:31) - was more than four minutes in front.
Danelle Kabush made up a minute on Jeffrey to finish in 2nd (her best of the year), and Jeffrey was 3rd to make it an all-Canadian top three. "Canadians rule, ehh," said Jeffrey.
The 39-year-young Jenny Tobin had the fastest run of the day to work herself into fourth, and Emma Garrard rounded out the top 5.
The venue at Farragut State Park was unanimously approved as being one of the prettiest, most pristine, and incredibly beautiful places on earth and as outdoor enthusiasts nationwide celebrated the 17th Annual National Trails Day - the XTERRA Tribe did so in style in the Pacific Northwest.
| TOP PRO MEN | ||||||
| Pl | Name | Age | Hometown | Time | Pts | Purse |
| 1 | Dan Hugo | 23 | Stellenbosch, South Africa | 2:25:32 | 100 | $1,800 |
| 2 | Nico Lebrun | 35 | Digne, France | 2:29:38 | 90 | $1,250 |
| 3 | Seth Wealing | 30 | Boulder, Colorado | 2:31:20 | 82 | $800 |
| 4 | Branden Rakita | 28 | Manitou Springs, Colorado | 2:33:19 | 75 | $500 |
| 5 | Conrad Stoltz | 35 | Stellenbosch, South Africa | 2:34:03 | 69 | $400 |
| 6 | Craig Evans | 31 | Spring Hill, Tennessee | 2:36:13 | 63 | $300 |
| 7 | Ryan Ignatz | 30 | Boulder, Colorado | 2:36:20 | 58 | $200 |
| 8 | Jasper Blake | 35 | Victoria, B.C., Canada | 2:37:42 | 53 | |
| 9 | Cody Waite | 30 | Lakewood, Colorado | 2:38:16 | 49 | |
| 10 | Brendan Halpin | 25 | Missoula, Montana | 2:40:29 | 45 | |
| Also: Will Kelsay (41), Adam Jensen (37), Matt Boobar (34), JeffSmith (31) | ||||||
| TOP 10 PRO WOMEN | ||||||
| Pl | Name | Age | Hometown | Time | Pts | Purse |
| 1 | Melanie McQuaid | 35 | Victoria, B.C., Canada | 2:51:10 | 100 | $1,800 |
| 2 | Danelle Kabush | 34 | Canmore, Alberta, Canada | 2:52:50 | 90 | $1,250 |
| 3 | Christine Jeffrey | 36 | Guelph, Ontario, Canada | 2:55:46 | 82 | $800 |
| 4 | Jenny Tobin | 39 | Boise, Idaho | 2:57:53 | 75 | $500 |
| 5 | Emma Garrard | 27 | Truckee, California | 2:59:05 | 69 | $400 |
| 6 | Rebecca Dussault | 28 | Crested Butte, Colorado | 3:05:22 | 63 | $300 |
| 7 | Tracy Thelen | 29 | Colorado Springs, Colorado | 3:07:21 | 58 | $200 |
| 8 | Erin Kummer | 24 | Boulder, Colorado | 3:11:27 | 53 | |
| 9 | Alexendra Borrelly | 33 | Digne, France | 3:13:27 | 49 | |
| 10 | Jennifer Luebke | 23 | Missoula, Montana | 3:14:54 | 45 | |
| Also: Jari Kirkland (41) | ||||||
CUP SERIES STANDINGS
Halfway through the 8-stop XTERRA Cup Series Conrad Stoltz and Melanie McQuaid remain on top. With the win, Dan Hugo leapfrogged past Josiah Middaugh and Mike Vine into second place while Nico Lebrun moved into the top 5 with his runner-up performance today. In the women's chase McQuaid stays perfect, and Emma Garrard (who equaled her career best with a 5th place finish today) jumped past Shonny Vanlandingham and Renata Bucher into the No. 2 spot. Christine Jeffrey moved up two places into 5th.
| 2009 XTERRA CUP SERIES STANDINGS (After 4) | ||||||
| Pl | Name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 1 | Conrad Stoltz | 100 | 100 | 100 | 69 | 369 |
| 2 | Dan Hugo | 82 | 75 | 75 | 100 | 332 |
| 3 | Josiah Middaugh | 90 | 82 | 90 | DNS | 262 |
| 4 | Mike Vine | 75 | 90 | 82 | DNS | 247 |
| 5 | Nico Lebrun | DNF | 69 | 69 | 90 | 228 |
| 6 | Branden Rakita | 45 | 53 | 53 | 75 | 226 |
| 7 | Craig Evans | 49 | 49 | 63 | 63 | 224 |
| 8 | Seth Wealing | 37 | 63 | DNS | 82 | 182 |
| 9 | Cody Waite | 34 | 41 | 58 | 49 | 182 |
| 10 | Will Kelsay | 31 | 31 | 49 | 41 | 152 |
| 11 | Jasper Blake | 69 | DNS | DNS | 53 | 122 |
| 12 | Matt Boobar | DNS | 34 | 45 | 34 | 113 |
| 13 | Brian Smith | 53 | 58 | DNS | DNS | 111 |
| 14 | Ryan Ignatz | 41 | DNS | DNS | 58 | 99 |
| 15 | Steve Larsen | 63 | DNS | DNS | DNS | 63 |
| 16 | Jeff Smith | 28 | DNS | DNS | 31 | 59 |
| 17 | Justin Thomas | 58 | DNS | DNS | DNS | 58 |
| 18 | Ryan DeCook | DNP | 45 | DNS | 45 | |
| 20 | Brendan Halpin | DNS | DNS | DNS | 45 | 45 |
| 21 | Scott Gall | DNS | 37 | DNS | DNS | 37 |
| 22 | Adam Jensen | DNS | DNS | DNS | 37 | 37 |
| Pl | Name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 1 | Melanie McQuaid | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 400 |
| 2 | Emma Garrard | 63 | 58 | 69 | 69 | 259 |
| 3 | Renata Bucher | 75 | 90 | 82 | DNS | 247 |
| 4 | Shonny Vanlandingham | 90 | 75 | 75 | DNS | 240 |
| 5 | Christine Jeffrey | 69 | 82 | DNS | 82 | 233 |
| 6 | Danelle Kabush | 49 | DNS | 58 | 90 | 197 |
| 7 | Jenny Smith | 53 | 69 | 63 | DNS | 185 |
| 8 | Alexandra Borrelly | 31 | 53 | 45 | 49 | 178 |
| 9 | Lesley Paterson | 82 | DNS | 90 | DNS | 172 |
| 10 | Erin Kummer | DNS | 49 | 49 | 53 | 151 |
| 11 | Jari Kirkland | 28 | 63 | DNS | 41 | 132 |
| 12 | Rebecca Dussault | 58 | DNS | DNS | 63 | 121 |
| 13 | Jenny Tobin | 45 | DNS | DNS | 75 | 120 |
| 14 | Tracy Thelen | 34 | DNS | DNS | 58 | 92 |
| 15 | Kristy Lanier | DNS | DNS | 53 | DNS | 53 |
| 16 | Jennifer Luebke | DNS | DNS | DNS | 45 | 45 |
| 17 | Ingrid Rolles | 41 | DNS | DNS | DNS | 41 |
| 18 | Sari Anderson | 37 | DNS | DNS | DNS | 37 |
| 1 = Loews XTERRA West Cup - May 2 | ||||||
| 2 = XTERRA Midwest Cup - May 17 | ||||||
| 3 = XTERRA Southeast Cup - May 23 | ||||||
| 4 = XTERRA Northwest Cup - June 6 | ||||||
The XTERRA Northwest Cup was the fourth of eight big XTERRA Cup championship races in the nationwide XTERRA America Tour that boasts 60 races in 32 states, and culminates in Utah at the XTERRA USA Championship on Sept. 26.
AMATEUR RACE: Canada's "Coach Cal" Zaryski won the amateur overall in two hours, 40 minutes (he also won the XTERRA West Cup amateur title) while Rosemarie Gerspache won the women's amateur crown 3:02:07. More details on the age group winners and who qualified for the XTERRA World Championship in Maui will be released in the next XTERRA newsletter.
Next up: XTERRA Atlantic Cup at Brown's Island in downtown Richmond, Virginia on June 14.
The 2009 XTERRA Northwest Cup is presented by Paul Mitchell and XTERRA.TV. National sponsors include GU, Rodale, XTERRAGear.com, Zorrel, Gatorade, Choice Hotels, and the Utah Sports Commission. The XTERRA Northwest Cup is part of the inaugural Adventure Sports Week at Farragut State Park featuring 24 races and more than 1,000 athletes, June 5-14.
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