December 16, 2005
Bariloche, Argentina
– On the hot and hilly course at the foothills of the Andes, American Mark
Godale (35) won the 2005 World Masters Athletics 100-kilometer (62-mile)
world championship in Bariloche, Argentina. The Ohioan finished over 9
minutes ahead of silver medalist Morales José Antonio. American women team
of Amanda McIntosh (40), Tania Pacev (46), and Dee Dee Grafius (56) swept
the gold, silver, and bronze medals. The USA Track & Field’s
eight-member powerhouse team scored a total of nine medals, two more than
the second place Argentinean team and three times the number of medals
awarded to third place Uruguay. The impressive USATF masters team also set
four age-group course records at the WMA 100K World Championship contested
on December 11, 2005.
This team was the largest
team that the United States has sent to a masters world ultra championship
and the four returning veteran team members showed their experience against
teams from Canada, Columbia, Spain, Uruguay, and host country Argentina. On
previewing the scenic race course, veteran USATF 100K team member Pacev
said, "the course is very hilly, the part around the lake and the last
20K has lots of hills. . . the temperature may be up to 80F. It looks like
running in San Francisco."
The four men and four women
USATF masters 100K team represented a mix of states and two decades of age
groups. The WMA 100K World Championship is an opportunity for American
ultrarunners age 35 and over to compete in a world 100K championship
exclusively for masters runners. The goal of the 2005 USATF Masters 100K
Team is to provide broad American age-group presence at the World Cup 100K
demonstrating American support for the masters 100K world competition and to
compete for individual world age-group medals.
USATF provides partial
funding for the WMA 100K Team and team members are self-funded. Donations to
the team are welcome. Contributions to the team are tax-exempt through
International Masters Athletics Foundation. To contribute to the 2005 USATF
WMA 100K Team, contact Katy Cotton at IMAF, Inc. at imaf_inc@yahoo.com. For information about IMAF, go to http://www.cerritos.edu/lgersitz/IMAF/Home.htm.
2005
WMA 100K Championship Results for Team USA
Mark
Godale 35 OH 8:28:10*
Roy
Pirrung 57 WI 9:09:07*
Chris
Frost 54 CA 11:57:14
Craig
Robertson 46 TX 13:56:45
Amanda
McIntosh 40 TX 9:22:49
Tania
Pacev 46 CO 10:00:08*
Dee
Dee Grafius 56 CA 11:25:46*
Katy
Cotton 39 WY 13:06:18*
*
Age Groups Course Records
For
2005 WMA 100K world championship result, go to http://www.mundial100k-wma.com.ar/result_mundial.htm.
