2002 USA 100Km Team Set for IAU World Cup

Dan Brannen, AUA
danbrannen@earthlink.net

June 16, 2002

The USA 100Km Team is set to compete in the 2002 IAU 100Km World Cup, to be
held in Torhout, Belgium on June 21, 2002, beginning at 8:02 PM.

The team consists of a mix of veteran ultrarunners and talented newcomers.
Three of the team members have the distinction of also being members of the
USA National Mountain Running Team.

The team has its sights set firmly on capturing team medals. With the first
three runners times counting to the team total, the USA 100km team has a
history of finishing strongly, often coming from behind in the second half to
capture the precious medals. Last year, Rich Hanna won the silver medal at
the World 100Km, while in 2000, the USA teams won silver and bronze medals,
men and women respectively.

USA WOMEN

Daniele Cherniak, 41, Cohoes, New York. Cherniak is the senior member of the
women's team, with eight appearances on the team. A road specialist at
ultradistances, she has been at or near the top of the ranks for over a
decade. Last year, she led the American women at the World 100km in Cleder,
France with a time of 8:18.

Jennifer Devine-Pfeiffer, 30, Sacramento, Calif. Devine-Pfeiffer is one of
the fastest of the relative newcomers in American road ultrarunning. Her
recent performances are indicative of great potential at the 100 kilometer
distance. Winner of this year's American River 50 Miler, she also posted the
year's fastest 50km time at the Jed Smith Classic event. Both events are in
her hometown of Sacramento. Last year, she ran 8:25 in her first World Cup
event.

Ann Heaslett, 38, Madison, Wisconsin. Heaslett is another rising star on the
American Ultrarunning scene. Her near meteoric rise is evidenced by a string
of strong, versatile performances from 50km to 100 miles. The highlight so
far has been her Rocky Raccoon 100 mile Trail race time of 15:56, an all-time
best for American trail running. Heaslett also has two consecutive silver
medals at the USA 50Km Trail and 50Km Road National Championships.

Nikki Kimball, 31, Elizabethtown, New York. Nikki Kimball is one of the
squad's cross-over athletes. A member of the USA Mountain Running Team, she
also excels at snowshoe racing. Her speed on the roads has brought her
rapidly to the top of the American ultrarunning scene. Her debut at last
year's World Cup produced a time of 8:32.

Tania Pacev, 41, Littleton, Colo. Tania Pacev is another versatile performer,
who always seems to deliver a top level performance, regardless of the
distance or terrain. The leading American female at the past two Marathon Des
Sables in Morrocco, Pacev finished 4th at last year's USA 50 mile Trail
Championship, which was regarded as one of the greatest ultra trail
competitions ever held in the United States. This will be her first World Cup
appearance.

Anne Riddle, 35, Asheville, North Carolina. Anne Riddle in a span of one year
has claimed three USA National Championship titles. After a debut 100Km at
last Year's USA Championship event in 8:13, she went on to win the National
Trail 50Km Championship on a cold, wind-swept, Indiana course in December.
Her recent 50Km National Road Championship in Pittsburgh saw her run nearly
perfect even splits en route to a narrow victory over teammate Heaslett. This
will be Riddle's second consecutive World Cup appearance.

USA MEN

Dave Dunham, 38, Bradford, Mass. Dunham is another of the multi-talented
runners on this year's team. A veteran of the USA Mountain Running Team, he
burst onto the ultrarunning scene with a stunning 6:46 at the 2000 Chancellor
Challenge 100km in Boston, defeating a very good international field. He
followed that up with a quick 2:57 50Km run in Chicago last spring and then
took the silver medal at both the 2001 USA 50 Mile Trail Championship and the
2002 USA 50km Road Championship.

Scott Eppelman, 35, Coppell, Texas. A first time member of the USA team,
Eppelman is no stranger to the American ultrarunning scene. Excelling at a
variety of distances and terrains, he is perhaps best known for his recent
100 mile trail performances. The winner of the Arkansas Traveler 100 last
October, he followed that up with an impressive 14:44 victory at the Rocky
Raccoon 100 mile trail run in February. He was also bronze medalist at the
2000 USA 24-Hour Run Championship.

James Garcia, 43, Westford, Mass. Garcia is the senior member of the men's
team and is our defending National 100Km Champion. This will be his 8th
appearance on the team. While making the top of the road ultra performances
list every year, Garcia is equally adept at running the trails. He outran one
of the best trail 50Km specialists in Charles Hubbard last December to win
the National 50Km Trail Championship. He also has multiple wins at the 100
mile trail distance. His 100Km best is 6:55.

Mark Godale, 32, Streetsboro, Ohio. Another veteran of the 100Km team, Godale
is the American record holder for the 24 hour road run, set at the Olander
Park USA 24 Hour Championship in 1999 (162+ miles). He is a former silver and
bronze medalist at the National 100Km Championships and most recently took
third at our National 50Km Road Championship in Pittsburgh. His personal best
is 7:08, set at the 1999 World 100km in France.

Howard Nippert, 36, Pembroke, Virginia. This will be Nippert's fourth
consecutive 100km World competition. The 2000 National 100Km Champion placed
13th in the worlds atCleder, France last year and is priming for another
world class run. Nippert races ultradistances infrequently in the US, instead
focusing his efforts on the World Cup competition. He won the 2001 version of
the Bull Run Run 50 Mile Trail Run and is undefeated on US soil at
ultradistances.

Dan Verrington, 39, Bradford, Mass. Verrington is undoubtedly the least well
known member of the U.S. team, perhaps because he has run only one
ultramarathon. That event was this year's USA National 50Km Road Championship
in Pittsburgh (3:09). He won against a very good field under oppressively
windy conditions. But he certainly isn't lacking for international
experience. Like Dunham, he is a veteran of the USA National Mountain Running
Team, which requires a unique combination of speed and strength, something
that will serve the team well in Belgium.

The USA Ultra Team is highly regarded around the world and enjoys tremendous
support from its home ultrarunning community. This kind of grass-roots
support is unique in sport and is why this team is so special. Without major
sponsors, the team relies for its travel to the World Cup on contributions
from various sources, including the USU (Ultrarunners Supporting
Ultrarunners) Fund, which was created by team veteran Chrissy Ferguson.

If anyone wishes to make a contribution to this year's team and would like a
USA Trail or Ultra T-Shirt as a token thank you, contact National Team
Program Director Kevin Setnes at (888) 838-2802 or email him
(ksetnes@aol.com). A minimum $15.00 contribution is requested for a T-Shirt.

-Dan Brannen, AUA
danbrannen@earthlink.net

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