First USA Mountain Running Championship Set for July 6

June 30, 2003


Vail, Colo.-- The first ever USA Mountain Running Championship will be held on July 6 in Vail, Colorado, in conjunction with the 25^th annual Vail HillClimb. The breathtaking 8-mile course gradually climbs from 8,200 feet at the start to 10,350 feet at the finish line.

The championship is sponsored by Teva and will have a prize purse of $1,450. Men’s and women’s Open and Masters national championship races will be held concurrently, and age-group medals and Teva footwear prizes will also be awarded to the top three athletes in each age division. Only athletes with current USATF memberships prior to the race are eligible for the championship prizes and awards. Information about USATF membership is available at www.usatf.org. Athletes can join USATF on the morning of the race at the registration table.

One of the best mountain running races in Colorado, the Vail HillClimb typically draws about 400 runners of all abilities.

“We’ve had a lot of elite runners run this race in the past, so I think we should have a pretty good race for the first championship,” says race director Mike Ortiz. “It should be an exciting, competitive race for both the men and the women.”

Last year’s Vail HillClimb was won by Simon Gutierrez, of Albuquerque, New Mexico in 50:09, as he outran Paul Low (Amherst, Mass.) to the top of the mountain. Anita Ortiz, 38, of nearby Eagle, Colorado, won the women’s race in 1:00:44. A U.S. Mountain Team member in 2002, Gutierrez, 37, who now lives in Alamosa, Colorado, won the 6.4-mile Teva Spring Run-off on June 7 and should be one of the favorites for the HillClimb.

The winner of this year’s men’s race will receive an automatic berth on the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team that will compete at the World Mountain Running Trophy in Girdwood, Alaska, in September. (The women’s winner will not earn an automatic spot on the U.S. team, but will receive strong consideration in the at-large bid selection.)

More than a dozen former U.S. Mountain Running Team members will be vying for a berth on this year’s team, including Kari DiStefano (Telluride, Colo.), Kelli Lusk (Manitou Springs, Colo.), Rene Frazee (Salida, Colo.), Cindy O'Neill (Manitou Springs, Colo.), Julie Bryan (Jackson, Wyo.), Dave Dunham (Bradford, Mass.), Richard Bolt (Manchester, N.H.), Eric Morse (Montpelier, Vt.), Paul Low (Amherst, Mass.)

The establishment of an official national championship for mountain running reflects the growth of trail running in the U.S. Having an official mountain championship race at a sub-ultra distance has been a goal of the USATF Mountain/Ultra/Trail Running Council since its inception in 1998. Bids for 2004 and 2005 championships will be accepted later this year and awarded in the fall.

“It provides trail runners who might not normally join USA Track and Field a reason to join because they have the opportunity to compete in a championship event and a chance to win medals and prizes,” says Nancy Hobbs, chairperson of USATF’s MUT Council. “And it’s a new opportunity for events to pursue a relationship with USA Track and Field and to continue to promote trail and mountain running.”

The Vail Hill Climb will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. from the Mountain Haus across the street from the Vail Village Parking Structure. Free gondola rides up and down the mountain are available for spectators and racers. Pre-registration fees are $22 (through July 4). Runners can register between 7 and 8:15 a.m. the morning of the race for $32.

For more information or to submit a running resume please contact: Nancy Hobbs (Women) at trlrunner@aol.com  or Richard Bolt (Men) at rbolt@emersonecologics.com 

For more information on the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team selection races and team sponsors, please visit the websites listed below:

http://www.vailrec.com/adult/running_races/spring_runoff.html 
http://www.usatf.com 
http://www.usatfne.org/trail/ 
http://www.teva.com/

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Last updated: 09/14/05
Web Author: Lorraine Gersitz