2003 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team Junior Squad Announced

July 15, 2003

The 2003 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team will travel to Girdwood, Alaska to compete in the 19th WMRA World Mountain Running Trophy in September. Although the U.S. has competed at the worlds since 1987 (senior men) and 1995 (senior women), this will be the second year the U.S. team will include
juniors.

The junior men's course at the World Trophy will be 7.7 km with 600 meters of vertical gain, the same course as the senior women. The junior women will run 4.2 km and climb 285 meters. Both junior events will be staged on Saturday, September 20.

Athletes must be at least 16 years old and not yet 20 in the year of competition to be eligible to compete as juniors. Representing the U.S. from Colorado will be Eduardo Pasko, 18, Colorado Springs; Andrew Payton, 17, Woodland Park; Kristen Andersen, 17, Loveland; Maggie McNanigal, 16, Colorado Springs; Jessica Pitzer, 17, Nederland; Erika Ross, 16, Colorado Springs and Brett Wilson, Loveland. Joining the Colorado contingent will be Erik Borschel, 18, Idaho Falls, ID and Rory Egelus, 16, Palmer, AK.

Athletes were selected based on road, trail, track and cross-country results and since this year's courses are up/down (in even-numbered years courses ability to run well on technical up/down courses. Each athlete was required to submit a letter of recommendation from his or her coach and each athlete must be a current member of USA Track & Field.

In the junior events at Worlds the top three men are scored of the four-man team while the top two women score on the three-woman team. Alternates Erik Borschel and Erika Ross will run in the open junior race on Sunday, September 21, or in the trophy race the preceding day should one of their team members be injured or unable to compete.

Two of three selection races have been held to determine the senior members of the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team. At the June 7 selection race in Northfield, MA Kelli Lusk, Manitou Springs, CO and Paul Low, Amherst, MA were named to the team while on the same day Kari DiStefano, Telluride, CO and Simon Gutierrez, Alamosa, CO earned berths at the Teva Spring Run Off in Vail, CO. On July 6, Peter De La Cerda won the USA Mountain Running Championships at the Teva Vail Hill Climb to earn a spot on the team. The remaining selection race is the Alyeska Mountain Run to be held on August 9 on the same course that will host the World Trophy in September. The full team will be announced by August 15.

Contact:
Jeff Adams, arustyrod@aol.com or (719) 209-4473