TEVA US Mountain Running Team Members Shine on the Peak
Manitou Springs, CO ---- Not only was the sun shining during today's 13.32-mile Pikes Peak Ascent, but also the faces of Teva US Mountain Running Team members Simon Gutierrez and Anita Oritz who added another victory to their running resumes.

Anita Ortiz wins in 2:52:11  E-mail this page  Printer-friendly page

Posted Saturday, 16 August, 2003

Contact: Nancy Hobbs, trlrunner@aol.com
(719) 573-4405

Ortiz, 39, Eagle, CO won her third straight ascent title just under one minute ahead of her nearest competitor Gretchen Ellis, 32, Los Alamos, NM. Ortiz's winning time of 2:52:12 earned her 20th position overall, but was eight minutes off her previous best time. Ellis ran a solid 2:53:05 for second place.
Ortiz, whose running mantra on the Peak is "Don't walk, don't walk, don't walk," said, "Today I did feel better than I did the past few years though it was a bit slower." When asked how she felt during the race Ortiz smiled, "I felt the way everybody else feels. It's hard!"

First time Pikes Peak competitor Gutierrez, 37, Alamosa, CO set a new age group record en route to a 2:13:29 finish, besting second place finisher Mark Cucuzzella, 36, Denver by more than 17 minutes. "I wasn't sure how I'd fell above 12,000 feet having never been that high before, but I felt great the whole way. I took it out hard from the start and no one went with me," remarked Gutierrez who ran alone for the entire race which includes 7,815 feet of elevation gain to reach the 14,100-foot finish line at the summit of Pikes Peak.

Gutierrez will travel to Susa, Italy next week to race at the 15th International Challenge Stellina, a 15.2km race with 1500m of ascent. Gutierrez will represent the US along with fellow Teva US Mountain Running team members Paul Low and Mark Werner.

"After Susa I'll be focusing on my downhill running to get ready for the World Mountain Running Trophy," said Gutierrez who earned a spot on the Teva US Mountain Running team after winning the Teva Spring Run Off in Vail, CO on June 7.

Ortiz earned her spot on the team at the final US team selection race on August 9 in Alaska over the same course as the world trophy. The trophy events will be held September 20-21 on uphill/downhill courses in Girdwood, Alaska with the men running 11.5km and the women running 7.7km. There will also be junior team competition with the men running 7.7km and the women running 4.2km.

For more information on the World Trophy visit www.wmrt2003.org and to see results following Challenge Stellina to be run August 24 visit www.atleticasusa.it/

PIKES PEAK ASCENT - PRELIMINARY RESULTS
MEN
1 Simon Gutierrez 37 Alamosa CO 2:13:29 (New age-group record)
2 Mark Cucuzzella 36 Denver CO 2:30:33
3 Bernie Boettcher 40 Silt CO 2:32:58 (top master)
WOMEN
1 Anita Ortiz 39 Eagle CO 2:52:11
2 Gretchen Ellis 32 Los Alamos NM 2:53:05

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