2007-2008 PRRO Season Starts at Boilermaker 15K
Circuit Bonus Grows to $30,000

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Posted Monday, 25 June, 2007

The 2007-2008 PRRO Championship Circuit will get underway at the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY on July 8, just four days after the 2006-2007 season ends at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race 10K in Atlanta, GA on July 4. With no athletes winning the required two races in order to race for the Championship Bonus at Peachtree, the bonus grows by $5,000 to $30,000 for 2007-2008.

Boilermaker race director, Bob Ingalls is enthusiastic about kicking off the new season. “We are proud to be the inaugural event of each Championship Season,” he says. “The male and female winners of the Boilermaker will know they have a leg up on all the other competitors by winning the opening event of the season. This means they only need to win one more event out of the remaining three to be eligible to race for the bonus in Atlanta.”

To be eligible for the bonus, an athlete must win 2 of the 4 qualifying PRRO events which include the 2007 Boilermaker on July 8, 2007, the 2008 World’s Best 10K in San Juan, Puerto Rico on February 24, 2008, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile in Washington, DC on April 6, 2008, and the 2008 Lilac Bloomsday 12K in Spokane, WA on May 4, 2008, plus the PRRO Championship at the 2008 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, GA on July 4, 2008. The bonus is paid out in addition to the prize money at the individual events. The bonus is split if an eligible male and female both win the Championship at Peachtree.

“I am sure the $30,000 bonus will greatly heighten interest in the 2007-2008 PRRO Circut,” says PRRO President Don Kardong. “This is serious money especially since all the events are at distances of 10 miles or less. Combined with first place prize money at the PRRO races, the winner will be earning at a somewhere between $57,000 and $77,000 for winning three non-marathon races.”

Tracey Russell, Director of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race, added, “We hope we will have one if not two athletes who have won two 2007-2008 PRRO Circuit events racing after the $30,000 circuit bonus at the 2008 Peachtree. This would be an ideal finale to the 2007-2008 PRRO Championship Season.”

The PRRO Circuit offers world-class competition for athletes of all nations in events at less than the marathon distance. The circuit has shown its commitment to a drug free sport as well by funding mandatory drug testing for elite athletes at all the circuit events. The testing is carried out by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

A summary of results from the 2006-2007 PRRO Circuit to date and contacts for the 2007-2008 series appear below.

2006-2007 Events and Results (to date):

Boilermaker 15K, July 9, 2006, Utica, NY. Men’s winner: Samuel Rongo, KEN, 43:16. Women’s winner: Gete Wami, ETH, 49:31

World’s Best 10K, Feb. 25, 2007, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Men’s winner: Gilbert Okari, 28:08. Women’s winner: Lornah Kiplagat, NET, 31:05

Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, April 1, 2007, Washington, DC. Men’s winner: Tadesse Tola, ETH, 46:01. Women’s winner: Teyba Erkesso, ETH, 51:44.

Lilac Bloomsday 12K, May 6, 2007, Spokane, WA. Men’s winner: John Korir, KEN, 34:18. Women's winner: Edna Kiplagat, KEN, 38:52.

Peachtree Road Race (2006-2007 PRRO Championship), July 4, 2007, Atlanta, GA.

2007-2008 Events:

Boilermaker 15K, July 8, 2007, Utica, NY. $45,500 in prize money with $6,000 for 1st. Elite athlete contact: Dick Mattia, 315-732-1949

World’s Best 10K, Feb. 24, 2008, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over $600,000 in prize money and bonuses. $25,000 for 1st. Elite athlete contact: Rafael Acosta, 787-767-2000.

Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, April 6, 2008, Washington, DC. $35,000 in prize money and bonuses. $6,000 for first. Elite athlete contact: Bill Orr, 863-533-0654.

Lilac Bloomsday 12K, May 4, 2008, Spokane, WA. Over $50,000 in prize money. $7,000 for 1st. Elite athlete contact: Jon Neill, 509-747-0101

Peachtree Road Race (2007-2008 PRRO Championship), July 4, 2008, Atlanta, GA. Over $80,000 in prize money. $15,000 for 1st. $30,000 PRRO Circuit Bonus for eligible runners. Elite athlete contact: Elizabeth Unislawski, 404-231-9064 x11.

For more information contact:
PRRO Administrator Elizabeth Unislawski
404-231-9064 #11
unislaw@atlantatrackclub.org

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