ZAP Fitness, Boston Athletic Association Win National Club Cross Country Crowns
By Jim Estes, USATF
Posted Monday, 11 December, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO - (December 9, 2006) - The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) unseated defending women's team champions, See Jane Run, while the men of ZAP Fitness held off Team XO to win the Open team titles at the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships Saturday in San Francisco, Calif.
Intermittent rain and temperatures in the mid-fifties - ideal cross country conditions - met the record field of nearly 1,200 runners as America's top post-collegiate club teams came to Golden Gate Park for the eighth annual event, which featured Open and Masters races at 10 kilometers for men and 6 kilometers for women.
In the women's race, Amy Hastings from Tempe, Ariz., who represented Team USA at the 2003 World Junior Cross Country Championships, took command after the mile mark and gradually separated herself from the field as she went on to win the Open women's title in 19 minutes, 59 seconds, defeating Catherine Ferrell (Eugene, Ore.) by 16 seconds. 2003 USA Junior Cross Country champion Clara Peterson (Runsom, N.J.) - a native of nearby Oakland, Calif. - finished third in 20:18.
"I came out here with a couple of guys from school (Arizona State) to have a fun weekend. I really needed a break from finals. I'm familiar with this course, having raced the Pac-10 Championships here two years ago. I really like this course. After I committed to going for it, my thought was to just hang on. The last 600 meters I was hurting," recounted Hastings.
The BAA women's team came to San Francisco with their minds set on winning their third team title since 1998 and after finishing runner-up in two out of the previous three years, they accomplished their mission, scoring 140 points to defeat the women of Wisconsin Runner RT by seven points. See Jane Run rounded out the top three, scoring 158 points.
In the men's Open race, 1999 Big 10 Cross Country champion Matt Downin of Madison, Wis. (Wisconsin Runner RT), was content to sit behind Tom Morgan of Blowing Rock, N.C. (ZAP Fitness) and Max King of Bend, Ore. (Team XO) until 8K (5 miles) before making his move to pull away for a four second win over Morgan, running 30:13 to win his second individual title at the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships (also 2000).
"I knew I was ready to run decent. I had a little bit of a rough stretch training after my son was born in July, and I finally turned the corner in mid-September. There were about 4 or 5 guys grouped up at 8K. I took the lead with about 1200 meters to go, and thought that I could run it in from there, and opened up a bit when we hit the horse track. I was really looking forward to this test today," said Downin.
Morgan's runner-up finish led ZAP Fitness to their first ever USATF national team title, with 52 points for a 31 point win over Team XO. Host team ASICS Aggies finished third with 136 points.
The Masters women's championship - 40 and older - saw 1996 Olympian Linda Somers Smith of Arroyo Grande, Calif. (ASICS Aggies) go directly to the front at the gun and build a seven second lead by 2K. Somers Smith eased her way through the remaining 4K, finishing in 22:15 for a ten second overall win and the 45-49 age group title ahead of Alysun Deckert (Seattle Running Club).
Somers Smith's win also led the ASICS Aggies to the 40+ team title, while the Impala Racing Team captured the 50+ crown and the Tamalpa Runners Inc. took the 60+ team title.
Additional individual national age group titles were won by: Alysun Deckert (40-44), Christine Kennedy (50-54), Kathryn Martin (55-59), Janet Bowman (60-64), Melody Anne Schultz (65-69) and Barbara Robben (70 and over).
In Masters men's race, Tracy Lokken of Marquette, Mich. (Front Line Racing Team), was the surprise winner of the 10 kilometer title, in a time of 32:44, upsetting defending champion Peter Magill of South Pasadena, Calif. (Team Runners High), who finished third in 32:52. Danny Martinez of Alhambra, Calif. (Run with Us) was runner-up in 32:51.
Lokken's overall win led the Front Line Racing Team to the 40+ team title as Club Northwest took the 50+ title; the Raritan Valley Road Runners won the 60+ division and Snohomish Track Club won the 70+ team title.
Individual age group titles were also earned by: Lokken (40-44), Magill (45-49), Kenneth Leinbach (50-54), Joe Schieffer (55-59), Chuck MacDonald (60-64), Hans Schmid (65-69) and Billy Iffrig (70+).
The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships featured the elite clubs from across the United States vying for top honors and bragging rights as the nation's best cross country teams. Over 60 clubs and 1,200 competitors took part in the event.
USATF National Club Cross Country Championships
San Francisco, CA, Saturday, December 9, 2006
MEN
1) Matt Downin, Wisconsin Runner Racing Team - A, 30:13
2) Tom Morgan, ZAP Fitness - A, 30:17
3) Sergio Reyes, ASICS Aggie Running Club - A, 30:25
4) Max King, Team XO - A, 30:33
5) Ryan Kirkpatrick, Boulder Running Co / adidas - A, 30:39
6) Payton Batliner, CO, 30:42
7) Ben Rosario, Big River Running Co - A, 30:46
8) Daniel Kanyaruhuru, Club Intermont - A, 30:47
9) Joe Driscoll, ZAP Fitness - A, 30:48
10) Ben Gregory, Wisconsin Runner Racing Team - A, 30:50
MEN's TEAM (top 5 score)
1) ZAP Fitness - A, 52, $2500
2) Team XO - A, 83, $1500
3) ASICS Aggie Running Club - A, 136, $1000
4) Run Flagstaff - A, 160, $800
5) Team Good River - A, 162, $700
6) Wisconsin Runner Racing Team - A, 201, $600
7) Boulder Running Co / adidas - A, 228, $550
8) Boston Athletic Association - A, 260, $500
9) Big River Running Co - A, 266, $450
10) Sports Warrior Track Club - A, 288, $400
WOMEN
1) Amy Hastings, AZ, 19:59
2) Catherine Ferrell, OR, 20:15
3) Clara Peterson, NJ, 20:18
4) Rebecca Donaghue, New Balance Boston - A, 20:24
5) Katherine Newberry, VA, 20:33
6) Elizabeth Woodworth, Wisconsin Runner Racing Team - A, 20:41
7) Kasie Enman, Boston Athletic Association - A, 20:49
8) Kristin Price, adidas Raleigh Track Club - A, 21:00
9) Brianna Dahm, OR, 21:02
10) Stephanie Pezzullo, ZAP Fitness, 21:04
WOMEN's TEAM (top 5 score)
1) Boston Athletic Association - A, 140, $2500
2) Wisconsin Runner Racing Team - A, 147, $1500
3) See Jane Run - A, 158, $1000
4) adidas Raleigh Track Club - A, 169, $800
5) Boulder Running Co / adidas - A, 200, $700
6) RunAblaze - A, 204, $600
7) Transports adidas - A, 221, $550
8) Club Northwest - A, 225, $500
9) New Balance Boston - A, 234, $450
10) Nike Central Park Track Club - A, 274, $400
Complete results at: www.usatf.org/events/2006/USATFClubXCChampionships/
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