McMillan Elite, Boulder Running Company / adidas Capture USATF National Club XC Crowns
Bauhs, Donaghue win individual titles

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By Jim Estes, USATF
Posted Monday, 15 December, 2008

SPOKANE - (December 13, 2008) - McMillan Elite and Boulder Running Company / adidas easily took the respective men's and women's titles Saturday at the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships at Plantes Ferry Recreation Park in Spokane, Wash.

Saturday's races were held under windy and blustery conditions, with a light dusting of snow that accumulated the night before. Temperatures were in the high 20s with the wind chill making it feel at least 10 degrees colder for the 900 plus participants representing America's top post-collegiate club teams vying for top honors and bragging rights as the nation's top cross country team.

As the afternoon progressed, the wind picked up dramatically, and the temperature dropped to the mid-teens by the conclusion of the Open men's 10-kilometer race.

Two-time NCAA Division II cross country champion Scott Bauhs, representing Transports adidas Racing Team eased his way into the lead in the Open men's ten kilometer race, then held off a late challenge by Andrew Carlson of McMillan Elite to win his first national championship as a professional, clocking 30 minutes, 47 seconds to Carlson's 30:49.

Bauhs, an Olympic Trials qualifier this year at 10,000 meters, and a member of this year's World Cross Country Championships squad, took the lead shortly after the mile mark, while hotly pursued by several members of the winning McMillan Elite squad.

As the wind gusted up to speeds hovering around 30 miles per hour at times during the race, Bauhs began to extend his command over the rest of the field, except for Carlson, who hung on gamely to Bauhs through the final lap.

"I ran in snow at the NCAA D-II meet a few weeks ago, but this was worse. I wanted to get out reasonably hard, then take the lead and go from there. I thought that I could hold off Andrew Carlson (on the final stretch). I wasn't completely confident with the conditions, but I felt that I could hold him off at the end," Bauhs said.

Carlson's runner-up finish, combined with Brett Gotcher and Gilliat Gebray's 4-5 finish led McMillan Elite to their first national title, as the Flagstaff-based squad scored 47 points, defeating the Bowerman Athletic Club by 17 points. Four-time men's team champions Hansons-Brooks finished third with 107 points.

In what can be best described as a race of attrition, Rebecca Donaghue survived the heavy winds and the early challenge of a group of four runners, including runner-up Toni Salucci, Kara June, Alisha Williams and Jennifer Donovan to win the national title in 21:38. The five women were the only ones to break 22 minutes for the 6-kilometer course.

After the race, Donaghue commented, "Truthfully, these were the worst conditions I've ever run in. I can't feel my face; I can't feel my fingers. The wind blew me over at about a mile and a half. I drafted off of other people, as the wind was absolutely brutal. I ran in the NCAA Cross Country Championships a few years ago where it was this cold, but never that windy. This is real cross country weather."

Despite Donaghue's overall win, last year's third place team Boulder Running Company / adidas dominated the team competition with 69 points, defeating the women of New Balance Boston by 31 points. Three-time team champions Boston Athletic Association took third with 128 points.

In the day's opening race, Carmen Ayala-Troncoso of Austin, Texas, 49, representing Rogue Running, won yet another masters USA title, after taking an early lead over former Team USA cross country team member Liz Wilson of the Eastside Runners, extending the lead over the final lap.

Wilson won the individual age group title in the 40-44 division and Ayala-Troncoso the 45-49. Other age group winners included Regina Joyce (50-54); Suzanne Ray (55-59) and Patty Foltz (60-64).

Team champions included Club Northwest (40-49) and the Impala Racing Team (50-59).

Simon Gutierrez of Alamosa, Colo., 42, used a strong surge on the final lap of the race to break away from masters men's runner-up Dan Franek of the Dirigo RC to win his first national cross country title, running 33:50.

Gutierrez and 2006 champion Tracy Lokken were part of the lead group that broke away early from a chase pack that included the Fluffy Bunny TC trio of David Schumacher, last year's national champion Peter Magill and Christian Cushing-Murray.

Other individual age group titles went to Magill (45-49); Bob Winn (50-54); Mark Billett (55-59); Terry Delph (60-64); Doug Goodhue (65-69); Thom Weddle (70-74) and Mel Preedy (75-79).

Team titles were won by the Fluffy Bunny TC (40-49); Club Northwest (50-59); Boulder Road Runners (60-69) and the Snohomish TC (70+).

Clubs competed for a total prize purse of $24,000, with $19,000 going to the top Open teams.

10th USATF National Club Cross Country Championships
Spokane, WA, Saturday, December 13, 2008

MEN - 10K
1) Scott Bauhs (CA), 30:47
2) Andrew Carlson (AZ), 30:49
3) Forest Braden (ID), 31:00

OPEN TEAM
1) McMillan Elite, 47 points, $3500
2) Bowerman Athletic Club, 64, $2300
3) Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, 107, $1500
4) Boulder Running Company / adidas, 136, $1200
5) ASICS Aggie Running Club, 150, $1000

WOMEN - 6K
1) Rebecca Donaghue (PA), 21:38
2) Toni Salucci (NC), 21:46
3) Kara June (CA), 21:51

OPEN TEAM
1) Boulder Running Company / adidas, 69 points, $3500
2) New Balance Boston, 100, $2300
3) Boston Athletic Association, 128, $1500
4) New York Athletic Club, 138, $1200
5) Run Ohio / Second Sole Racing Team, 147, $1000

Full results and more at: www.usatf.org/events/2008/USATFClubXCChampionships/