Record Number of Nations to Compete in the 2002 WMRA World Trophy
Forty nations including newcomers Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Ecuador and Syria are scheduled to compete in the 18th annual WMRA World Mountain Running Trophy events to be held in Innsbruck, Austria later this month.
Posted Monday, 9 September, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Dave Dunham Nancy Hobbs
USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Running Council USATF MUT
(978) 373-9118 (719) 573-4405
dave.dunham@verizon.net trlrunner@aol.com
Record Number of Nations to Compete in the 2002 WMRA World Trophy
Forty nations including newcomers Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Ecuador and Syria are scheduled to compete in the 18th annual WMRA World Mountain Running Trophy events to be held in Innsbruck, Austria later this month.
Trophy events begin Friday morning, September 13 with the WMRA Congress meeting followed by an opening ceremony in the evening. On Saturday, September 14 the races begin with the junior women's 3.3K, followed by the junior men and senior women who each run a 9.2K. The open race and senior men's 11.7K will be run on Sunday, September 15 followed by an evening closing ceremony and party.
Uphill courses are run in even-numbered years while up/down courses are run in odd-numbered years. Italy was the dominant team in the last uphill trophy event in 2000 in Bergen, Germany winning the senior men, junior men and junior women's competition and placing second in the senior women's category. Expected to challenge Italian team this year will be the host country along with New Zealand, Germany, France and the Czech Republic.
The U.S. senior men have finished among the top ten teams in each of their trips to the world trophy since 1994 except 1995 and 2001 where they finished 15th and 18th respectively. The senior women have inched up from 18th place in their first year of competition in 1995 to top ten finishes since 1999. This year a top-five finish is within reach for both the U.S. men and women.
With the support of title sponsor Teva, this year marks the first time the US will field a full team in both senior and junior competition. The senior squad includes ten athletes and two alternates (seven men and five women), while the junior squad (athletes who are not yet 20 in the year of competition) includes three men and three women.
Members of the 2002 Teva US Mountain Running Team are making final preparations for their trip to Austria. Although most athletes will arrive just days before the event, Paul Low, Amherst, MA has spent the last few weeks in England. According to Low, "I've used my time in the UK to get into the right mindset and to have better access to steep hills without having to go to altitude." Low represented the U.S. in Susa, Italy at the famed Challenge Stellina 15K on August 25 where he finished a very strong 19th place overall.
Anita Ortiz, Eagle, CO and Julie Bryan, Jackson Hole, WY will have a few extra days to familiarize themselves with the course since the pair will arrive in Innsbruck on September 9. The two became "fast" friends at the Mount Washington Hill Climb, one of three team selection races this year. Bryan was the second US finisher on the 2001 US team. Bryan says, "When Anita asked me about the race in Italy last year and how it felt, I told her it was the most incredible experience of my life. I am so happy to be traveling with Anita because of the intensity of her energy and our like focus on doing the best we can for the team. I think our team has a chance for a top-five finish."
Closer to home, junior team member Trevor Hanlin, Grants Pass, Ore. has changed his training to incorporate more power and strength work along with more speed work. "I do many up hill segments for speed work, I have run in some uphill races, and I attended the Steens Mountain Running Camp earlier this summer. My long runs have been extended to cover the longer distance more efficiently."
Hanlin is looking toward the competition with great respect. "Unlike the competition in my State, I have no clue as to their best times or even their names, heck I don't know my times on this type of course! It should be a great experience, and I am sure every country will learn greatly from it."
Junior team member Nikki Hodgson, Grass Valley, CA has found that her training hasn't changed drastically. "The major difference is that whereas I used to avoid hills on my recovery runs, I now run nothing but hills." Asked about her greatest strength for this race Hodgson says, "For this race it's difficult for me to pinpoint my greatest strength, but I know my greatest strength as a runner lies in my determination. I train hard, I race hard and I don't give up easily."
Regarding competition, Hodgson continues, "I always look forward to the thrill of competition and the simple joy of running, but for this race I am humbled by the opportunity to represent my country. This competition holds a lot of firsts for me, so I'm really just looking forward to the experience of it all. I think it's going to be an amazing trip and of course I'm excited to run hard and give it everything I've got."
Matt Winter, Billings, MT provides his insight as a member of the junior squad, "Being part of the first junior team for the U.S.A. is awesome. It means I get to be one of the people who goes out and sets the precedent for future junior teams, but for the same reason it's a bit intimidating. Either way I'll go out there and give it my all. My advice to those who want to be on the junior team in the future: hit the hills, never give up and run like the wind, for even the mountain must surrender to the wind eventually."
Results and stories from the trophy events will be posted to the USATF site during the weekend of competition.
2002 Teva US Mountain Running Team
OPEN MEN
Simon Gutierrez, 36, Alamosa, CO (recently relocated from Albuquerque, NM)
Eric Morse, 37, Berlin, VT
Dave Dunham, 38, Bradford, MA
Paul Low, 28, Amherst, MA
Richard Shelley, 40, Albuquerque, NM
Dan Verrington, 40, Bradford, MA
Richard Bolt, 31, Manchester, NH
OPEN WOMEN
Anita Ortiz, 38, Eagle, CO
Julie Bryan, 34, Jackson, WY
Kari DiStefano, 43, Telluride, CO
Nikki Kimball, 31, Waterford, NY
Suzy West, 39, Putney, VT
JUNIOR WOMEN
Nicole Hodgson, 19, Grass Valley, CA
Jessica Pitzer, 16, Nederland, CO
Melissa Marts, 17, Nederland, CO
JUNIOR MEN
Eduardo Pasko, 17, Colorado Springs, CO
Matt Winter, 17, Billings, MT
Trevor Hanlin, 16, Grants Pass, OR
MANAGERS
Juniors - Jeff Adams, Colorado Springs, CO
Senior Women - Nancy Hobbs, Colorado Springs, CO
Senior Men - Dave Dunham, Bradford, MA
Related Web Sites
www.tlv.at/worldtrophy2002 - World Mountain Running Trophy 2002
www.usatf.org - USA Track & Field
www.wmra.info - World Mountain Running Association
# # #
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services
USATF Road Running Information Center
5522 Camino Cerralvo
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 696-6252
http://www.runningusa.org
http://www.usaldr.org
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