The winds hit 55 mph and wet fog buried the final two miles of the course , but Cathy O'Brien of Durham, N.H. , looked comfortable all the way up as she won the women's division of the Mt. Washington Road Race today in a time of one hour 12 minutes 24 seconds. Making her first appearance in this all-uphill race to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern United States, O'Brien beat 1984 Olympic gold medalist, Joan Samuelson, three-time Mt. Washington winner, Jacqueline Gareau and perennial contender Julie Peterson in the strongest women's field ever assembled for this event.

"It was fun!" said O'Brien shortly after walking through the finish chute. "The only uncomfortable part was the fog. I couldn't see where the finish line was."

It was an all New Hampshire day for winners, as Craig Fram of Plaistow, N.H. battled the elements to a finishing time of 1:04:48, winning the men's division of this storied race in his third attempt.

"The wind was worse than the hill!" was Fram's comment. "In the last two miles it was absolutely brutal."

For the first four miles, Eric Morse of Moretown, Vt., looked like the winner but the picture changed as the runners climbed above the tree line. "I knew Eric was fit", said Fram, "and I was kind of conceding that lead he had, but at three miles I noticed he wasn't widening the lead, and at four and a half I noticed it was closing fast." At 5 and a half miles Fram caught Morse and pulled ahead.

Drawing as much attention as the winners was Samuelson, who passed Peterson in the second mile of the race, kept her head down, and finished second in a time of 1:16:03. "This is the first time I've gone into a race saying I don't care about my time, I just want to finish," said Samuelson. Nevertheless, since she turned 40 last month, her time today becomes the new record for masters women, 13 seconds better than the old mark set be Gareau in 1994.

Like O'Brien, who ran on the U.S. Olympic marathon team in 1988 and 1992, Samuelson was taking her first look at the Mt. Washington Auto Road. "This hill doesn't quit!" she observed, noting how runners get no opportunity to rest at any point during the run.

The weather, as usual, did not help matters. Winds at the summit were 45 mph., gusting to 55. The official wind chill factor varied from 30 down to 5 degrees, but O'Brien, who ran in standard shorts and singlet, said she did not feel the cold during the run.

Peterson ran well as usual but had to be happy with third place. "Here I was, running along with these Olympians around me," she said, referring to O'Brien and Samuelson. Gareau, who previously had won this race all three times she entered, said later that she felt hampered by a cold and an iliotibial problem. She finished fourth in 1:22:32.

The men's masters race was impressive too. Brian Reinhold, 43, who lives in Sweden but formerly worked at the weather station on the Mt. Washington summit, won the over-40 division in 1:11:44, good for 12th place overall. He beat three former Mt. Washington winners – Keith Woodward, 46 of East Corinth, Vt. (1:13:55); Bob Hodge, 41, of Clinton, Ma. (1:14:08); and Gary Johnson, 46, of Irasburg, Vt. (1:14:34).

The cloud cover was such that the spectators atop the 6,288-foot peak could not see the runners until they were only a few steps away from the finish. Applause from spectators farther down the hill let the finish line officials know Fram was approaching the top, and in a moment he emerged from the fog like a shadow.

In the men's team competition, the Central Mass Striders (Fram, Morse, Daniel Verrington, Steve Peterson, Mike Casner) easily defended their perennial title with a combined five-man time of 5:38:52. Top women's team was the Boston Athletic Association (Peterson, Lucia Greenough, Deborah Sheedy). The Willimantic Athletic Club and Winners Circle won the men's and women's masters team titles.

For their victories, O'Brien and Fram won $750 apiece, plus another $100 apiece for being the first finishers from New Hampshire. Samuelson and Reinhold won $250 apiece for the masters prize. Samuelson won another $500 for setting a new masters record, and $500 more for second female overall.

A record number of runners finished - 181 women and 748 men.

Other cash prize winners include Eric Morse, Moretown, Vt., 2nd place $500, Thomas Borschel, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 3rd place $300, Daniel Verrington, Bradford, Ma 4th place $200, Thomas Murdoch III, Somerville, Ma. 5th place $100, Julie Peterson, Beverly, Ma. 3rd place $300, Jacqueline Gareau, St.Bruno, Quebec, $200 for fourth place and $150 for second masters, Kerry Arsenault, Guildford, Ct. 5th place $100, Carrie Parsi, Lexington, Ma. 3rd master $75.

By John Stifler Results

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