USATF NE mountain circuit race #1
Mt Kearsarge - Warner, NH  May 22, 2005

The Central MA Striders took the open team victory with a combined score of 8 points in the first race of the 10^th annual USATF New England Mountain running circuit.  The top three USATF finishing places for each team were added to arrive at a team score.  The Moose Milers & Marathoners were a close second with 30 points.  The North Medford Club took a narrow victory over the MM&M 41 to 48 points in the men's 40+ team scoring.  The MM&M were victorious in the 50+ team scoring, with 68 points to the Gate City Striders 129 points.   The MM& M also took the women's open title with 105 points.

Kevin Tilton (Conway NH) was the overall race winner, passing early leader Josh Ferenc (Westmoreland NH) just after the 7 mile mark.  Kevin's time ranks as the seventh fastest ever on the 8.5m 2,400 foot climb from Warner NH to the summit of Mt Kearsarge.  His time is only bettered by Eric Morse (four times) and Dave Dunham (twice).  Ferenc was close behind with the 10^th fastest time.  Paul Low (Amherst MA), the 2004 winner, and Richard Bolt (Nashua NH), both ducked under 55 minutes despite competing in the USATF NE 12K championships the day before (where they finished 3^rd and 6^th respectively).  Low, Bolt, and 5^th place finisher Greg Colburn (Arlington MA) all finished with times that rank in the top 25 all-time.

Suzy West (Putney VT) won the women's overall and was the top 40+, running the 14^th fastest open time and setting a new course record for the 40+ women.  She beat her own 2003 record by 28 seconds.  Runner-up Ann Rasmussen (Plymouth NH) also ran a top 25 open time and took 2^nd overall in the open and 40 plus.  Her time was the third fastest 40+, behind only West's times.

Andrew Bockus ran the 2^nd fastest junior (under age 20) time with a 1:16:46.  His time was a minute shy of the course record.  Katrina Howe ran the 2^nd fastest time for women under 20 taking the age group with a 1:21:54.

Randy MacNeil won the 40+ category in 59:52, running the 8^th fastest time.  Open course record holder Dave Dunham was the runner-up finishing with a top 25 40+ age group time.  In all seven 40+ runners ran times which ranked in the top 25.  The women's 40+ field was also strong as seven women ran top 25 times.

Robert Chasen won the 50+ age group, running the 4^th fastest time.  His 1:03:34 was also fast enough to rank in the top 25 for the 40+ category.  Seven runners ran top 25 times for the senior (50+) age category.  Pamela Hall took the women’s 50+ with the 3^rd fastest time.  Linda Eldridge took the 60+ with the 10^th fastest time.  Barbara Robinson continued her winning ways in with a victory in the 70+ age group.  Only her own 70+ course record bests her time of 1:35:54.  Her time also ranks as the 7^th fastest in the 60+ age group.

Chase Pray (Lewiston ME), John Pelton, and Peter Orni had a close race in the 60+ category with Pray taking the win by less than a minute.  His 1:18:14 ranks 10^th all time with Pelton 11^th in 1:19:11 and Orni’s 1:19:32 as the 13^th best time.  Seven other 60+ runners ran times, which ranked in the top 25.

Donald Dayton (Dartmouth NH) took the win in the 70+ age group with a new course record of 1:27:26, breaking Don Ross’s 1:28:11 from 2002.