Inaugural half marathon field tops 600
RICHMOND, VA - Added events, more participants and bigger crowds marked the 2nd annual Ukrop's X-Country Festival presented by Schick held on October 1-2. With a new half marathon and 8k race added, participation in the open events increased by 50% over 2003. Combined with just under 1,000 high school and college participants, almost 2,500 runners participated.
Half marathoners raved about the 13.1-mile course that combined roads and trails and took them past and over the James River before finishing at Maymont. A total of 624 registered for the event, which was lauded for its unique course. "I thought the race was terrific. The course was varied with about an equal amount of road and trail running. The best part about the course is that it was so varied, you spend most of you time focusing on where you\'re going and what\'s coming next that time flies by. The atmosphere at the finish line was great with all of the other races going on. It was…one my favorite races that I\'ve run," said Richard Blair.
Fredericksburg's Tim Avery won the 13.1-mile event, the longest race he's ever run, in a time of 1:10:12. Jeanie Trent took the women's title, finishing 12th overall at 1:27:19.
The Sports Backers, organizers of the Ukrop's X-Country Festival at Maymont, were particularly pleased with the event, "The conditions were near perfect: great weather, beautiful course, festive atmosphere and tough competition," said Tracey Russell, race director for the Richmond Sports Backers.
The Ukrop's X-Country Festival provided an opportunity for runners that don't normally see each other participate in the same event. Separate heats were held by gender for High School teams, College Teams, elementary and middle school students and 5k and 8k distances were offered for open participants. The format allowed parents and their kids to each run and take turns cheering for each other. "My daughter Savannah ran in the elementary school girls division and absolutely loved it," said Beth Ann Norvelle. "She loved the t-shirt and the post-race food and crossing the same finish line as the older kids. Then she screamed for me when I ran my race."
The competition got underway on Friday afternoon when the University men competed in an 8k competition. The men's overall race was dominated by John Ciccarelli of the University of Richmond, who ran in a time of 24:50. After finishing second in the event last year, he easily beat Paul Hugus of McDaniel by 48 second. Ciccarelli and teammates Patrick Barkuff, Hunter Willis, Peter Norquist and Jonathan Molz took five of the top seven spots to lead Richmond to the top spot in the team competition.
The University women's race was also dominated by the University of Richmond. Sophomore Amanda Russell won in a time of 17:23 to lead a Spider sweep of the top seven spots. Teammates Nicole Kurtain, Kylee Schuler, Shelby Faircloth, Diana Morse, Nicole Erby and Diane Kenaston followed to lead Richmond easily past second place Southern Virginia.
Richmond's Men's Head Coach Steve Taylor said, \"Our men ran well on a tough course. Our men's and women's teams were determined to defend their team titles from last year and they both accomplished that goal."
Saturday's high school races drew over 40 schools from as far away as New York and Rhode Island. In the Boy's A Division High School race, Forest Park senior Bryce Iverson, the third place finisher in 2003, took first place honors in a time of 14:54, five seconds ahead of Andrew Jesien of Walter Johnson (Bethesda, Md). Patterson Wilhelm of E.C. Glass took third, followed by Colin McConnell of Bishop Hendricken and Herndon's Danny Gordon.
In the team standings, Bishop Hendricken of Warwick, RI won the boys A Varsity championship with a team score of 43 by placing their entire first five in the top 14. Bishop Hendricken also took the boys B Varsity race with a team score of 79 to barely edge Benedictine (81). Boys C Varsity winner was West Islip (N.Y.) with 44 points to beat out King George (55).
The top two spots in the girls A Varsity race went to Carmel (N.Y.) teammates Kristin Reese (17:25) and Lindsay Southard (17:51). They were followed by the Forest Park duo of Stefanie Slekis and Erin Caskey in third and fourth.
The performances of Slekis and Caskey helped lead the Forest Park girls to the team title over Carmel 111-128. In other events, North Carolina's Roanoke Rapids (64) edged the Massaponax girls (72) to take the B Varsity championship, and Tabb placed all five of their runners in the top 16 to easily beat the King George girls for the C Varsity championship.
Inaugural half marathon field tops 600
RICHMOND, VA - Added events, more participants and bigger crowds marked the 2nd annual Ukrop's X-Country Festival presented by Schick held on October 1-2. With a new half marathon and 8k race added, participation in the open events increased by 50% over 2003. Combined with just under 1,000 high school and college participants, almost 2,500 runners participated.
Half marathoners raved about the 13.1-mile course that combined roads and trails and took them past and over the James River before finishing at Maymont. A total of 624 registered for the event, which was lauded for its unique course. "I thought the race was terrific. The course was varied with about an equal amount of road and trail running. The best part about the course is that it was so varied, you spend most of you time focusing on where you\'re going and what\'s coming next that time flies by. The atmosphere at the finish line was great with all of the other races going on. It was…one my favorite races that I\'ve run," said Richard Blair.
Fredericksburg's Tim Avery won the 13.1-mile event, the longest race he's ever run, in a time of 1:10:12. Jeanie Trent took the women's title, finishing 12th overall at 1:27:19.
The Sports Backers, organizers of the Ukrop's X-Country Festival at Maymont, were particularly pleased with the event, "The conditions were near perfect: great weather, beautiful course, festive atmosphere and tough competition," said Tracey Russell, race director for the Richmond Sports Backers.