The 2013 USATF-NE Mountain Circuit opened on Sunday at the Sleepy Hollow Race in Huntington VT with their largest field ever, 168 finishers. Leading the way in the event, which also served as the USATF-NE Mountain Championship, were Josh Ferenc (BAA) and Christin Doneski (Whirlaway), with the latter also taking Masters honors. Todd Callaghan (Gate City), in fifth, was Men's Masters Champ. Winning in the 50+ division were Ernest Brake (CMS, 10th overall) and Jackie Shakar (CSU), and in the 60+ division, John Martin (CCAC) and Elaine Dill (GSH). AcidoticRACING won both team titles.
Full Results and Photos by Scott Mason (to be posted shortly).
The 117th Boston Marathon, held on April 15, is recipient of USA Track & Field - New England's Athlete of the Month award for April 2013. This honor is being given to the B.A.A., to all who ran the marathon, to all who assisted with the race in any capacity, to all who participated as spectators, to the first responders and medical personnel in the finishing area, and especially to all who have suffered losses. It is the first time an event has been named as the recipient of the award.
James Joyce Ramble M70 team and individual winners, and Jan Holmquist.
Photo courtesy of Jan Holmquist
The 30th unabridged edition of the James Joyce Ramble hosted the 2013 USA Masters 10K on Sunday, and New England association clubs and runners were well represented at the top of the results. Kara Haas (Gr.Lowell/Chelmsford MA) was overall women's winner in 37:51, and Kent Lemme (Gr.Springfield/Pittsfield MA) ran 2nd overall among men at 33:08. Jan Holmquist (68, Liberty AC/Burlington MA) earned the top overall age graded performance in 46:06, with Norm Larson (57, GreenMtAA/Burlington VT) second male age-graded, 35:49.
Local clubs taking team wins included CMS (M40+), Whirlaway (M50+), NE 65+ (M70+), Greater Lowell RR (W40+), and Liberty AC (W60+).
The ideal weather and Dedham's Endicott Estate setting, the separate masters' "wave" start, and the efficient operation were well received by participants, and the race is looking to extend the championship agreement for up to 3 more years.
Results and Photos
In the results of the 2013 Boston Marathon, New England competitors ran to awards in several age division competitions. Sheri Piers (Dirigo RC, Falmouth ME) was second Female Master (and 20th overall) in 2:39:25, 1983 Boston Marathon winner Joan Samuelson (Freeport ME) was first W55 in 2:50:29, and Whirlaway RT's Reno Stirrat (Quincy MA) was second M55 in 2:47:17.
New England clubs won both Open team titles. Men Open was won by the B.A.A. (Tim Ritchie, Ryan McCalmon, Ian Nurse) and Women's Open by Dirigo RC (Sheri Piers, Erica Jesseman, Mary Pardi).
Top finishers from the New England states:
MA: 25.Tim Ritchie (Boston/BAA) 2:21:31; 21.Hilary Dionne (Boston/BAA) 2:39:34
NH: 46.Brandon Newbould (Nottingham/Whirlaway) 2:25:45; 69.Alexandra Varanka (Amherst/NBB) 2:54:35
RI: 181.Jason Reilly, Cumberland, 2:37:27; 99.Karolyn Bowley (Middletown) 2:57:41
VT: 233.Todd Smith (Bristol/GMAA) 2:39:00; 176.Meghan Lout (Bristol/GMAA) 3:02:42
ME: 32.Robert Gomez (Saco/Dirigo) 2:22:53; 20.Sheri Piers (Falmouth/Dirigo) 2:39:25
CT: 59.Joseph Darda, Willamantic, 2:28:03; 84.Laura Brustolon (Mystic/BAA)
Wheelchair: 30.Jason Fowler, Belmont MA, 1:57:01
More results at baa.org. Publication of further results beyond the 17580 official finishers will be addressed by the BAA in the near future.
Like nearly everyone touched by the bombings at the finish of the Boston Marathon we are shocked, angered, and sad. We are shocked because we are the governing body of sport, recreation, and essentially, play. People compete in the marathon and follow the race as something aside from the horrors of the world, but are now part of those enormities. We are angry because people have been hurt and murdered for reasons that cannot possibly justify the crimes, and we are sad because of the pain and loss in our community. Most officers and employees of USATF-NE were at the marathon. Some worked as volunteers at the finish line so were quite close to the explosions. Others were racing or watching. We are relieved that none were hurt. At USATF we have held safety in the utmost importance in conducting events when we issue sanctions. As we wish the best recovery to those injured and their families we will spend the coming months thinking hard about how to make our sports the safe and joyous events they are intended to be.
Tom Derderian, president USATF-NE
Any official announcements from the Boston Athletic Association on any aspects of Monday's events will appear on their Facebook page, TheBostonMarathon.
The support organization for donations organized and supported by the city of Boston, Mayor Menino, the Governor, and John Hancock is onefundboston.org.
Middle School race winner Gabrielle Vandendries (Brookline) and second placer Jasmine Tiamfook (Wellesley) are also members of Waltham TC.
(Photo: Steve Vaitones)
Sunday's "warmup events" for the 117th B.A.A. Boston Marathon included both participation numbers and fast times. In the B.A.A. 5K the men's race came down to a sprint finish for the third straight year. Ethiopian Olympic silver medalist Dejen Gebremeskel became the first non-US winner in the 5 year history in an event record time of 13:37. The reigning BAA Distance Medley women's champ, New Zealand's Kim Smith out of Providence RI, took her first step toward a repeat with a 16:14 win in the women's division; training partner Molly Huddle took third in 15:28. Over 5300 runners took part in the run.
In the B.A.A. Miles, the pro races over the three lap route were won by 2008 Olympic silver medalist at 1500m Nick Willis (New Zealand, 4:03.3) and Brenda Martinez (California, 4:51.4). The scholastic races featured 2 runners from each town along the marathon route. High school mile victors were Melissa Lodge (Hopkinton) and Gabe Montague (Newton), and middle school kilometer champs were Gabrielle Vandendries (Brookline) and John Lara (Boston). Lots of stories and pictures at baa.org.
A javelin clinic with former world record holder Tom Petranoff will be held on Tuesday, April 16 from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m. (Mass. school vacation week) at Faxon Field in Quincy MA (146 Coddington St, Quincy MA 02169). Hosted by USATF-NE with the support of the Quincy Track Club, the clinic is for high school age throwers and up of all abilities. The focus will be on basic training skills and technique development.
The fee is $10 per individual, with coaches free if they bring at least one athlete. The info / participant form is available here.
The BAA at 125 - Historical volume now available.
The Boston Athletic Association enjoyed 125 years of sport with a celebration in December of 2012, and now an official history of the organization is available, just in time for the 117th running of the Boston Marathon on Monday.
"The BAA at 125" by John Hanc covers the background behind the club's founding in 1887, its growth, and the development of one of America's oldest athletic organizations through facts, stories, and photographs in an attractive format. There are several book signings scheduled over Marathon Weekend.
A review of the book can be found at RunBlogRun.com
Several quality performances were turned in by New England athletes at USA National Road Race Championships last weekend. At the USA Women's 10 Mile Championship with the Cherry Blossom Festival 10 Mile in Washington DC, Katie DiCamillo (New Balance Boston) and Heather Cappello (BAA) placed 6-7 in the championship (13-14 overall) in times of 55:19 and 55:31. Overall winner Caroline Rotich of Kenya ran 52:46 and US Champion, former Tufts 10K winner Janet Bawcom, recorded a US Record for 10 miles for a women's only race in the in the all-women's elite competition with her time of 53:28.
At the US Men's Club Team National 8K run at the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago, the Greater Boston TC men placed 16th of 25 clubs. Led by Brennan Bonner's 24:52 time, GBTC averaged 25:15 per runner; also scoring in the 4 runner total were Ryan Irwin (25:20), Brian McNamara (25:23) and Chris Kibler (25:25). Hansons-Brooks was overall winner, averaging 23:27 per finisher.
USA Track & Field selected USATF-New England Officials certification chair Laurie Boemker (Cranston RI, RI TF Officials Guild) to represent the USA at the Women in World Athletics Seminar hosted by British Athletics in Birmingham, Great Britain, April 12-15. The program, staged in collaboration with UK Sport, European Athletics, and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), is part of the British Athletics Officials Conference, and is a unique, interesting, and demanding program designed to develop more women for officials and leadership positions in the sport.
Boemker is a National Technical Official and Master Referee, having served in those capacities at last summer's US Olympic Trials, and at this winter's USA Open and USA Masters indoor Championship meets. She also serves on the USATF Officials Championship Selection Committee.
On a grant from USATF-NE, the Greater Boston Track Club men's team will be traveling to Chicago, IL this weekend for the first ever USATF national club team 8 km championship to represent the association. The team members are Brennan Bonner, Brian McMamara, Matt Haringa, Ryan Irwin, and Chris Kibler. The championship has a 28 minute 8km qualifying time. Twenty-six teams are entered. GBTC is the only team from New England and is traveling on a USATF-NE grant awarding them $150 each and will receive lodging from the meet and additional support from their club. Team prize money ranges from $3,000 for first to $1,000 for fifth. The championship is part of the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8k taking place on Sunday April 7th in Grant Park, IL. The Hanson's Brooks project won last year's team race and have two teams entered this year.
From the list of teams entered, the Greater Boston team is coming from the greatest distance. No teams appear to be from the south or the west coast. USATF-NE president Tom Derderian says, "We are pleased to support this first-ever national team championships by sending our association team. GBTC is in second place in the NE road race Grand Prix. It is our hope that by doing so we are helping the establishment of a championship that will grow and endure as has the cross-country club championships." The NE team leading the Grand Prix, Western Mass Distance Project, won a travel grant for last year's cross-country." The grant recipients are limited to once every two years. The grant program is described here: NE Grant program
Race link
Ben True of Hanover, New Hampshire, is USA Track & Field - New England's Athlete of the Month for March 2013. On March 10, Ben won the USA 15K Road Championships in the Jacksonville (FL) River Run, running 43:38 for his 4th career USA Road Championship win. On March 24 at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, True's 6th place finish led the American team to the silver medal behind Ethiopia. This was the highest U.S. men's team placing at this event since 1984, and highest U.S. individual placing since 1995.
True, who represents Saucony, also earned recognition as USA Track & Field's National Athlete of the Week. He was also New England Athlete of the Month for September 2012. See the full list of USATF-NE Athletes of the Month.
The 2013 USATF-NE Mountain Circuit has a change in the schedule. The June 2 Pack Monadnock Race is being replaced due to an inability to get use of Miller State Park for the race. Paul Kirsch, USATF-NE Mountain/Ultra/Trail Chair, has worked with the Bretton Woods Fells Race, which will move to the same date, June 2 - an important decision in selecting Bretton Woods. Fells running is a different twist on mountain racing - runners are given several option to cover the distance between start and finish; the race will be about 5 miles. Details on the course are still being finalized and will be posted on the association website when available.
The BAA at 125 - Historical volume now available.
The Boston Athletic Association enjoyed 125 years of sport with a celebration in December of 2012, and now an official history of the organization is available starting this month. "The BAA at 125" by John Hanc covers the background behind the club's founding in 1887, its growth, and the development of one of America's oldest athletic organizations through facts, stories, and photographs in an attractive format.
A book launch event will take place on April 10 at Hopkinton High School; it's open to the public but reservations are required - baa125.eventbrite.com - and there are several book signings scheduled over Marathon Weekend.
A review of the book can be found at RunBlogRun.com
Local masters athletes earned records, wins, and medals at the USA Masters National Indoor Track and Field Championships held in Landover, Maryland, over the weekend.
Leading the local medalists were two triple winners; Sarah Lawson (GBTC/Waltham MA) won the W50 60, 200, and 400, with Bill Spencer (NE 65+ RC/Litchfield NH) mining gold in he M75 800, mile, and 3000. Double golds were earned by Bob Cedrone (Twilight Throwers/Stoughton MA) in the M55 weight and super weight, and Dennis Melanson (Mass Velocity/Westwood MA) in the M80 60 and 200. Carl Wallin (Thor's Stone/Hanover NH) won the M70 shot put and spun 2 silvers (weight (behind a world record)/super weight). Other individual winners included Katrina Geurkink (W50, Thor's Stone, Weight), Susan Loyd (Mass Velocity, W55, 400), and Mary Roman (W75, Mass Velocity, weight), along with Joseph Benoit (Twilight Throwers, M50, super weight), James Tylock (M50, Patriot PV, pole vault), and Edgar Holmes (Thor's Stone, 75, weight).
Improving his own performance set at the NE Masters meet in January, Antonio Palazzo set the American record M85 in winning the superweight throw (6.14m/20'1").
A record 1,044 entrants ages 30-95+ from 14 countries and 47 states were entered in the championships. More information on the USA Masters Indoor Championships along with complete results can be found at usatf.org. The USA Masters Indoor meet returns to Boston in March of 2014.
Team USA men ran to their highest place at the World Cross Country Championship since 1984, earning silver medals at the IAAF World event on a wintery course in Bydgoszcz, Poland on Sunday. Leading the charge was Ben True (Hanover NH / Saucony), who placed sixth over the tight six lap circuit that totaled 12 kilometers.
True's placing was the best US finish since 1995 when Todd Williams placed ninth; True is coached by Dartmouth distance mentor Mark Coogan, himself a World XC veteran. Ethiopia won the team gold, and Kenya's Japhet Kipyegon was individual winner.
Capping a successful trip for the USA, the senior women and junior men both placed fourth and the junior women sixth. The Junior men's race had local connections with winner Hagos Gebrihwet (Ethiopia) having won the 3000 at February's New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston, and the top US finisher being Maine HS alum Matt McClintock. Check out an interview with Ben True at RunBlogRun.
Kevin Johnson (Western Mass Distance Project) won the 2013 New Bedford Half-Marathon.
Kevin Johnson (Western Mass Distance Project) and Stephanie Reilly (Team RUN) both made it two wins in two tries in 2013 USATF-NE Grand Prix race with strong wins at the New Bedford 1/2 Marathon on Sunday. Neither had problems in the cool and slightly breezy conditions in the Whaling City, where a record 3135 completed the course.
Reilly's winning time ensured a women's team win by RUN by 55 seconds over the BAA, and Johnson's margin up front, defeating defending champ Matt Pelletier, gave WMDP enough time to hold off the BAA by 2 minutes. The Unicorn squad did score a victory in the men's M40+ division over Whirlaway, who in turn was top team in M50+, W40+, and W50+. Cambridge Sports Union (M60+) took the final team title.
Top 40+ finishers were Sheri Piers (Dirigo) and Chris Magill (BAA, 2nd overall), 50+ were led by Pete Bottomley (Dirigo) and Maria Servin (Whirlaway), 60+ by Linda Jennings (GTD) and Rich Larsen (Sugarloaf), and M70+ by Harry Carter (BAA).
This was the 36th edition of the race, hosted by the Friendly Sons of St.Patrick on their namesake's day. Full story and results at the newbedfordhalfmarathon.com. The GP series breaks until Thursday, June 13, when the Hollis (NH) Fast 5K hosts the series' third event. GP scoring / standings will be updated on Tuesday.
Adam Petti (Sentinel Striders/Raynham MA) and Ben Bosworth (Gr.Boston TC/Boston) won their respective age divisions in the 1500 meters at the USA National Youth Indoor Championships held in Landover Maryland. Petti ran 4:33.35 to win the 15-16 division, and Bosworth won the 17-18 division with a time of 4:16.40. Petti was a double winner, also bringing home a gold in the 3000 meter in 9:38.52. The only other top 3 finish by a New England athlete was a silver by Olivia Thorsgaard (Cambridge Jets/Waban MA) in the 13-14 triple jump - 29'1 1/4".
Ben True (Hanover NH / Saucony) won his fouth career USA Road Championship on Sunday at the Jacksonville (FL) River Run 15K on Sunday. True's time was 43:38, and the top 5 were witin 8 seconds of each other. Tim Ritchie (BAA/Boston) placed sixth in a personal best 44:01, and New England product Sean Quigley, now in Boulder CO, was fourth, also in a PB.
Top New Englander among women was Katie DiCamillo (New Balance Boston/Providence) in 50:40 (PB). BAA's Heather Cappello was 13th and Sheri Piers (Dirigo/Falmouth ME) was 22nd and first master.
Full story and results at the USA Running Circuit site.
Dartmouth junior Abbey D'Agostino (Topsfield MA) won two titles, and Terrence Gibson (Rockland MA/Worcester State) and Chris Stadler (Belmont MA/Haverford) each won a won gold at NCAA Division Indoor Championship meets over the weekend.
At the Division I meet in Arkansas, D'Agostino took the lead with a mile to go and ran to the win in the 5000 meter run in 15:28.11, and returned on Saturday for a win in the 3000. Other local placers in the Division I meet were Katie Matthews (BU, 5000, 5th 15:42.27); Martina Salander (Harvard, Pentathlon, 5th, 4209); Katrina Coogan (Georgetown/Exeter NH) 7th, 3000, 9:11.79 and Distance Medley (anchor), 6th; and Nathan Pierre-Louis (Indiana/Waltham MA), Distance Medley (400m leg), 4th).
In the Division III held in Illinois, Gibson, a Worcester State sophomore, ran his season best at the right time in winning the 60 meter hurdles in 8.04 for the school's first male national champion. A junior at Haverford in Pennsylvania, Stadler led the pack in the 5000 meters with a 14:27.74 clocking, just 4 seconds off his personal best. Silver medalists included Lauren Kuntz (MIT, Pole Vault), Targie Gervais (Westfield St, 60), Ashanta Little (Wheaton, 400), Ryan Wedzgowski (Keene St, mile), and Tufts University (men's distance medley) Earning bronze medals were Addie Tousley (Middlebury, 5000), Tanasia Hoffler (Williams LJ), and Middlebury (women's distance medley). From neighboring Lewiston ME, Bates College senior David Pless won the shot put (60'3") and was 2nd in the weight throw to become a 7 time indoor all-American.
At the Division II nationals in Alabama, there were 11 All-American finishes by New Englanders, the highest being a pair of thirds by Corey Thomas (Stonehill) in the high jump at 6'11 3/4" (also 8th in hurdles) and Starr Nathan (AIC) in the long jump, 19'8 3/4". Other medalists: Michael Biwott, AIC, 5th, 5000; Nick Staley, Stonehill, 5th, high jump; Glarius Rop, AIC, 6th, 5000; Antoinette Toussaint, UMass Lowell, 7th, Pentathlon; Elisabeth Monty, UML, 8th, Hurdles. Also, relay placers were AIC 4th-men's distance medley, and UMass Lowell, 4th-women's 4x400, 5th-men's 4x400, and 5th-men's distance medley.
D'Agostino and Stadler are both alumni of USATF-NE member club Emerging Elite. All championship results can be found at tfrrs.com.
USA Track & Field has awarded the hosting of the USA Masters 10K Road Race Championship event to the James Joyce Ramble. The event will be part of the 30th annual running of the Ramble on Sunday, April 28, in Dedham MA.
Several issues led to USATF Masters being without a 10K on the schedule, and a bid was submitted. The Ramble's reputation for holding a quality event, having quality fields, and having hosted New England championships led to a unanimous approval of the USATF Masters Long Distance Running committee. It took several weeks of fine tuning the agreement and contract.
There will be a separate online entry process for the championship division of the race. Entry will require USATF membership. $10,000 in masters only prize money will be awarded. A detailed summary of the championship, along with the entry link, will be up at both jjramble.org and usatfne.org by March 12.
We hope all New England clubs with Masters road running components will field teams, as success this year could lead to a multi-year agreement between USATF Masters and the race.
Community College of Rhode Island distance runner Robert Allen defended two national titles at the National Junior College Indoor Track & Field Championships last weekend. The Cranston Rhode Island native won both the mile (4:15.40) and the 3000 meter (8:32.75) in the meet held at Texas Tech, giving him six national JC titles in his career.
Two other CCRI athletes also competed in the championship; Steven Vazquez (Central Falls RI), 12th, high jump, and Dan Duquette (N.Attleboro MA), 21st, 800.
Read the full story at CCRI Athletics.
USA Track & Field - New England Athlete of the Month for February 2013 is Boston University senior Allison Barwise. At the New England Intercollegiate Indoor Track & Field Championships held at Boston University on February 22-23, Allison won the pentathlon with 3976 points, breaking a 23 year old championship meet record. Within the pentathlon, she high jumped over 1.84m / 6'0.5" which ranked 9th in the US for the season as of the end of the month. On February 17th, she jumped 1.78m to win the high jump at the USATF-New England Championships held at Harvard, and on February 2, she was fourth in the New Balance Grand Prix.
See the full list of USATF-NE Athletes of the Month at USATF-NE awards page.
Joe Hagan was approved as the new men's LDR chair for USATF-NE to fill a vacancy through September's elections. Joe lives in Reading MA, and is a member of the BAA.
USA Nationals in New Mexico had several New England representatives in the results. Mary Saxer (NYAC/Boston MA), who trains at MIT, placed third in the pole vault, clearing 15'1". Running at mile high altitude put distance runners at a disadvantage, but Joanna Murphy (New Balance Boston) placed a solid 7th in 9:46.74. NBB teammate Jennifer Hegarty was fourth in the masters invitational 3000 in 11:48.11. Bp.Hendricken RI HS alum Jake Freeman won the men's weight at 77' 1-3/4".
Full results at www.usatf.org.
The Needham TC Northeast Youth Indoor Classic, originally postponed from February 10, is now cancelled. A scheduling issue at Boston University is forcing the cancellation, as there are no other facility options. Full information, including refund policy, is at the club website, www.needhamtrack.org The meet will return to the schedule in 2014.
Stephanie Reilly (TEAM RUN) won the 39th Annual Jones Group Realtors 10 Mile Road Race in Amherst, MA.
Kevin Johnson (Western Mass Distance Project) and Stephanie Reilly (Team RUN) were first across the finish in the Jones 10 Miler as the 2013 USATF-NE Grand Prix series. The significant changes from predictions even 4 days out made for a decent race day, as a period of wet snow flakes during the race didn't make the course unrunnable. Most travels out to Amherst were without incident, though some areas of the association did have rough weather that prevented travels.
Johnson, a repeat victor, led a string of 5 WMDP pale blue in the top 11 to secure the team victory over GBTC, while Reilly's win, by close to 4 minutes, gave RUN the needed margin for the team title over Whirlaway. Other team winners went to Whirlaway men's 40+, 50+, and women's 40+, Gate City Striders men 60+, and Cambridge Sports Union women's 50+.
The first lists of GP scoring will be posted on Wednesday.
Next up is the New Bedford Half Marathon on Sunday, March 17. Entry is closinig on March 1; see the race website, www.newbedfordhalfmarathon.com.
University of Connecticut swept the men's and women's team titles at the 45th annual New England Intercollegiate Indoor Track & Field Championships at Boston University. The Husky men scored 164.5 points to easily top Rhode Island (97.5) and Northeastern (74), while their women totaled 149.33 points,ahead of Providence (54) and Holy Cross (51.33).
Five women's and two men's individual records were broken; Ada Udaya (New Haven) in the 60 meters at 7.48, Madalayne Smith (UConn) in the 60 hurdles at 8.47, and Ana Groff (UConn) at 1:12.96 in the 500 on the track, with Victoria Flowers (UConn) spinning 69'6.25" to add 9" to her own record in the weight. Allison Barwise (Boston U) won the pentathlon with 3976 points to erase a 23 year old best. On the men's ledger, Cory Duggan (UConn) pushed the pole vault mark up to 17'3", and Trent Baltzell improved the heptathlon mark to 5227 points.
Three relay records turned over this year. The Providence women's distance medley ran 11:30.75 to better Middlebury's year old mark, Connecticut women broke their own 6 year old record in the 4 x 400 at 3:42.41, hile Boston University men broke a venerable 33 year old standard in the 4 x 400 meter relay, clocking 3:09.45 which bettered the 3:10.70 set by a BU squad in 1980. The 2013 time is the second fastest ever run by a New England college team indoors.
The "New Englands" always has a high level of spirit and competition as the season closer for many teams. Full results and history at www.neicaaa.org.
Gabriel Arcaro and Elizabeth Tevnan were winners at the third annual Mass. Scholastic Weight Throw hosted by USATF-NE with the sponsorship of Twilight Throwers. Arcaro (Burlington) threw 58'1.25", the longest throw in meet history. Tevnan (NDA Hingham) won the girls throw in 39'3.75" after placing third in 2012. Nine schools were represented this year, the largest number ever. The meet follows several clinics and competitions this season as part of a grant to develop the event. A similar program with the hammer will take place this spring.
Results at usatfne.org/track.
USATF-NE Youth 200 meter event.
(FinishLynx photo)
The annual youth meet at the Reggie grew by a large number with over 220 entrants competing on Wednesday. Full results can be found at usatfne.org/track/.
Four New England cross country runners had successful races in Ireland as part of the annual exchange with the Ras na hEireann. Mary Kate Champagne (New Balance Boston), Eric Ashe (BAA), and Sam Alexander (BAA) earned trips through their finish in the 2012 USATF New England Cross Country championships, while Joan Bohlke won the 2012 Tour de Patrick series last spring.
The crew shook off jet lag in the Armagh Road Race on February 14, a day after landing on the Emerald Isle. The multi-lap event through the city (3K women, 5K men) had Ashe and Alexander at 10th (14:21) and 17th (14:32) in a race that found the top18 within 25 seconds, with Champagne and Bohlke 5th and 17th (in a race won by Providence College alum Mary Cullen).
On Sunday at the Ras na hEireann International Cross race at the historic Battle of the Boyne site, Champagne and Bohlke took gold and bronze in the women's race, with Ashe and Alexander third and fourth in the men's field
The exchange has been coordinated with Rhode Island's Charlie Breagy, director of the CVS/Downtown 5K and other major Rhode Island races; Charlie grew up representing Dunleer AC and is still a member of that club which hosts the Ras. More details on both races at rasnaheireann.com.
Greater Boston TC men and New Balance Boston women were team champions at Sunday's USATF NE Track & Field Indoor Championship held at Harvard on Sunday. The overwhelming majority of the 650+ entrants made it through the snowstorm to take advantage of the quality facility.
There were two performances that bettered the USA National Meet qualifying standards; sprinter Shelby Walton (unattached, Boston) won the 60 meters in 7.62, and Joanna Murphy (New Balance Boston) raced most of the 3000 by herself to close in 9:18.57. Murphy was the sole competitor to earn the available travel bonus to USA Nationals in 2 weeks.
The meet also closed the indoor season Grand Prix competition, with middle distance runners Caitlin Malloy (New Balance Boston) and David Chorney (BAA) taking those prizes. At the meet, Chorney anchored the winning Distance Medley Relay.
The full results, pending updates and corrections, are found at usatfne.org/track/.
With the major storm bearing down on New England this weekend, two large local track and field meets have been cancelled. The two day Boston University Valentine Invitational, a major national event set for Friday and Saturday February 8-9 is cancelled with no make-up date.
The Needham Track Club Youth Meet set for Sunday, February 10, is also cancelled. The club is looking at alternative dates later in the season. The USATF NE website will announce any changes. Also see needhamtrack.org.
The MIT Coed Invitational Meet II, originally scheduled for Saturday, February 9 has been cancelled.
The Tufts meet has been postponed to Sunday.
The Reggie Lewis Center is closed Friday and Saturday.
USA Track & Field - New England Athlete of the Month for January 2013 is Erik Nedeau (New Balance Boston / Belchertown MA). The Amherst College head coach teamed up with Chris Simpson, Scott Weeks, and Mark Gomes (all age 40+) to set a new world masters indoor record in the 4 x 800 meter relay; his anchor leg of 1:58.4 brought the team home in 7:58.12. "Ned" also won the Masters Mile at the Greater Boston TC Invitational on January 20 in 4:21.16, and on Feburary 2, was second in the New Balance Grand Prix masters mile.
See the full list of USATF-NE Athletes of the Month at USATF-NE awards page.
Saturday's New Balance Grand Prix event sold out earlier than any of its 18 years, and fans were treated to a show worthy of a sell out. Part of the 2013 USA Indoor Championship Series and an IAAF international permit meet, a mix of local, national and world stars posted quality marks in the 2 1/2 hours. Olympic 10,000 silver medalist Galen Rupp of Oregon ran the second fastest US time ever at 3000 meters, 7:33.67, chasing a World Junior Record performance by Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH) in 7:32.87, Olympic gold medalist Jenn Suhr of New York cleared the season's best height in the world in the pole vault at 15' 7 1/4" with two attempts following at the world record, and scholastic phenom Mary Cain of New York ran turned in a new HS record for 2 miles, 9:38.68, good for third overall running with the "big girls". Many other international competitors fill the overall results.
The two scholastic regional challenge relays pitting teams from the New York and Boston areas, were full of lead changes, and even the "warm-up" events that opened the meet got the crowd excited; the Cambridge Jets won their fifth straight youth 4x200 in a come from behind charge on the anchor leg, and the masters mile, won by 45 year old Brad Barton of Utah, had Amherst College coach Erik Nedeau (New Balance Boston) just a second behind in 4:25.82.
Check the results and photos at short interview at newbalanceindoorgrandprix.com.
As the indoor season hits its stride, the Running Network asked USATF CEO Max Siegel seven questions about the current season, the year just finished, and activities that USATF is taking on at the national level. Check the short interview with him at RunBlogRun.com.
Antonio Palazzo set a US record in the weight; nephew Bob, meet facility director, also competed in the meet.
(SV photo)
Three pending US masters age group records were set at Sunday's East Region / New England Masters Masters Indoor Championship held at the Providence Career and Technical Academy facility.
The individual record setter was Antonio Palazzo (Twilight Throwers / North Providence RI) in the superweight throw. The 85 year old bettered the existing mark in the 25 lb weight four times in the competition, with his best of 6.68 meters / 21'11" to be submitted for record consideration.
Two relays clocked record times. The men's 4x800 relay 35+, with two runners returning from a record run in New York City on Friday, broke a 9 year old standard set at the 2004 Nationals in Boston. Chris Simpson (Eliot TC), David Cahill (GBTC), Mark Gomes (Miami FL), and Greg Hammett (CMS) teamed to move the baton around in 8:09.65. Simpson and Gomes doubled back from legs on Friday's M40 relay foursome.
To conclude the meet, the women's 2x200 foursome of Sarah Lawson, Diane Pomeroy, Beth Clark, and Latrica Dendy bettered the existing W40+ time for the event by 3 seconds in 1:53.74.
Team scoring had Mass Velocity and Twilight Throwers finishing 1-2 with 24 clubs scoring points. Complete results are found at usatfne.org/track.
Mary Kate Champagne took second place at the NCAC XC Championships in Jamica.
(Photo: Mike Scott)
Mary Kate Champagne (New Balance Boston / Providence RI) led Team USA to a second place finish at the North American/Central American/Caribbean (NACAC) Cross Country Championships in Jamaica on Saturday. Selected based on her finish in the USA Fall Cross Country Championship, she responded by turning in the top US performance, and fourth overall - under a second out of the bronze medal. She'll be competing at the Ras na hEireann international cross race in Ireland with several other New England runners on February 17.
NACAC results at RunningEventsJa.com.
Olympic silver medalist in the 10,000 meters, Galen Rupp of Oregon, ran the fifth fastest indoor mile ever recorded at the Boston University Terrier Classic on Saturday. With a bit of early help from pacesetters, Rupp broke the beam in 3:50.92, over six seconds ahead of Providence College alum David McCarthy (3:57.22), putting him #2 on the US list behind Bernard Lagat's 3:49.89. Five runners in the feature race, plus the winner of the second section, broke the 4:00 barrier, including Northeastern University's Erik Jenkins in fourth (3:58.11). Full meet results at lancertiming.com.
Two New England masters middle distance runners teamed with a native New Englander and a New Yorker to better the world masters 40+ 4 x 800 meter relay at the Armory Track Facility in New York City on Saturday. Eliot TC's Chris Simpson (Somerville MA) and Amherst College coach Erik Nedeau (New Balance Boston / Belchertown MA) passed the stick with Stoughton MA HS and Northeastern U alum Mark Gomes (Miami FL) and regular visitor to the area Scott Weeks (Syracuse Chargers/Cortland NY) in passing the baton around the 3200 meters in 7:58.11, bettering the listed M40 world mark by 9 seconds. A short video and interview can be found at masterstrack.com.
Two time Olympic medalist in the high jump, John Thomas, passed away on January 15 in Brockton at age 71. The first man to clear 7 feet in the high jump indoors - accomplishing this at the 1959 Millrose Games while a Boston University freshman - Thomas went on to clear that barrier over 190 times during his career, including a career best of 7'3 1/2" and three outdoor World Records (including once at the New England collegiate championships held at M.I.T.)
His career coincided with the height of the "Cold War" in the early 1960's, and his two Olympic appearances were hyped as battles against another world record holder, Valery Brumel of the USSR. Thomas won a bronze medal as a teenager in 1960 in Rome, and a silver medal in 1964 in Tokyo where he tied the winning height but Brumel had fewer misses. Overall, he was a nine time USA champion.
The Cambridge MA native and long time Brockton resident, who also competed for the B.A.A. and was part of their recent 125th anniversary celebration, was inducted into the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1985. Among his positions during his professional career, "JT" coached at Governors Academey and Boston University, and served as athletic director at Roxbury Community College.
Ruben Sanca and Lindsay Willard accept their Athlete of the Year awards.
Photos by Joe Navas
USATF New England award winners for 2012 were recognized at the second annual Awards Banquet held in Stoneham MA on Saturday evening. Attended by 145 members, the evening included a buffet dinner, program, and awards.
Athletes of the Year, selected by an online vote, were Ruben Sanca (Whirlaway) for the men, and Lindsay Willard (BAA) and Abbey D'Agostino (Dartmouth) sharing the women's award. Club of the Year was also a tie vote, shared by Western Mass. Distance Project and the Whirlaway Racing Team.
Division winners in the various event Series received an embroidered blue vest with a "2012 Series Winner" designation. Every Association championship event and every event winner were listed in a program that included photos of Athlete of the Year nominees and a color montage of association events from 2012.
Ruben Sanca, New England champion in cross country and at 10K on the roads who competed in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games at 5000 metes for his native Cape Verde, was also the featured speaker for the evening with a presentation and slide/photo display on his experiences getting to and competing in the London Olympics.
Suggestions for next year are welcome as planning and promotion for next year's event will start shortly.
Long time runner and race walker John Gray passed away on January 10 at the age of 88. A member of the North Medford Club, John competed in the Boston Marathon 34 times with 6 top-35 place finishes. He finished 11th in the 1964 Olympic Trials marathon held in Yonkers NY. He was also an avid race walker, earning many New England championship and national age group medals and writing a book, "Racewalking for Fun and Fitness". A schoolteacher and coach in Massachusetts through much of his life, John closed his career on Cape Cod working as the sports editor of the Cape Codder in Orleans for twelve years.
USA Track & Field - New England Athletes of the Month for December 2012 is Mary Kate Champagne (New Balance Boston/Providence RI). At the USA Cross Country Championship on December 8, she was the first New England runner, placing 14th and leading her New Balance Boston team to third place overall. Champagne won the New England championship on November 18, and was first New England athlete this fall at both the USA 5K and 10K Road Championships.
See the full list of 2012 Athletes of the Month at USATF-NE awards page.
Renew your USATF Membership Card today!
USATF membership is annual and runs through December 31. Unless you obtained your membership after November 1, or have a multi-year membership, it's time to renew.
The membership remains at $30 for those over 18, and $20 for youth age 18 and under. Current membership provides the opportunity to participate and score in USATF events and series throughout the year, offers discounts at the USATF online store, with over 20 companies, and in some New England events, provides a level of sport accident insurance, and supports our many programs including the expanding coaching eduction program
You can download a form to mail in with a check or you can renew online at this site.
There will be two Introduction to the Weight Throw for scholastic throwers held at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston on the next two Mondays, December 24 and 31, at 11:00 a.m. While not a high school event in any state except Rhode Island, the weight throw - 20 pounds for girls, 25 pounds for boys - is a traditional indoor event. These clinics will start with the very basics of the event, and are the first of several clinics leading to the 3rd annual Massachusetts Scholastic Invitational Weight Throw on Wednesday, February 20, at the Reggie Lewis Center. The clinics are free, and hosted by USATF New England with the support of the Twilight Throwers.
Info Flyer
Waltham Track Club and Caroline Fischer ran to the highest finishes at the USATF Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in Albuquerque New Mexico last weekend. The altitude of over 7000' affected some performances of those particiapants from sea-level locations; over 2300 competitors from around the country took part in the event at the city's Balloon Festival Park.
The Waltham girls placed second in the Midget (11-12) division. The team was led by Michaela Jones fifth overall in the day's largest race, 263 finishers. Fischer, running for Granite State Flash, was runner-up in the Bantam (9-10) girls race by just 1/10 second, moving up a place from her 2011 appearance.
Also on the team medal podium was Nashua PAL, taking bronze medals in the boys Sub-Bantam (age 7-8) competition with top finisher Nicholas Dahl placing 18th. Two other top ten individual placings were earned, both in the Youth (13-14) Division; David Principe, Sentinel Striders, 4th in Youth Boys, and Madeline Hunt of Granite State, 8th in Youth Girls.
New England Club placings and the top individual in each race:
Sub Bantam Girls: 19.Julia Valakatgis, Bradford Huskies; >br /> Bantam Girls: 2.Caroline Fischer, Granite State Flash; 5.Granite State Flash 136 (15 teams);
Midget Girls: 5.Michaela Jones, Waltham TC; Team RUN; 2.Waltham TC 119; 11.Granite State Flash 276; 20.Gr.Lowell RR 505 (23 teams);
Youth Girls: 8.Madeline Hunt, Granite State; 5.Granite State Flash 149; 15.NC Surge, 367 (18 teams);
Intermediate Girls: 28.Stephanie Mattson, Sentinels; 6.Sentinel Striders 127 (8 teams);
Young Women: 15.Maeve Westover
Sub Bantam Boys: 3.Nashua PAL; 18.Nicholas Dahl, Nashua PAL; Bantam Boys: 19.Ashton Burnett, Sentinel Striders; 5.Granite State Flash 154; 6.Nashua PAL 155 (12 teams);
Midget Boys: 16.Samuel Toolin, Sentinels; 11.Sentinel Striders 289; 13.Nashua PAL 341 (23 teams);
Youth Boys: 4.David Principe, Sentinels; 9.Nashua PAL 297; 14.Sentinel Striders 367;15.NC Surge 371 (21 teams);
Intermediate Boys: 51.Tucker McNinch, Lenox MA; 8.Sentinel Striders 200 (9 teams)
Young Men: 35.Geoffrey Kazlow, Green Mountain AA;
Results of all 12 races are at usatf.org.
