Report/results courtesy of the Genessee Valley Harriers.
Rochester, NY - Paul Mwangi and Colette Liss were the individual winners at the 2nd Annual Home Depot Cross Country Invitational held at Genesee Valley Park in Rochester, NY.
Two deep and very talented fields were assembled, attracted by the $10,000 in prize money put up the local Home Depot store. With $5,000 going to the top 5 men's and women's teams and $5,000 going to the top ten men's and women's individual finishers, the competition was one of the best ever held in Upstate New York.
Mwangi, 33 of the Westchester TC, held off a late charge by South African native Gareth Wilford of the Indiana Invaders and Joseph Nderitu of Hamilton, Ontario's Team Kenyada to win by just 0.7 of a second.
Early leader James Jurcevich of Hanson's Running Shop took the field out in a quick 4:32 first mile over the rain slick course. At least 12 men were in the lead pack at the two mile mark when a hail burst pelted down on the field. The lead group strung out with a mile to go as Mwangi took a 20 meter lead. However, in the last 400 meters, it became anyone's race as Mwangi, Wilford and Nderitu all had a share of the lead at one time with Hanson's teammates Chad Johnson and Jurcevich. Kenyada teammates David Karanja and Julius Githaka as well as Ossining's Eliut Barngetuny were also all in hot pursuit.
In the end, eight men broke the 24 minute barrier and twenty bested 25:00. Defending champion Sandu Rebenciuc of the Greater Spingfield Harriers ran 55 seconds faster this year, but could do no better than eleventh.
Team Kenyada put four men in the top nine to win the $1,000.00 first place team prize over Hanson's Running Shop.
The women's 5K lacked the suspense that the men's race did, but not the quality as Indiana Invader Colette Liss burned a 5:20 first mile and was never challenged, winning in 16:33. Liss, who was the top US finisher (20th overall) in the 4K event at the 2000 World Cross Country Championships in Portugal and, more recently, was 7th in the US Olympic Trials 1,500 meter, took home $500 for her efforts. Invader teammate Priscila Hein was second and Kingston, Ontario's Sarah Dupre was third. The Invaders put their five scoring members in the top 15 to best the defending Mayor's Cup champion Syracuse Chargers.
Jerry Kooyman's of the Toronto Olympic Club was the top masters finisher in the 8km (25:44), while Suzanne Myette of Ithaca's High Noon AC (19:01) just edged Carolyn Smith-Hanna (19:08) of the host Genesee Valley Harriers for the masters womens' title.
Home Depot Invitational Men's 8K (166 finishers)1. Paul Mwangi Westchester TC 23:35.96 $500.00 2. Gareth Wilford Indiana Invaders 23:36.68 $375.00 3. Joseph Nderitu Team Kenyada 23:38.91 $325.00 4. Chad Johnson Hanson's Running Shop 23:40.18 $300.00 5. Eliut Barngetuny Ossining, NY 23:41.37 $250.00 6. David Karanja Team Kenyada 23:42.09 $200.00 7. Julius Githaka Team Kenyada 23:44.24 $175.00 8. Jim Jurcevich Hanson's Running Shop 23:49.00 $150.00 9. Charles Sangi Team Kenyada 23:53.06 $125.00 10. Rick Sluder Indiana Invaders 23:57.02 $100.00
Team Scoring: (16 teams)
1. Team Kenyada 27 $1000.00 2. Hanson's Running Shop 33 $800.00 3. Syracuse Chargers 85 $600.00 4. Toronto Olympic Club 103 $400.00 5. Team Brownstone 131 $200.00
Glidden Women's 5K
1. Colette Liss Indiana Invaders 16:33.93 $500 2. Priscilla Hein Indiana Invaders 17:05.37 $375 3. Sarah Dupre Kingston, Ont./BAA 17:12.37 $350 4. Kelly French Indiana Invaders 17:33.01 $300 5. Judy Porter Indiana Invaders 17:38.00 $250 6. Mickey Kelly Syracuse Chargers 17:47.46 $200 7. Becky Heuer Checkers AC 17:52.75 $175 8. Amy Perry-Davis Genesee Valley Harriers 17:53.84 $150 9. Heather Swarts Syracuse Chargers 17:57.59 $125 10. Donna Levy Boston Running Club 18:07.34 $100
Team Scoring: (9 teams) 1. Indiana Invaders 23 $1000 2. Syracuse Chargers 50 $800 3. Boston Running Club 78 $600 4. Genesee Valley Harriers 83 $400 5. Checkers AC/ Buffalo 127 $200