Barr Trail Mountain 12M Race

Manitou, CO, July 14, 2002

Race Report/Results courtesy of All American Trail Running Association

Teva US Mountain Running Team Member Wins Barr Trail Mountain Race

Manitou Springs, Colorado --- In the third annual Barr Trail Mountain Race Paul Low, 28, Amherst, MA cruised to victory besting his nearest competitors by nearly four minutes. Low, named last week to the US Teva Mountain Running Team after his second-place finish at the Vail Hill Climb, covered the grueling out-and-back 12-mile course in 1:32:54 followed by Teddy Mitchell, in 1:36:49 who out-sprinted Simon Gutierrez, third in 1:36:50.

The top three finishers were together for much of the uphill climb, but at the six mile turn around point it was Gutierrez leading by a mere 20 seconds with Low in close pursuit, and Mitchell over one minute back. On the return six mile mostly-downhill course, Low powered past Gutierrez and stretched the lead mile by mile. Mitchell passed Gutierrez at about the seven mile mark and built a narrow lead until the final uphill section when Gutierrez fought back to nearly catch Mitchell at the finish.

Said Low at the post race awards ceremony, "It was a great course with a variety of terrain. I enjoyed the few flat sections interspersed with the rocky terrain which broke up the pace a bit."

Fellow US Mountain Running Team member Gutierrez enjoyed the course and said he would like to do the Pikes Peak Ascent some day. "I've been hitting 100-plus mile weeks including three quality workouts. My plan today was to work harder on the uphill and take it easy on the downhill."

Gutierrez and Low will compete at the WMRA World Mountain Running Trophy this September in Innsbruck, Austria. Low related, "My main running goal for the year was to make the national mountain team. Earning a spot on the team makes my running year a success. My focus now is on Innsbruck." Gutierrez added, "I'm glad to finally make the US squad. Ever since I met mountain running legend Pablo Vigil ten years ago, I always wanted to be on the team."

Women's winner Kelli Lusk was delighted with her performance. Her time of 1:54:08 was more than four minutes ahead of runner-up and master's winner Maddy Tormoen's time of 1:58:13. Bev Zimmermann, who was second at the turn-around, was third in 2:00:35.

During a warm-down after the race Lusk said, "At last year's race I put way too much pressure on myself to make the national mountain team, and I had a bad race. This year I went out with a more relaxed attitude and had a super race. I feel like my climbing ability has improved and I'm enjoying the trails much more this year."

In addition to $400 first place prize money Lusk and Low each earned a trip to compete in a European Skyrunning event later this summer.

The Barr Trail Mountain Race presented by Pikes Peak National Bank donated more than $15,000 to local non-profit organizations including $7,000 to area high school track and cross country programs through the aid station challenge program. For more information on the event visit www.runpikespeak.com.

Women

1 - Kelli Lusk, 32, Manitou Springs, CO 1:54:08 $400 plus trip to Europe 2 - Maddy Tormoen, 40, Pueblo, CO 1:58:13 $375 (includes $125 as top master) 3 - BevZimmermann, 38, Monument 2:00:35

Men

1 - Paul Low, 28, Amherst, MA 1:32:54, $400 plus trip to Europe 2 - Teddy Mitchell, 30, Longmont, CO 1:26:49, $250 3 - Simon Gutierrez, 36, Albuquerque, NM 1:36:50, $100

Top Master

Rick Shoulberg, 41, Manitou Springs 1:53:32, $125

Contact:

Nancy Hobbs 719-573-4405