Rebels XC Challenge Kicks off Local Cross Country Season
Iain Mickle (#241) leads the Masters Men’s race. (Photo courtesy of Sean Dulany/Freeplay Magazine)
In Saturday’s first Pacific Association race–the women’s 5K–Lindsay Tollefson made it three years in a row with her win at Rebel’s XC Challenge, at Granite Park.
Tollefson, 28, of Roseville, took first with a 17:34 over Tanya Ferreira, 24, of Watsonville, who finished second in 17:58.
The third woman finisher was Madeline Kramer, 26, of Oakland, who brought it home in 18:00.
The first masters woman was Nancy Thomas, 44, of San Francisco, who finished in 19:03. The number two masters woman was Sacramento’s Jaymee Marty, 46, with a 19:08, and Marty was followed in by Sarah Slaymaker, 42, of Mill Valley, in 19:12.
Next up was the masters men’s 7K race, and Sacramento’s Amazing Iain Mickle, 52, led from the beginning to win in a pretty quick 23:26. Marcelo Lerda, 42, of Lincoln, finished second in 23:51. Coming in third was Newcastle’s Kevin Ostenberg, 53, in 24:06.
In the open men’s race, Tim Tollefson, 28, of Roseville, opened up an early lead over Folsom’s Kevin Pool, 30, and ran alone to win in 21:22–more than 40-seconds over Pool’s 22:05. The third place finisher was Berkeley’s Dan Chebot, 26, who ran it home in 22:41.
This race, hosted by the River City Rebels, was the fist of three PA USATF Cross Country Grand Prix events that will be held in the area, this fall. Team results aren’t posted, but it was great to see the local teams well represented.
The start of the women’s 5K. (SRN photo)
Before the start of the PA USATF races, the Rebels put on the Rebel Rebellion 5K fun-run.
The top-three finishers in this event were Dennis Mui, 34, of Sacramento, in 19:01, Jeff Bray, 41, of San Francisco, in 19:29, and Bob Hammond, 53, of Fair Oaks, who finished in 19:57.
The top three women included Kristin Gustafsson, 44, of Folsom, who finished in 22:21, Patricia Lamantia, 50, of Fair Oaks, with a 22:37, and Rosemary hallett, 45, of Loomis, who completed the 3.1 miles in 25:10.
The next PA grand prix race will be the Buffalo Chips‘ Willow Hills Cross Country Open, in Folsom, on September 28th.
Later this fall, on November 17th, the Golden West Athletic Club will be hosting the Ancil Hoffman Challenge. Be sure to check out these events as they are always fun and affordable.
Complete results for Saturday’s races: Citizen’s 5K, PA women, PA masters men, and PA open men.
(Editor’s Note: Congratulations to SRN reader Joe P. on his first XC race! We hope to see you at many more of these events.)