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The Southeast Road Runners will be hosting their annual End Of The Year Awards Potluck on Jan. 28, but for most of the 2011 Empire Cup age group winners, runners up, and mid pack finishers, the running never ends.
“You will always see someone out on the roads,” SERR president Tristan Knutson-Lombardo said. “This cold snap hasn’t stopped some of the dedicated from getting out there, with appropriate running attire of course.”
Last season produced some remarkable competitors including Connor Norman, the male 8-10 age group winner.
“Not only is he one of the top young “up and coming” runners in our Capital City, but he has managed to amass more points than any other runner in the Empire Cup Series,” Knutson-Lombardo said. “He competed at the National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships last year and is a member of the Mendenhall River Marathon Club.”
Other notable age group winners include:
Matt Lessmeier (Male 11-13), a former standout elementary runner and now one of the top middle school runners in Southeast Alaska, and he’s only in 6th grade.
Bryan Hitchcock (Male 35-39) is a member of Juneau’s burgeoning ultra-running community, thanks to nationally acclaimed runner Geoff Roes, one of Bryan’s good friends. Even though Hitchcock’s training goals focus on races much longer than the standard SERR distances, he still finds time to rack up enough points for an age-group victory.
The Welling Family is dominating girl’s and women’s running in Juneau. They occupy the top spot in four of the women’s age categories: the three youngest and 40-44. Led by matriarch Karlynn Welling (who won her leg in the Klondike this year), they boast a tremendous amount of young talent. Naomi, the eldest sister, will be preparing for her freshman year of cross country next year and is a favorite to win the Region 5 cross country title. In addition, she will be one of the top incoming runners in the state and will vie for a top ten finish at the State cross country championships in September.
Cathleen Balantic (Women 19-29) is a 2009 graduate of Cornell University, Cathleen found her way to Juneau as an Ameri-Corps Member serving at Discovery Southeast where she know works as Program Coordinator. Cathleen has quickly earned her a reputation as one of the fastest women in Southeast. Whether she is joining the “Geezers” for early Sunday runs, or winning the weekend road race, Cathleen has made a statement as a local running fixture.
Balantic just completed the Louisiana Marathon, finishing 26th overall, fourth for women and first in her division. Her 10K was timed at 44:48, a 7 minute 13 second pace; her half was timed at 1:35.04, a 7:16 pace; and she finished with in 3 hours 11 minutes and 42 seconds.
Three SERR Board Members won their respective age divisions: Sandi Woods, Carrie Bohan and Tom Albert.
“This isn’t a concern for points fixing,” Knutson-Lombardo joked. “But evidence of how much SERR’s volunteer board members work to make Juneau the vibrant running community it is.”
The SERR end of the year awards potluck will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m. at the Juneau Arts and Cultural Center.
“Even if you are not a runner this is a great event to attend,” Knutson-Lombardo said. “There is a lot of knowlege about running in the community and sometimes people feel intimidated about starting to run as a form of exercise. This is a great chance to meet new people with common interests who are sincere in sharing their love of the sport.”
Empire Cup Winners 2011
MEN
Male age 7-younger:
William Robinson 49
Trenton English 30
Male age 8-10:
Connor Norman 116
McKie Gregory 70
Cassious English 26
Male age 11-13:
Matt Lessmeier 90
Eli Gregory 47
Keith Allan Harvey 47
Male age 14-18:
Riley Moser 77
Nicolas Wright 53
Ian Andrews 26
Male age 19-29:
Thomas Albert 71
Houston Laws 67
Henry Dehling 53
Male age 30-34:
Myron Davis 122
Norton Gregory 66
Matthew Thompson 25
Male age 35-39:
Bryan Hitchcock 59
Hiram Henry 47
Dana Hanselman 33
Male age 40-44:
Jeff Gregory 78
Chris LaVallee 54
Matthew York 29
Male age 45-49:
Jim Ustasiewski 110
Keith Harvey 57
Jim Grammel 55
Male age 50-54:
David Thomson 82
Zane Clark 72
Brian Ewing 47
Male age 55-59:
Bruce Wanstall 115
John Kern 76
James Beedle 49
Male age 60+:
Paul DeSloover 88
Fred Triem 45
Eric Twelker 30
Glenn Frick 30
WOMEN
Female age 7-younger:
Mallory Welling 56
Jamie Heidersdorf 18
Female age 8-10:
Audrey Welling 59
Michaela Bentley 27
Taylor Bentley 24
Female age 11-13:
Naomi Welling 50
Kylie Harvey 40
Female age 14-18: none
Female age 19-29:
Cathleen Balantic 88
Faith Reynolds 52
Michael Kohan 50
Female age 30-34:
Carrie Bohan 100
Christine Dellow 38
Ruth Kostik 31
Female age 35-39:
Jennifer Watson 58
Christy Wallace 40
Lauren Andersen 36
Female age 40-44:
Karlynn Welling 80
Rebecca Braun 29
Female age 45-49:
Julie Harvey 99
Marsha Squires 81
Darla Orbistondo 80
Female age 50-54:
Sandi Woods 78
Deana Darnall 43
Sherry Tamone 39
Female age 55-59:
Leslie Daugherty 40
Sara Peacock 39
Janeann Twelker 30
Female age 60+:
Sally Wanstall 67
