Athletes represent their countries at Pikes Peak Ascent
- Details
- Created on Saturday, 21 August 2010 19:26
- Written by Matt Wiley
By MATT WILEY, THE GAZETTE
America’s Mountain took the world stage this weekend.
Runners from 19 countries are scheduled to compete on Pikes Peak in Saturday’s Ascent and today’s Marathon.
Watch a photo slideshow of the Ascent.
Of those 19, six (United States, Australia, England, Germany, Scotland and Slovenia) competed in the World Mountain Running Association’s World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge at the Ascent.
Check out more photo galleries from the race.
Colorado Springs’ Ryan Hafer, who finished fourth, and Tommy Manning, runner-up in last year’s Ascent, were on the winning American team (unofficial) along with Rickey Gates of Aspen, Eric Blake of New Haven, Conn., and St. Louis’ Zac Freundenburg.
“It was pretty cool,” Hafer said. “Quite an honor.”
Manning, Gates, and Blake will represent the U.S. at the World Mountain Running Championships in September in Slovenia.
“It’s an honor to put on the Olympic uniform,” Gates said. “It’s a total thrill.”
On the women’s side, all five American team members were from Colorado.
The team has had success in the Ascent. Evergreen’s Brandy Erholtz won Saturday and also took first in 2008. Silverton’s Megan Kimmel was the defending champion and Nederland’s Lisa Goldsmith won in 2006. Rounding out the team were Manitou Springs’ Kelli Lusk and Laura Haefeli of Del Norte. Neither Lusk or Haefeli had run the Ascent before Saturday, but each had picked up a win in the Barr Trail Mountain Race.
“It’s a dream for every athlete,” Erholtz said. “To have the pride of representing your country. I think it just gives you a little extra adrenalin when you hear people say, ‘Let’s go USA.’ It makes you feel proud because there are a lot of people who would love to be in my shoes today. It is really an honor and a blessing.”
The teams could include up to five athletes with the top three scoring and were competing for awards and prize money totaling $4,000.
Weather
Current Contests
