XTERRA Alabama- this one is for Steve

Stoltz, McQuaid still perfect

at Southeast Champs in Pelham

Shelby County, AL (May 23, 2009) – Another state, a wildly different course, yet the same result as Conrad “The Caveman” Stoltz and Melanie McQuaid roll to their third straight regional championship victories, this time at the XTERRA Southeast Cup at Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, AL.

At about the same time the endurance community celebrated the life of cycling and triathlon great Steve Larsen (who passed away on Tuesday) with memorial rides and runs in his hometown of Bend, OR, many of Larsen’s friends in sport were riding and running in honor of him in the southern woods of Alabama today.

Leading the charge was Stoltz, who said “the technical parts are usually my strengths, but today I couldn’t focus. I did feel like I had amazing strength today though. This was a great victory for Steve.”

Many of the riders dedicated their efforts today to Larsen and his family, including Stoltz and McQuaid.

Jamie asked me to say a few things about Steve before the start. It was hard. I choked up. Of course during the race remembered things I meant to say but forgot.  At least I had Steve’s legs. (Or what I think they used to be- Horse Power wise)

“Steve was such a huge inspiration for me coming from a mountain biking background.  I felt really strong today,” said McQuaid.

It was certainly a day where XTERRA athletes could find inspiration all around, as even the sports all-time winningest athlete Jamie Whitmore (cancer survivor/battler) came out from California to be one of the race announcers. In addition, TEAM 413 Gracerunner ministries held a sunrise service before the race and all paused for a moment of silence in Larsen’s memory*.

The race started with Evans coming out of the water first for the fourth straight year here, but Stoltz caught him quickly and entered the run with a big lead that he never relinquished.  Josiah Middaugh was second off the bike, then Dan Hugo and Mike Vine together in third and fourth.

“Conrad was out of sight today and was ahead from the start,” said Middaugh. “I tried to close the gap, but he had a great race today.”

The men finished Stoltz, Middaugh, Vine, Hugo (the same top four finishers in each of the first three Cup races) with Nico Lebrun in 5th for the second weekend in a row.

In the women’s race Melanie McQuaid was the first out of the water (Christine Jeffrey missed this race with a strained calf) and never trailed thereafter.

“I had a great day today. I am much better without a wetsuit and I got a good start on the bike. I was really lucky to have Casey Fannin around me, and we were going back and forth until I started to climb. The last couple of climbs on the run took everything I had. I was happy with the perfect weather, the people cheering in the woods, and the TT tires I rode on.”

Renata Bucher was second into the bike-to-run transition but still more than three minutes behind McQuaid, followed by Shonny Vanlandingham and the speedy Lesley Paterson who leapfrogged past the two in front of her and into second place for the second year in a row here in Pelham.

“The women’s race is getting really exciting, and I won’t always be on top. We definitely have to make sure we watch out for Lesley in the future,” said McQuaid.

Also of note Emma Garrard passed Jenny Smith to finish in 5th place, the first podium placing in her pro career.

Note:  More than 200 athletes representing 25 states and 10 countries competed in today’s races on the highly acclaimed trails at Oak Mountain State Park in Shelby County. Next weekend the park hosts the epic BUMP and Grind mountain bike races (named for the Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers who maintain the famous Oak Mountain “Red Trail”).

*A memorial fund has been started for the Larsen family. Checks can be made to the Steve Larsen Memorial Fund and sent to the address below.

Steve Larsen Memorial Fund
Umpqua Bank
390 SW Century Drive
Suite 100
Bend OR 97702

TOP 10 PRO MEN

1 ) Conrad Stoltz 2:04:27
2 ) Josiah Middaugh 2:05:19
3 ) Mike Vine 2:06:58
4 ) Dan Hugo 2:08:07
5 ) Nico Lebrun 2:09:07
6 ) Craig Evans 2:10:14
7 ) Cody Waite 2:15:47
8 ) Branden Rakita 2:17:57
9 ) Will Kelsay 2:20:18
10 ) Matt Boobar 2:28:54

TOP 10 PRO WOMEN

1 ) Melanie McQuaid 2:23:52
2 ) Lesley Paterson 2:26:33
3 ) Renata Bucher 2:28:46
4 ) Shonny Vanlandingham 2:29:03
5 ) Emma Garrard 2:32:11
6 ) Jenny Smith 2:33:11
7 ) Danelle Kabush 2:33:20
8 ) Kristy Lanier 2:37:38
9 ) Erin Kummer 2:45:07
10 ) Alexandra Borrelly 2:50:39

Not much movement at the top of the Pro standings after race No. 3, with Stoltz and McQuaid firmly in front.  The top 4 men held position,while Craig Evans jumped three spots to No. 5 and Lebrun three spots to No. 7.  In the women’s standings the top 3 stayed put, with Emma Garrard jumping into the No. 4 spot after her best career finish today.
2009 XTERRA CUP SERIES STANDINGS (After 3)

Pl    Name    1    2    3    Total
1    Conrad Stoltz    100    100    100    300
2    Josiah Middaugh    90    82    90    262
3    Mike Vine    75    90    82    247
4    Dan Hugo    82    75    75    232
5    Craig Evans    49    49    63    161
6    Branden Rakita    45    53    53    151
7    Nico Lebrun    DNF    69    69    138
8    Cody Waite    34    41    58    133
9    Brian Smith    53    58    DNS    111
10    Will Kelsay    31    31    49    111
11    Seth Wealing    37    63    DNS    100
12    Matt Boobar    DNS    34    45    79
13    Jasper Blake    69    DNS    DNS    69
14    Steve Larsen    63    DNS    DNS    63
15    Justin Thomas    58    DNS    DNS    58
16    Ryan DeCook    DNP    45    DNS    45
17    Ryan Ignatz    41    DNS    DNS    41
18    Scott Gall    DNS    37    DNS    37
20    Jeff Smith    28    DNS    DNS    28

Pl    Name    1    2    3    Total
1    Melanie McQuaid    100    100    100    300
2    Renata Bucher    75    90    82    247
3    Shonny Vanlandingham    90    75    75    240
4    Emma Garrard    63    58    69    190
5    Jenny Smith    53    69    63    185
6    Lesley Paterson    82    DNS    90    172
7    Christine Jeffrey    69    82    DNS    151
8    Alexandra Borrelly    31    53    45    129
9    Danelle Kabush    49    DNS    58    107
10    Erin Kummer    DNS    49    49    98
11    Jari Kirkland    28    63    DNS    91
12    Rebecca Dussault    58    DNS    DNS    58
13    Kristy Lanier    DNS    DNS    53    53
14    Jenny Tobin    45    DNS    DNS    45
15    Ingrid Rolles    41    DNS    DNS    41
16    Sari Anderson    37    DNS    DNS    37
17    Tracy Thelen    34    DNS    DNS    34

1 = Loews XTERRA West Cup – May 2

2 = XTERRA Midwest Cup – May 17

3 = XTERRA Southeast Cup – May 23

The XTERRA Southeast Cup was the third of eight big XTERRA Cup championship races in the nationwide XTERRA America Tour that boasts 60 races in 32 states, and culminates in Utah at the XTERRA USA Championship on Sept. 26.

AMATEUR RACE:  Nat Faulkner from Ontario, Canada won the men’s amateur division (10th overall) in 2:20:37 while Brook Pace from Tallahassee, FL won the women’s title in 2:51:03.

“I didn’t walk, get hurt or get beat by the girls so I was happy,” said Faulkner, who was racing in just his second XTERRA and took off right after the race for the 15-hour drive back to Toronto and another triathlon for him tomorrow morning.

By virtue of their fine performance today, a total of 34 age group competitors earned their spot on the sandy start line in Maui for the XTERRA World Championship on Oct. 25.

XTERRA SOUTHEAST CUP CHAMPIONS (Amateur Women)
Division    Name    Time    Hometown
25 – 29     Erin Nielsen    2:53:17    North Haverhill, NH
30 – 34     Brook Pace    2:51:03    Tallahassee, FL
35 – 39     Tina Eakin    2:51:36    Huntsville, AL
40 – 44     Missy Grant    3:13:52    Raleigh, NC
45 – 49     Lori Goldweber    2:52:23    Birmingham, AL
50 – 54    Beverly Enslow    2:51:37    Metamora, IL
55 – 59    Ruth Ference    3:36:56    Rome, GA
60+    Charlotte Mahan    5:31:10    Lenoir City, TN

* TOP AMATEURS

XTERRA SOUTHEAST CUP CHAMPIONS (Amateur Men)
Division    Name    Time    Hometown
20 – 24     Jared Levin    2:54:21    Richmond, VA
25 – 29     Blake Voges    2:26:08    Santa Claus, IN
30 – 34     Nat Faulkner    2:20:37    Ontario, Canada
35 – 39     Scott Mills    2:25:44    Montgomery, AL
40 – 44     Rickey Tolliver    2:26:53    Parker, CO
45 – 49     Casey Fannin    2:22:53    Birmingham, AL
50 – 54     Scott Ewing    2:36:39    Destin, FL
55 – 59    Bill Blankenship    3:19:08    Santa Fe, NM
60 – 64    William English    3:51:19    Clemson, SC
65 – 69    Peter Lilley    3:52:21    Charlotte, NC
70+    Nathaniel Grew    4:30:20    Costa Rica
PC    Todd Atkins    3:23:15    Fayetteville, GA
Collegiate    Graeme Keith III    2:43:17    Charleston Law School

ALSO QUALIFYING FOR MAUI

25-29w    Alicia Noel    2:59:19    Conway, MO
25-29m    Omar Fraser    2:26:44    Birmingham, AL
25-29m    Andrew Jones    2:30:50    Rock Hill, SC
30-34m    Kristoffer Nielsen    2:20:39    North Haverhill, NH
30-34m    Fred Smith    2:24:16    Knoxville, TN
30-34w    Julia Radmann    2:54:09    Smyrna, GA
35-39m    Mark Woody    2:29:57    Chapin, SC
35-39m    Frank Fernandez-Poss    2:36:57    Deerfield Beach, FL
35-39w    Mary Fulbright    3:06:57    St. Louis, MO
40-44m    Jeff Richards    2:29:11    Atlanta, GA
40-44m    Herbie Reeves    2:38:13    Irmo, SC
45-49m    Mark Rudder    2:27:47    Dunwoody, GA
45-49w    Robin Boughton    3:20:50    Ocala, FL
50-54w    Lucia Colbert    3:05:51    Cordova, TN
PC    David Kyle    3:33:17    Athens, AL
Previously Qualified = Meiling Yee (45-49), Beverly Enslow (50-54), Blake Voges (25-29)

Next up:  XTERRA Northwest Cup at Farragut State Park near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on June 6.

The 2009 XTERRA?Southeast Cup is presented by Paul Mitchell and XTERRA.TV.  National sponsors include GU, Rodale,

XTERRAGear.com, Zorrel, Gatorade, Choice Hotels, and the Utah Sports Commission.  The destination sponsor for the XTERRA?Southeast Cup is Shelby County, Alabama.

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