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A total of 161 Southern California Association USATF runners participated in the inaugural 2009 Road Running Grand Prix, but leading in scoring was Lydia Salinas (F-49) with 3,363 points, and Perry Forrester (M-57) with 3,466 points. Both Salinas and Forrester win $200 in prize money, and a Championship trophy to be awarded on February 7, 2010.

In second place was Rosalva Bonilla (F-46) 3,354, and Eulogio Rodirguez (M-25) 3,360 points. Bonilla and Rodirguez each receive $100 in prize money. Third place winners are Vickie Ford (F-48) 2715 and John Araujo (M-51) 3318, each collecting $50 in prize money. Fourth place finishers are Tracy Cox (F-55) 2713 and Nicholas Lopez, 3266, receiving $30. And in fifth place is Phyllis Bradford (F-47) 2586 and Oliver Gallego, (M-47) 3239, receiving $20.

More Information: SCA Road Running Grand Prix & Championships

SCA-USATF CONTACT:
Wayne Joness
Chair, Open Athletics Long Distance Running Committee
Southern California Association/ USA Track & Field
Cell: (310) 600-5332
Email: [email protected]

SCA ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
SCA 10K Championships
Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K
Friday – November 27, 2009

Results

• SCA Grand Prix Standings: www.scagrandprix.org
• SCA 10K Championships – Dana Point 10K Results (PDF)
• SCA 10K Championships – Press Release (PDF)
• 2009 Dana Point Turkey Trot 5K / 10K

Awards

Overall Open Winners

• Charlie Serrano 29:34 M
• Mary Akor 34:33 F

Overall Masters Winners

• Dave Parsel 34:51 M 50-54
• Sue Zihlmann 39:11 F 45-49

DANA POINT, CA—As the sun rose to reveal clear skies and perfect racing conditions, elite USATF runners were handed the few precious bib numbers still available early on the crisp, Southern California Thanksgiving morning. For the second year in a row, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K had sold out, and numbers were in very short supply. With more than 10,000 participating runners in 2009, Dana Point claims the title as the most popular Turkey Trot event in the United States!

As the top twenty bib numbers were distributed, Mary Akor, the 2008 Southern California Association Half Marathon Champion, was handed bid number one from Bob Seagren, CEO of International City Racing. “She’s a helluva runner!” Seagren remarked, recognizing Akor from her many wins at ICR events.

From the start of the race, it was clear that Akor was anything but intimidated by wearing bib “1” as she took a strong lead and held it for the entire race. By the time Akor crossed the finish line in 34:33, she was more than thirty seconds ahead of Carly Harris (35:04) and Kaitlin O’Sullivan (35:16). The close finish between ICR teammates Harris and O’Sullivan mirrored their first and second place finish less than two weeks earlier at the 2009 SCA Cross Country Open Championships on November 15, at Kenneth Hahn Park.

In the men’s division, the competition was closer, but Charlie Serrano, (ICR runner and 2009 SCA Cross Country Open Champion) won with a blistering finishing time of 29:34. Serrano left nothing on the road that day, finishing just three seconds ahead of Morocco’s Karim Elmabchour (29:37). Ben Bruce, of Oregon Track Club Elite rounded out the top three runners with a time of 29:50.

Dave Parcel (34:51) and Sue Zihlmann (39:11) win the 2009 Southern California Association USATF 10K Masters Championships

While International City Racing continues their domination of open events, A Snail’s Pace Track Club showed the depth and power of their team roster in the masters division, where Dave Parcel and Sue Zihlmann took home the top honors, finishing in 34:51 and 39:11 respectively.

Under the direction of Bob Morris, A Snail’s Pace Track Club fielded some of the best runners in the 2009 Road Running Championships, and the motivated club looks well positioned to lead in scoring in the 2010 Road Running Championships as well.

SCA 10K Open and Masters Championships – Grand Prix
Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K
Thursday – November 26, 2009 
Print Press Release (PDF)

The 2009 Southern California Association USATF 10K Open and Masters Championships will be held on Thursday, November 26, the 32nd annual Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K.

One of the largest Thanksgiving Day races in America, more than 12,000 runners are expected to participate on Thanksgiving morning. The stunning course takes runners on a tour of one of the most scenic coastal running tracks in the nation. Participants will feel the pounding surf and cool ocean breezes as they wind through the Dana Point Marina, Doheny State beach, and over the Island Way Bridge, by the majestic cliffs and coves of Dana Point.

For runners participating in the inaugural 2009 Road Running Grand Prix Series, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K is the final race. In the men’s division, Eulogio Rodriguez, the 2009 Southern California Association Marathon Champion, holds a commanding 200-point lead. Rodriguez has completed the four-race minimum required for final awards and cash prizes. However, there are several competitors who have run only three races, including top masters runners Perry Forrester and John Araujo. Depending on the fortunes of the day, any of these runners could take the top prize in the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix Series.

In the women’s division, competition between Rosalva Bonilla and Lydia Salinas has been incredibly close for months now, and it is impossible to predict the outcome between these two determined runners. Bonilla held the lead in the Grand Prix series coming into October, when Salinas moved ahead by a razor thin margin of just 22 points following the Run Forrest Run 5K! After the results of the 2009 Southern California Half Marathon Championship race, the Santa Barbara News-Press Half Marathon, were totaled, Bonilla now leads 3304 to 3293! Only 11 points separates the two runners! There are seven races in the 2009 Grand Prix series, but only the four highest scores for each runner are used to determine the winners! So not only do both runners have a chance to raise their highest score at the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K, but they can also drop their lowest scoring race.

In addition to the chance for Grand Prix runners to earn cash prizes at the end of the series, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K also offers a total of $3,500 in prize money on race day:

• 1st Place Male and Female: $1,000
• 2nd Place Male and Female: $500
• 3rd Place Male and Female: $250

For an Elite Runner Entry contact: [email protected].

To add more excitement to the Southern California Association USATF 10K Championships event, a handsome USATF Championship plaque will be presented to both the Open winners, and to the Masters winners. The Open winner will be the first USATF runner to cross the finish line, and the Masters winner will be the first runner over 40 to cross the finish line. Gold, silver, and bronze USATF championship medals will also be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in 26 men’s and women’s 5-year age groups.

Awards will be presented on race day to USATF competitors, and age-graded scores from the 10K will be posted at www.scagrandprix.org. The Grand Prix also offers team scoring with a minimum of five runners from a USATF affiliated team needed for scoring. More than five runners per team can participate, but only the five highest scores will be used.

The Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K is a USATF certified and sanctioned event. The course map of the 10K certification is online at
http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=CA01050RS.

Online registration for the 2009 Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K is available through 5:00 pm, November 23! There is on-site registration available on November 25 and 26, however, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K sold out last year! The Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K limits registration to 4,000 runners. No race-day registration was available in 2008! Early, online registration is highly recommended!

TO REGISTER ON-LINE:
http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1729988

SCA-USATF CONTACT:
Wayne Joness
Chair, Open Athletics Long Distance Running Committee
Southern California Association/ USA Track & Field
Cell (310) 600-5332 Email: [email protected]