News

The 2009 Southern California USATF Half Marathon Championships will be held on Saturday, November 7, in conjunction with 33rd annual Santa Barbara News-Press Half-Marathon.

The Santa Barbara News-Press Half-Marathon offers a course that is both scenic and challenging to members of the Southern California Association. Much of the race is on Shoreline Drive, first running west up the coast past Shoreline Park, then turning around for a long stretch that heads back down the beach past the start/finish line. The course continues past Stearns Wharf, Cabrillo Pavilion, the Bird Refuge, with a bike path out-and-back turnaround, heading back to the finish line. Conditions should be perfect for a beautiful Saturday morning run. The Half-Marathon starts at 8:00 am, with average early morning Santa Barbara temperatures in the mid-fifties. Runners World magazine readers will recognize the Santa Barbara News-Press Half-Marathon as one of their prestigious “Half Marathon of the Month” selections.

As the Southern California USATF Half Marathon Championships race, the overall men’s and women’s winners receive a handsome USATF Championship plaque. 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.

For runners in the 2009 Southern California USATF Road Running Grand Prix the Half-Marathon is the sixth race in the seven race series. Runners must complete four of the seven races to be eligible for end-of-year prize money and awards. Many runners will be competing in the Half-Marathon to complete the four race minimum requirement, or to better their overall score in the inaugural year of this series. Age-graded scores from the half-marathon will be posted at www.scagrandprix.org The Grand Prix scoring also has a team component, with a minimum of five runners required for team scoring.

Online registration closes midnight, November 1! USATF discount only available with online registration!

The current registration fee for the Half-Marathon is $55. There is a $5 discount for Southern California USATF members who register online by midnight, November 1. Runners simply need to indicate they are USATF members, and enter their 2009 membership number when registering online. A $5 discount is automatically applied. Online registration closes after November 1, and the price increases to $65. After November 1, runners must register in person, either at the Santa Barbara Running Store, 110 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101, on November 5 and 6, or on race day, November 7, between 6:30 am and 7:45 am. There is no USATF discount available after November 1!

TO REGISTER ON-LINE:
http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1725965

USATF Southern California Road Racing Grand Prix Information
For more information on the 2009 Southern California Association USATF Road Running Grand Prix Series and to see the current Grand Prix rankings, please visit: www.scagrandprix.org

To receive regularly updated news about the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix series, we invite you to send an email to: [email protected]

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

Sunday – October 11, 2009
Run Forrest Run 5K
Register



LONG BEACH, CA—With summer behind us, Long Beach is the next stop on the 2009 Southern California USATF Road Running Grand Prix Series for the Run Forrest Run 5K on Sunday, October 11.

Held in conjunction with the silver anniversary of the popular International City Bank Long Beach Marathon, the 5K will start at 8:30 am—an hour and a half after the 7:00 am start of the Marathon and Half-Marathon races. This means that 5K runners can avoid the heavy traffic arriving for Marathon/H-M starts and complete the 5K in time to see the top finishers of the longer races cross the finish line.

The exciting Run Forrest Run 5K starts at the Marathon starting line and threads along beautiful Shoreline Drive and Aquarium Way accompanied by live music along the course! In keeping with the “Forrest Gump” theme, there will be a Bubba Gump Party & fixens waiting for runners at the finish line. This scenic, ocean side course is flat and fast and uses the “D” chip timing system to insure split second accuracy for runners aiming for personal bests and high scores to add to their Grand Prix totals.

The Run Forrest Run 5K is the fifth event of the 7-race 2009 Southern California USATF Road Running Grand Prix Series. A minimum of four (4) races is required to be eligible for the year-end prize money and awards. The eighty some runners who have completed only one race in the Grand Prix Series will need to participate in the Run Forrest Run 5K, as well as the November 7 Santa Barbara Half -Marathon and November 26 Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K, to meet the four race minimum.

The Grand Prix provides a total of $800 in cash awards and championship medals to the top-10 overall men’s and women’s individual scorers. Gold, silver, and bronze USATF medals will also be awarded to the top-3 scorers in 26 men’s and women’s 5-year age-groups. Championship plaques will be awarded to the top-10 scoring clubs. As with individual runners, clubs must also field teams for a minimum of four races.

The link below will take you to the Active.com website for the 25th annual Long Beach International City Bank Marathon. When you start registration, select the “5K Run/Walk” for the Run Forrest Run 5K.

http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1643362

USATF Contact:
Wayne Joness
Chair, Open Athletics Road Running Committee
Southern California Association/ USA Track & Field
Cell (310) 600-5332
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.scagrandprix.org

Southern California Association USATF member Rosemarie Jeanpierre will be making an appearance on the popular NBC “Today” show, on Monday, September 14, 2009. Rosemarie has been an inspiration to runners everywhere with her story of dramatic weight loss, and her passion for running.

After being diagnosed with prediabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol several years ago, Rosemarie made a commitment to turn her life and her health around. She changed her diet, started exercising, and found a new passion for running. Since she started running, Rosemarie has a lot of new personal records, including cutting her body weight in half from 220 pounds to 110!

In 2009 Rosemarie ran nearly a race every weekend, and she has no less than 165 races times recorded on the athlinks website, including a personal best 5K time of 21:59. Rosemarie is now actively pursuing the dream of so many runners: qualifying for the historic Boston Marathon. While she ran the 2005 LA Marathon in 6:31:24, she improved that time by more than two hours this year, finishing the 2009 LA Marathon in 4:26:30. Incredibly enough, she followed this remarkable accomplishment one week later by running a personal best of 4:18:53 at the 2009 San Diego Marathon.

Rosemarie’s goal is to live her life as an example for other runners who want to challenge themselves to reach goals once thought impossible. Rosemarie and her niece Anna Rose Bejasa have become cheerful, familiar faces at Southern California USATF races this year, and we congratulate her on her upcoming national television appearance. We are proud to have Rosemarie as a member of the Southern California Association USATF.

NBC Today Show

SCA Open & Masters Cross Country Championships
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Kenneth Hahn Park

• Information & Entry
• SCA Open Cross Country Schedule
• SCA Masters Cross Country Schedule

SCA Youth JO Cross Country Championships
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Mt San Antonio College

• Information & Entry
• SCA Youth Cross Country Schedule

Sunday – August 9, 2009
Carson Community Center

Our long time Southern California Association office manager Mary Bakjian retired this past March after 26 years of dedicated service to and support of the SCA Board and Committees, Officials, Coaches, Event Directors and thousands of athletes.

On Sunday afternoon August 9, sixteen members of Mary’s family and over 60 others, including representatives from the national office, gathered at the Carson Community Center to honor Mary and thank her for all she has contributed to the Association. During the festivities it was announced that the SCA Executive Committee was establishing the “Mary Bakjian Outstanding Service Award.” The recipient of this award will be selected by the Executive Board and presented annually to sport or administrative committee chairs, committee members, or SCA Athlete Representatives who make outstanding contributions to the SCA.

Donations funded an Alaskan cruise and a digital television. The cruise left port on August 14. We all wish Mary a long and happy retirement and thank her for all she has done for and meant to this association.

SCA Summer Track & Field Grand Prix
July 25, 2009
Santa Monica College

SCA Summer GP Results & Scoring – Meet #3

Deun White Completes a 3-Meet Men’s 100-200m Sweep
Felix Sanchez runs 45.72 in the Men’s 400 Meters

SANTA MONICA, CA—At the 3rd and final meet of the 2009 Southern California Summer Grand Prix Track & Field Series, 2008 Arizona State grad Deun White completed a 3-meet sweep of the men’s 100 and 200 meters races. Representing the Phoenix-based AAG Elite Track Club, Deun won in 10.42 and 20.89 respectively, compared to his 2009 season bests of 10.33 and 20.61.

Other men’s event highlights included 2004 Olympic 400m Hurdle gold medalist Felix Sanchez winning the flat 400m race in a season best 45.72. Felix was a 2-time California State JUCO Champion in the 400m hurdles and the 1999 PAC-10 Champion at USC where he graduated with a degree in psychology. Between 2001 and 2004 he won 43 consecutive 400m hurdle races. Although Felix was born in the United States, his parents were born in the Dominican Republic and he has competed for that country since 1999.

Even without Felix Sanchez in the field, the Men’s 400m Hurdles was one of the best races of the meet with Ben Clark holding off Jonathan Williams, 50.60 to 50.80.

On the women’s side, Natasha Mayers, a graduate of Inglewood H.S. and USC who competes for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, won the 100m in 11.89 into a -1.6mps headwind.

Argentina’s Solange Witteveen, a 2-time Olympian, completed a 3-meet sweep of the high jump at 5’ 10”/1.78m, with her best mark in the Series being 6’ ¾”/1.85m on July 25.

And Vanderbilt University freshman and Palisades High School grad Kristabell Doebel-Hickok won the 5000m in 17:13.60.

Contact for Additional Info: Eric Barron 310-434-4009 [email protected]

SCA Summer Track & Field Grand Prix
July 25, 2009
Santa Monica College

• SCA Summer GP Results & Scoring – Meet #2
  

Kosinza Balumbo & Toni Smith Set Triple Jump Stadium Records in Meet-II of Summer Grand Prix Series

Deun White and Ebony Collins Double Sprint Winners

SANTA MONICA, CA—Men’s and women’s triple jump stadium records of 53’ 1” and 44’ 1¼” were field event highlights at the 2nd edition of the 3-meet 2009 Summer Track & Field Grand Prix Series at Santa Monica College. The men’s mark fell to Kosinza Balumbo, who attended James Logan H.S. in Northern California before graduating from the University of Arkansas as the 2008 NCAA Triple Jump Champion and a 5-time All-America performer. Kosinza has a wind-legal PR of 54’ 4”/ and placed 4th at the 2009 USA Championships with a wind-aided 54’ 10 ¼”. Toni Smith broke the 2-week old women’s record 44’ ¾” set by Yvette Lewis on July 11. Toni graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2008 where she was an All-America long jumper and triple jumper. She was the 3rd place finisher in the triple jump at the 2009 USA Championships and was hoping to achieve the 45’ 11 ¼” qualifying mark to punch her ticket to the World Championships in Berlin, Germany next month.

On the track, 2008 Arizona State grad Deun White matched his July 11 double win with a windy 10.31 100 meter win and a wind-legal 20.81 200 meter victory. Duen was a semi-finalist in the 200 at the 2009 USA Championships. In the women’s sprints, the 4th place finisher in the 400m hurdles at the 2009 USA Championships, Ebony Collins, was a double winner running a PR 52.58 in taking the 400 meters and 23.60 in winning the 200—just 0.18 off her lifetime best.

After a U.S. leading 1:44.47 800 meters mark by Khadevis Robinson on July 11, former USC star Duane Solomon ran nearly identical 24.2, 50.2, 1:17.2 intermediate 200m splits. Finally healthy after an injury-plagued season, Duane slowed over the final 200 to cross the finish line a in a no less stellar 1:46.82. Running close behind start to finish was 2008 Jamaican Olympian Aldwyn Sappleton, who finished in 1:47.98—just off his 1:47.11 PR.

Other notable performances included Craig Everhart running 46.60 to win the 400m, Ben Clark winning the men’s 400m hurdles in 50.01, James Jenkins’ 2nd place mark of 50’ 8¼” in the triple jump, Nick Garcia throwing 57’ 2” to win the shot put, and USC junior Manjula Wijesekara clearing 7’ 2 ½” to win the high jump.

On the women’s side, Toea Wisil from Papua New Guinea repeated her July 11 100 meter victory in 11.50, Argentina’s Solange Witteveeen recorded a season best in winning the high jump in 6’ ¾” with Romary Rifka from the Cal Coast Track Club 2nd at 5’ 10 ¾”, and Rhonda Watkins won the women’s long jump in 20’ 3 ¾”.

The third and final stop on the 3-meet Southern California Summer Grand Prix Series returns to Santa Monica College on Saturday, August 8, starting at 4:00pm.

Contact for Additional Info: Eric Barron 310-434-4009 [email protected]

USATF Region 15 JO Multi-Event Championships
July 11 – 12, 2009
West Covina High School

USATF Region 15 JO Track & Field Championships
June 26 – 28, 2009
Cerritos College

2009 USATF Region 15 JO Combined Results

Sunday – August 9, 2009
Carson Community Center
3 Civic Place
Carson 90745
2:00pm – 6:00pm

SCA-USATF is hosting a celebration honoring Mary Bakjian’s retirement.

• Download Invitation (PDF)
• RSVP by 7/26/2009

SCA Office Contact:
[email protected]
562-941-2621

2009 SCA Summer Grand Prix Series
Saturday – July 11, 2009
Santa Monica College

• SCA Summer GP Results & Scoring – Meet #1

SANTA MONICA, CA—Khadevis Robinson recorded the fastest 800 meters by an American in 2009 with a 1:44.47 clocking at the first of three summer grand prix track meets being held at Santa Monica College this summer. Following his 2nd place finish at the 2009 USA Championships in Eugene, OR, two weeks ago, the 8-time USA indoor/outdoor 800m champion will be part of his 6th USA World Championship Team on August 15-23 in Berlin, Germany. With 2nd place almost :10 seconds behind, “KD” ran 200m splits of 24.2, 49.7(25.5), and 1:17.0(27.3) en route to his nation-leading season best, despite on-shore winds that were gusting above 4mps readings.

In the women’s 400 meters, Lashinda Demus, the 2009 USA 400m hurdles champion, bucked similar winds down the backstretch, but nevertheless crossed the finish line in 51.40, the fastest flat 400 she’s run since her 2002 PR of 51.24. A 2-time USA Outdoor champion, 2005 World Outdoor silver medalist, and 2004 Olympian in the 400m hurdles, Lashinda attended Long Beach Wilson H.S. and the University of South Carolina.

At the 2009 USA Championships, Yvette Lewis placed 4th in the women’s triple jump and missed making the World Championship team by one inch. Saturday, the 2007 NCAA Champion from Hampton University jumped 44’ ¾”/13.43m into a 2.4 mps wind. The marks by Robinson, Demus, and Lewis were all stadium records.

Other notable women’s performances included an 11.55 100m/24.15 200m double win by Toea Wisil from Papua New Guinea and a 5’ 11 ½”/1.82m clearance in the high jump by Argentina’s Solange Witteveeen.

On the men’s side, Deun White claimed 100/200m titles in 10.40 and 21.15. Jeshua Anderson won the 400m hurdles in 50.73, James Jenkins won the triple jump in 51-01.75/15.59m bounding into a -3.3mps wind, Nick Garcia took the shot put in 56’ 10”/17.32m, and USC junior Manjula Wijesekara won the high jump at 7’ 1 ½”/ 2.17m, then had 2 good attempts at 7’ 5 ¾”/2.28m.

The second stop of the 3-meet Southern California Summer Grand Prix Series returns to Santa Monica College on Saturday, July 25, starting at 4:00pm.

Contact for Additional Info:
Eric Barron 310-434-4009
[email protected]