USATF Southern California

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Santa Barbara Runners Make Strong Showing at Semana Nautica 15K

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Semana Nautica 15K
July 11, 2009
Goleta, CA

GOLETA, CA—On a beautiful 4th of July holiday weekend, Connor Mellon, 53:30, was the first USATF runner to cross the finish line, and the second runner overall, at the 55th annual Semana Nautica 15K held just North of Santa Barbara. Making a strong showing were local runners Scott Deardorff (M46) and Maggie Mason (F52) who took first place in both the overall USATF age-graded competition and the masters men’s and women’s divisions.

Under perfect overcast running conditions provided by the coastal marine layer, Deardorff’s age-graded score was 808 points, while Mason’s was 799 points. The 15K marked Mason’s and Deardorff’s first entry to the inaugural 2009 Grand Prix series. Their high scores mark them as solid contenders for overall honors if they compete in the next three races to meet the 4-race minimum for prizes and awards. As a member of the USATF club Santa Barbara Athletic Association, Mason must have felt at home on the beautiful course of tree-canopied gentle hills. But close behind her point-wise was Lydia Salinas of Track Club LA who scored 798 points.

While some runners favor one distance or event, Salinas has proven to be a remarkably consistent competitor, scoring 798 points at the Coaster 5K, 796 points at the Brentwood 10K, and 798 points at the Semana Nautica 15K. Her current goal? “I just want to break 800!” she said with a laugh after the race results were posted. Salinas’s consistent scores also demonstrate the value of age-graded scoring, which enables the Grand Prix to easily compare runner’s results from different distances.

One runner already guaranteed to be a finalist for 2009 honors is Rosalva Bonilla, the 3rd place age-graded finisher, and the only runner to compete in each of the first four Grand Prix races this year. While struggling with a cold, her score of 779 points marked the first time the 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials participant has scored less than 800 points. As the current point leader in the Grand Prix standings, Rosalva has the luxury of aiming to improve her final score in the next 3 races. The Grand Prix scoring takes a runner’s best four age-graded time scores and ignores the lower ones.

The well-organized, popular Santa Barbara area race, directed by USATF member John Brennand, also featured age-graded scoring results posted immediately after the race. A quick look at USATF runners revealed quite a battle in the master’s division, where 2nd and 3rd places went to Culver City residents Oliver Gallego (791pts) and Wayne Joness (747pts).

Oliver was also there to represent the Elite Health Track Club, and Wayne to represent Track Club LA, both of which had the minimum 5 finishers needed to participate in team scoring. Track Club LA has now completed 3 Grand Prix events and the Elite Health Track Club has completed two. While Team Runners High and The Janes Elite Racing have fielded teams in one race each with an astonishing average score of 829 for each team, they will have to compete in all the remaining Grand Prix races to catch up with Elite Health and Track Club LA in terms of overall points.

Congratulations Connor Mellon and Lisa Davis, fastest USATF runners at the Semana Nautica 15K, and honors to Scott Deardorff and Maggie Mason, high scorers in the age-graded 15K Grand Prix competition.

Southern California USATF members will now get a 14-week break before the next Grand Prix Series race—the Run Forrest Run 5K, to be held on Sunday, October 11 as a part of the 25th annual Long Beach International City Bank Marathon and half Marathon. The Grand Prix will then return to scenic Santa Barbara again on Saturday, November 7, for the Santa Barbara Half-Marathon, the 2009 Southern California USATF Half-Marathon Road Championship. The Grand Prix Series concludes with the Dana Point Turkey Trot, the 2009 Southern California USATF 10K Road Championship race, on Thanksgiving Day, November 26.

For more information, please visit:
Road Championship Series: www.scaroadchampionship.org

For current Grand Prix Point Standings, please visit:
www.scagrandprix.org

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

2009 USA Track & Field Championships

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USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
June 25-28, 2009
Eugene, OR
Results | Videos | Pics

World Youth Track & Field Trials
June 30 – July 1, 2009
Ypsilanti, MI
Results | Pics

USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships
June 30 – July 5, 2009
Ypsilanti, MI
Results | Pics

USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships
July 9-12, 2009
Oshkosh, WI
Results | Pics

USATF National Club Track & Field Championships
July 10-11, 2009
New York, NY
Results | Pics

USATF National JO Track & Field Championships
July 28 – August 2, 2009
Greensboro, NC
Results

SCA Summer Track & Field Grand Prix Series

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Saturday – July 11, 2009
Saturday – July 25, 2009
Saturday – August 8, 2009
Santa Monica College

Download Entry Information & Schedule (PDF)

MEET SITE: Santa Monica College—Featuring a brand new Track & Field Complex with a Recordtan track and excellent throwing and jumping facilities.

TIMING: Fully automatic timing by Finish Lynx.

ENTRY FEE: Pre-Meet Entries: $15.00 per athlete (unlimited events) Meet Day Entries: $20 per athlete (unlimited events)

PRE- MEET ENTRY DEADLINES: Pre-meet entries must be emailed to [email protected] no later than 5:00pm on the THURSDAY prior to each meet. On meet day, athletes must enter no later than 45-minutes before the scheduled start of their event(s). All entry fees will be paid on meet day.

PARKING: Campus parking in the 3-story structure next to the track is FREE.

FINAL CHECK-IN: 15-minutes prior to each running event, competitors must report to the CLERKS STATION for their event to pick-up their hip number and heat assignment. Field event competitors report to the Head Judge for their event.

ADMISSION FEE: Spectator admission is $5.00.

RESULTS: Results will be posted event by event and, afterwards, at FlashResultsWest and www.scausatf.org.

SATURDAY, JULY 11
Field Events:
4:00 DISCUS
4:00 POLE VAULT
4:00 LONG JUMP
5:00 HIGH JUMP
5:30 SHOT PUT
5:30 TRIPLE JUMP
Track Events:
4:00 MEN’S 110m HURDLES
4:10 WOMEN’S 100m HURDLES
4:15 MEN’S 1500m RUN
4:25 WOMEN’S 1500m RUN
4:40 MEN’S 100m DASH
4:55 WOMEN’S 100m DASH
5:10 MEN’S 400m DASH
5:20 WOMEN’S 400m DASH
5:30 MEN’S 800m RUN
5:40 WOMEN’S 800m RUN
5:55 MEN’S 400m HURDLES
6:05 WOMEN’S 400m HURDLES
6:15 MEN’S 200m DASH
6:25 WOMEN’S 200m DASH
6:35 3000m RUN

SATURDAY, JULY 25
Field Events:
4:00 DISCUS
4:00 POLE VAULT
4:00 LONG JUMP
5:00 HIGH JUMP
5:30 SHOT PUT
5:30 TRIPLE JUMP
Track Events:
4:00 MEN’S 110m HURDLES
4:10 WOMEN’S 100m HURDLES
4:15 MEN’S MILE RUN
4:25 WOMEN’S MILE RUN
4:40 MEN’S 100 YARD DASH
4:55 WOMEN’S 100 YARD DASH
5:10 MEN’S 400m DASH
5:20 WOMEN’S 400m DASH
5:30 MEN’S 800m RUN
5:40 WOMEN’S 800m RUN
5:55 MEN’S 400m HURDLES
6:05 WOMEN’S 400m HURDLES
6:15 MEN’S 200m DASH
6:25 WOMEN’S 200m DASH
6:35 2 MILE RUN

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Field Events:
4:00 DISCUS
4:00 POLE VAULT
4:00 LONG JUMP
5:00 HIGH JUMP
5:30 SHOT PUT
5:30 TRIPLE JUMP
Track Events:
4:00 MEN’S 110m HURDLES
4:10 WOMEN’S 100m HURDLES
4:15 MEN’S 1500m RUN
4:25 WOMEN’S 1500m RUN
4:40 MEN’S 100m DASH
4:55 WOMEN’S 100m DASH
5:10 MEN’S 400m DASH
5:20 WOMEN’S 400m DASH
5:30 MEN’S 800m RUN
5:40 WOMEN’S 800m RUN
5:55 MEN’S 400m HURDLES
6:05 WOMEN’S 400m HURDLES
6:15 MEN’S 200m DASH
6:25 WOMEN’S 200m DASH
6:35 5000m RUN

VS ATHLETICS Grand Prix Competition
Will take place in these seven (7) men’s & women’s event groups:
Sprints (100-200-400)
Hurdles (100H/110H/400H)
Middle Distances (800/1500)
Long Distances (3000/2M/5000)
Horizontal Jumps (LJ/TJ)
Throws (Shot/Discus)
Vertical Jumps (HJ/PV)

  • Grand Prix participants must be 2009 USATF members. Athletes can join/renew their memberships at www.usatf.org/membership/application. Athletes entering the meet on-site will be able to join USATF for the annual fee of $30.00.
  • GP throwers must use the college/international M&W weights: Shot- Men 16lb/ Women 4kg Discus- Men- 2kg/ Women- 1kg
  • Scoring will use the IAAF Scoring Tables and each participant’s aggregate points for their best mark from two (2) of the three (3) meets.
  • VS Athletics Discount Coupons will be awarded for the 1st , 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each event group.
  • A Grand Prize will be awarded to the highest men’s and women’s point scorers.

More Information: www.scausatf.org

USATF Emerging Elite Coaches Camp

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July 18-23, 2009
July 27-August 1, 2009
ARCO Olympic Training Center
Chula Vista, CA

Download Information & Application Form (PDF)

These USATF High Performance Group sponsored Learn-By-Doing Clinics are specifically designed for high school, club, and college coaches who have coached nationally-ranked, top Junior Athletes, ages 14-19.

If you are serious about enhancing your level of coaching expertise and taking your coaching and your athletes to the elite level, sign up NOW!

SPACE IS LIMITED!

**TWO SESSIONS
• July 18-23:
All Field Events, Mulit-Events, Horizontal/Vertical Jumps &Throws

• July 27-August 1:
Sprints, Hurdles, Relays, and Endurance Events

**These courses are part of the USATF Coaching Education Level I, II and III Program and involve intensive study and application. Science and technically based, they will be taught by some of USA Track & Field’s top clinicians.

USATF and the USOC Will Pay For All Costs Except Travel !

CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mike Holman: [email protected]

• Emerging Elite coaches will be selected to attend and participate in these Coaches Camps, generally 10 per event.
• Coaches are responsible for their travel expenses. USATF/USOC will provide transportation to and from the San Diego Airport along with housing and meals.
• USATF Men’s & Women’s Development Committees, High Performance Committee, and Coaches Education Committee will provide world-class to serve as Camp Clinicians.

PARTICIPATING COACHES WILL:
• Attend and observe all classroom and field sessions in their respective event(s).
• Take part in interactive coaches “Rap Sessions.”
• Receive written handouts and complete a follow-up evaluation.
• Have the opportunity to engage in informal discussions before, after, and between camp sessions with the instructor staff and other participating coaches.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION:
Coaches will be selected based on their record of developing athletes in their respective event area(s) of expertise to the State and National levels, and their projected potential to develop future Olympic medalists. These camps are designed to enhance the expertise of current elite-level high school, club, and college coaches with the goal of them joining our nation’s finest developers of Olympic World Championship medalists in their respective events.

SELECTION:
Selection will be based on nominations from USATF Development Committee Event Coordinators, USATF Coaches Education representatives, the National H.S. Senate members, and by application.

SCA Road Running GP – Brentwood 10K Results

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Brentwood 10K
Sunday, June 7, 2009

BRENTWOOD, CA—The customary Southern California “June Gloom” marine layer magically gave way to a warm, sunny Sunday morning as members of Southern California USA Track & Field raced for points in the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix at the Brentwood 10K.

Mary Akor – Winner Women’s 10K

Southern California USATF members took top honors in the popular Los Angeles race—the 3rd race in the inaugural 7-race Grand Prix Road Running Series. The first place women’s finisher was Mary Akor with a time of 35:17. Mary also won the 2008 Southern California USATF Half-Marathon Championship at the International City Bank race in Long Beach last October. She was pleased with her winning time, noting that she was using the Brentwood 10K as a tune-up race for the June 20th Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota.

The second and third place women’s finishers were Erika Aklufi (36:12) and Tania Fischer (36:55), both members of the The Janes Elite Racing Team. Every member of The Janes who raced on Sunday placed among the top-3 finishers in their respective 5-year age-group, including Sissel Berntsen-Heber, chair of the Southern California USATF Masters Road Running Committee.

Team competition in the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix has been spirited and The Janes managed to edge-out Team Runners High by just one point for the highest single club score—4,148 points to the 4,147 points that Team Runners High scored at the Coaster 5K in March! In overall team point totals, the leader is Track Club LA with 7,809 pts by virtue of their having competed in two Grand Prix races. To qualify for end-of-year awards, teams must compete in at least four Grand Prix races with five finishers. Four races remain on the 2009 calendar, leaving lots of opportunities for any Southern California USATF Club to take the lead.

Eulogio Rodriguez – Winner Men’s 10K

Barely a month after a runaway win at the OC Marathon, Eulogio Rodriguez battled it out with fellow USATF runner Peter Magill for first place in the men’s division. Eli ran in tandem with Peter for most of the race, then pulled away at the finish for a :15 second victory in 31:48. Eli has now competed in all three Grand Prix races to date, each time scoring well into nationally-ranked mid-800 point range and taking the overall lead in men’s grand prix points.

Peter Magill, however, is his senior by 22-years, making his age-graded score an incredible 935 points. The only other Grand Prix runner to reach the 900 point level is Jimmy Grabow, who won the Coaster Run 5K in 14:16. While Eli is in position to win the 2009 Grand Prix title, it is still possible for other elite runners to challenge his lead with four races remaining in the Series.

For the current Grand Prix Scoring totals visit www.scagrandprix.org.

On the women’s side, Rosalva Bonilla is in position to claim the 2009 Women’s Grand Prix title. Like Eli, Rosalva has competed in all three grand prix races todate and accrued an impressive average score of 822.7 points across the 5K, 10K, and marathon distances! She shows no signs of slowing down and plans to race the Semana Nautica 15K on July 4—the next grand prix race in the Series.

All told, 33 Southern California Association members competed in the Brentwood 10K, bringing the total number of participants in the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix Series to 93.

The Grand Prix Series will hit its mid-point on July 4 at Semana Nautica 15K race with many talented USATF runners from the Santa Barbara area joining the competition. That race could see new contenders emerge in the competition, or solidify the hopes of the current leaders for cash prizes and awards at the conclusion of the inaugural 2009 Road Running Grand Prix

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