DENVER - The Hansons-Brooks Distance Project
reclaimed the men's title and the Boulder Running
Company/adidas won the women's crown at the USATF
National Club Marathon Relay Championships in Denver,
Colorado, on Sunday. Hansons-Brooks took the lead during the first mile before
cruising to their second marathon relay title since 2003,
running 2 hours 15 minutes 36 seconds to overcome a late
rally by the Wisconsin Runner Racing Team and win by
1:44. The men of the Boulder Running Company/adidas
finished seven seconds behind Wisconsin Runner in
2:17:27, while defending champion Boulder Distance
Project was fourth in 2:21:09. The Philadelphia Runner
TC/Puma completed the top-five in 2:21:54.
In the women's race, the Boulder Running Company/adidas
team took over the lead after 10 km before going on to win
their first marathon relay championship in 2:37:34. The
Rocky Mountain Distance Team took the runner-up position
for the second consecutive year in 2:40:16. Rounding out
the top five was the Wisconsin Runner Racing Team in
third, running 2:40:58 with Fleet Feet - Brooks taking fourth
in 2:45:26 and the Big Sky Distance Project in fifth, running
2:51:20.
Clubs from Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana,
Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and
Wisconsin took part in the fourth edition of the
championships, which was hosted for the second
consecutive year by the Post-News Colorado Colfax
Marathon.
Featuring $30,000 in prize money, the marathon relay event
was the first of three club championship events in the 2007
USATF Club Championship Series. The next event will be
the USATF National Club Track & Field Championships to
be held at the famed Ichan Stadium in New York City July
13-14. The USATF National Club Cross Country
Championships at Voice of America Park in West Chester,
Ohio will conclude the 2007 series on December 8.
For more information on the 2007 USATF National Club
Marathon Relay Championships visit www.usatf.org