Wily, Ortlund Win Inaugural XTERRA Silver Comet Trail Titles
HIRAM, Ga. – (June 28, 2009) – The inaugural XTERRA Silver Comet Trail Run was held on Sunday in Georgia’s Homer Leggett Park. Several hundred runners crossed the finish line on this unusually hot and humid day, but it was Holly Ortlund and Chris Wiley who took the titles for the women’s and men’s races respectively.
In the men’s race, 2008 series standout Chris Wiley, 40, of Atlanta, blazed his way to the 6.2 mile finish line in 35 minutes, 39 seconds. With an almost undefeated XTERRA record, Wiley came through again finishing almost a minute ahead of Piotr Kaszkur, 28, of Powder Springs and two minutes ahead of series regular 21-year old Jason Veclotch of Tyrone, Ga.
Having won two series races already this year, Decatur’s Ortlund, 36, knows her way around the winner’s podium. Her time of 42:54 was good enough to take the women’s race over Kennesaw local Tara Mooney, 26, who came in 1 minute and 41 seconds later for the runner-up position.
Suzanne Broussard of Woodstock, GA, who came in third place for the women in 49:56, has competed in every race this season. “I have thoroughly enjoyed these races. I have always loved trail running but have rarely gotten an opportunity to race, so this is a real treat for me.”
This was the seventh of nine races in the 2009 XTERRA Georgia Trail Run Series. Leaders in the series are preparing for the chance to be crowned XTERRA Regional Champions to earn their free entry to the XTERRA Trail Running National Championship on Sunday, September 13 in Bend, Oregon. From there, top athletes have the opportunity to race against the sport’s best at the Sunday, December 6 XTERRA Trail Running World Championship on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.
For more information and complete race results, go to: www.XTERRAtrailrun.com
Upcoming XTERRA Georgia Trail Run Series Races
XTERRA Pig Trail Run 10K – Macon, GA – 07/26/09
XTERRA Rock Hawk 5K / 21K Trail Run – Eatonton, GA – 08/23/09
XTERRA Bull Mountain 21K Trail Run – Dahlonega, GA – 09/27/09 (#1 for 2010)
XTERRA Fall Fitness 5K Trail Run – Buford, GA – 10/03/09 (#2 for 2010)
XTERRA Battle at Big Creek 7K / 15K Trail Run – Roswell, GA – 11/08/09 (#3 for 2010)
XTERRA Victoria Bryant 10K Trail Run – Royston, GA – 11/29/09 (#4 for 2010)