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Former Stanford star Lauren Fleshman wins Sunday's Seattle Open Cross
Country Classic 4-Kilometer race in meet record time
(Seattle, WA)-In perhaps one of the most scintillating
performances in the six years of the Seattle Open Cross Country Classic,
former Stanford University star Lauren Fleshman won the women's
4-kilometer title today at Seattle's Lincoln Park in a time of 13:51,
breaking the course record by 75 seconds.
Fleshman, a three-time NCAA champion for the Cardinal
at 5000 meters on the track, and a 14-time NCAA All American during her
career on "The Farm",, took charge of the race shortly after the
2000-meter mark, hotly pursued by her former Stanford teammate Malindi
Elmore, who currently resides in Calgary, AB.
As the pair ran towards the south end of the park, Fleshman began
pulling away from Elmore, stretching her lead to 13 seconds over the
final lap of the Lincoln Park course. Elmore also finished the race
under the course record, running a time of 14: 04. In fact, third place
finisher Tracy Robertson-Frack, a former University of Arkansas
standout, also ducked under the previous course record time of 15:06 set
by Club Northwest's Mindy Leffler in 2001, running 15:00.
For her efforts, Fleshman, who was a member of Team USA at 5000 meters
at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Paris last year, won
$100.00, plus a course record bonus.
"This is perhaps one of the best races we've ever seen in the history of
the Seattle Open", said race director Paul Merca. "Lauren and Malindi
went after it right from the get-go. They've known each other's strength
and weaknesses and they just went out and raced.
They certainly brought the best out of each other today."
Three-time Seattle Open women's 6-kilometer champion Tina Connelly of
Port Coquitlam, B.C., added a fourth title to her resume, easily winning
the race in a time of 20:46. While Connelly, a 2000 Canadian Olympian at
10000 meters was pleased with the victory, but was disappointed that she
did not regain her Seattle Open course record time of 20:29 that she
lost to fellow countrywoman Emilie Mondor last year.
Former University of Puget Sound All-American Dave Davis, easily won the
men's 8-kilometer race, cruising to victory in a time of 24:41, while
University of Portland freshman Michael Kilburg from Sammamish, a
graduate of Seattle's O'Dea High, won the men's 4-kilometer race in a
time of 13:31.
All four winners earned $100.00 today; however, Kilburg is ineligible to
receive any prize money due to NCAA regulations.
The Seattle Open Cross Country Classic, presented by Reebok, with
assistance from the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, Talking
Rain, the Pacific Northwest Association of USA Track & Field, Pike Place
Bagels, and Active.com, is one of a series of low-cost, high performance
cross country races across the country this winter designed to help
runners prepare for events such as the USA Cross Country Championships
in two weeks in Indianapolis, IN., and the IAAF World Cross Country
Championships in March in Brussels, Belgium.
--end-
Seattle Open Men's & Women's 4k Results
453 Michael Kilburg U of Portland M18 13:31
469 Jamie Epp Kajaks TC M 13:50
455 Lauren Fleshman Nike F22 13:51
454 John Hoeck U of Portland M18 13:57
470 Jeff Symonds Kajaks TC M 14:00
473 Malindi Elmore Asics/Canada F22 14:04
477 Kenny Johnson Juanita HS M18 14:59
452 Tracy Robertson-Frack Asics/Canada F26 15:00
474 David Takeshita Unattached M33 15:44
457 Markus Dennis Sea Run Co M33 15:45
475 Julian Cowan Unattached M13 15:51
476 Shelley Neal Club NW F42 16:16
462 Shannon Elmer UBC F 17:23
463 Kate Jardine UBC F 18:39
464 Stephanie Markovich UBC F 19:08
460 Gary Wright Unattached M65 24:17
459 Jimmy Smith Unattached M63 26:52
Seattle Open Women's 6k Results
450 Tina Connelly BC/Nike 20:46
465 Alison Rendell BC/Kajaks 21:41
479 Melinda Campbell WA/Greater Boise RC 23:19
480 Kelly Kruell OR/Club NW 24:52
Seattle Open 8k Results
478 Dave Davis OR/Nike 24:41
481 Angelo Baca WA/Wings 25:54
482 Chris Charles WA/Sea Run Co 26:00
471 Morgan Titus BC/Univ of BC 26:07
458 Dean Janz WA/Sea Run Co 28:06
http://www.clubballard.com
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