Gore-Tex Transalpine-Run
Salomon Trail Team Set the Pace
News Release / 06.09.2010
British racers Andrew Symonds and Tom Owens of “SALOMON TRAIL TEAM� clocked in after 02:48.29 hours at the finish line on this first of eight days of gruelling running. Handily winning the first stage, the two athletes repeated last year’s feat by laying down the challenge once again, upping an already blistering pace towards the end.
Tom Owens shared that “despite it being a hard day, we felt good and didn’t have any problems with the technical sections�. His team mate Andrew added that “It was good weather for running. The rain stopped eventually and it was pleasant not to be sweating much�. The next days will show whether they were able to intimidate their most immediate competition with their opening performance.
After all, there is a strong field of runners on their heels and second-ranking Matthias Dippacher and Christian Stork (“ORTHOMOL SPORT TEAM) managed to reach St. Ulrich in only 02:56.25 hours. Losing less than eight minutes on the leaders gained the German team second position on the podium. Third in place were newcomers Brenton Knight and Brandon Newbould (TEAM SKINNY RAVEN, USA, 03:00.14 hours) who spent little more than three hours on the trail.
<b>Well known faces lead the Masters</b>
Last year’s victors of the Master category Thomas Miksch and Philipp Anton of “BLT LAUFSPORT SAUKEL-HAGLÖFSâ€? also managed to distance themselves from their closest contenders today with a winning time of 03:05.05 hours. Their lead of 20 minutes ahead of the Spaniards Juanjo Checa Alonso und Rodriguez Bustillo of “TEAM BUFFâ€? (03:25.52) will allow them to start from a relatively comfortable position tomorrow morning.
Nonetheless, the Spanish team definitely has to be reckoned with and today’s third-ranking team ‘MTP-Hersbruck’ (Sven Guis and Werner Haas), who finished in 03:29.33 could also put a sizeable dent into the leader’s headway.
<b>Angela Mudge claims top position with new team mate</b>
She was the fastest woman in 2009 on the trail, beat countless men’s teams along the way and started off today on the 2010 GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN without batting an eyelid at the strong competition.
Angela Mudge and her new running partner Chunky Liston, members of the British “SALOMON TRAIL TEAM�, clearly didn’t have any intention of dilly-dallying along today’s wet trails. Their winning time of 03:09.34 hours gave them a lead of over 20 minutes on the strong, second-placing South Africans Linda Doke and Ryan Sanders (SALOMON / VELOCITY SPORTS LAB, 03:20.02). Not exactly right on their backs but close enough to be a worry were Seppi Neuhauser and Gaby Steigmeier (TEAM SALOMON), both are old hands at this race and they ran to third place in 03:21.35.
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