Teva Mountain Games 10k Trail Race

Vail, CO --- Coloradoans Rickey Gates, 27, Aspen, and Laura Haefeli, 40, Del Norte, were victorious at today’s 10km Trail Race, one of the final events of the seventh annual Teva Mountain Games. Gates and Haefeli were members of the 2007 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team and both hope for a top finish at the USA Mountain Running Championships to be held on June 21 in Gorham, NH at the Mount Washington Road Race which would earn them berths on the 2008 mountain team.

With $5,000 in prize money at stake, the event attracted top mountain runners to the start line including, on the men’s side, top U.S. finisher at last year’s World Mountain Running Trophy event, Payton Batliner (pictured left), 24, (Boulder, CO) – who like Haefeli and Gates is preparing to race at Mount Washington – and multi-time mountain team member Simon Gutierrez, Alamosa, now a masters athlete, who is still giving the younger competitors a run for the money. Add to the mix a race day entrant – Kenyan Meshack Kirwa, 33, and Joseph Gray, 24, Oklahoma City, OK, a former collegiate steeplechaser who is hoping to earn a spot on his first Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team this year.

For the women, Haefeli, individual bronze medalist and team gold medalist from the 2007 World Mountain Running Trophy, was the pre-race favorite. At last year’s event Haefeli placed second. Third place finisher from last year and U.S. team member at last year’s NACAC Mountain Racing Team Brandy Erholtz, 33, Bailey, CO, was also slated to race. Erholtz, like Gray, hopes to make her first Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team this year.

Complete results at www.tevamountaingames.com