NACAC Mountain Running Championships

The Mexican Athletic Federation hosted the fifth North American Central American Caribbean (NACAC) Mountain Running Championship in Tepatitlan, Jalisco, Mexico, (located 50 km from Guadalajara) on Saturday, July 5. This uphill-only 13 kilometer event was a tune-up for NACAC teams preparing for the World Mountain Running Trophy (WMRT) events to be held in Sierre Crans-Montana, Switzerland on September 14.

The US women team (pictured above) won with Kasie Enman (Huntington, VT) in 1st, Alison Bryant (Elkin, NC) in 3rd and Carly Graytock (Cambridge, MA) in 4th. The Mexican women were second with Canada placing third. The US men's team was second behind Mexico. Top American runners were Shiloh Mielke (Weaverville, NC) in 3rd, Aaron Saft (Fletcher, NC) in 6th and Jason Bryant (Elkin, NC) in 9th. The Canadian men were third in the team competition.

The U.S. hosted the NACAC event in 2004 and 2005, Mexico hosted in 2006, and Canada hosted in 2007. Team USA won the first two years, but did not compete in 2006. In 2007 Team USA was again victorious in both the men’s and women’s divisions. “Jason Bryant assembled a great group of athletes this year to represent the U.S. He served as both manager and athlete on the team. We congratulate him for bringing home Silver and Gold for the U.S. men's and women's teams,” said USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Council Chairperson Nancy Hobbs.

WOMEN'S RACE 9.150 KMS.
1. KASIE ENMAN 53:55 ESTADOS UNIDOS
2. LAURA E. FLORES DÁVILA 54:07 MÉXICO
3. ALISON BRYANT 54:57 ESTADOS UNIDOS
4. CARLIE GRAYTOCK 56:00 ESTADOS UNIDOS
5. NORA LILIANA FLORES 57:14 MÉXICO
6. ALEJANDRA CADENAS 58:17 MÉXICO
7. OLIVIA YUEL 1.03:05 CANADÁ
8. BROOK SPENCE 1.04:42 CANADÁ

MEN'S RACE 9.150 KMS.
1. JUAN CARLOS CARERA 41:17 MÉXICO (ROJO)
2. RANULFO SÁNCHEZ H. 42:08 MÉXICO (ROJO)
3. SHILOH MIELKE 43:42 ESTADOS UNIDOS
4. TOMÁS PÉREZ NAVA 43:53 MÉXICO (ROJO)
5. JOSÉ ÁNGEL RAMÍREZ 44:27 MÉXICO (VERDE)
6. AARON SAFT 45:09 ESTADOS UNIDOS
7. EITALI GAMALIEL JIMÉNEZ 47:08 MÉXICO (VERDE)
8. JESÚS ARTURO ESPARZA 47:22 MÉXICO (VERDE)
9. JASON BRYANT 48:56 ESTADOS UNIDOS
10. ALEX MAGDANZ 49:22 CANADÁ
11. JOSÉ JUAN ESPARZA 50:10 MÉXICO (VERDE)
12. PHIL VILLENEUVE 52:12 CANADÁ

For additional information on the USA Mountain Running Program visit www.usmrt.com, www.trailrunner.com, and www.usatf.org.