Staff Named for 2009 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team

The 2009 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team will travel to Campodolcino, Italy, to compete in the 25th World Mountain Running Championships on September 6. A seasoned staff that collectively has more than 30 years experience in team management will accompany the team at next year’s events.

Richard Bolt, Portland, OR, has been named Team Leader for the seventh consecutive year. Prior to 2003 Bolt was an athlete member of the team in 1999 and 2002. He was the third U.S. finisher at the 1999 World Trophy and at the 1999 Challenge Stellina Race in Susa, Italy. Bolt has been a top finisher in the USATF New England mountain running circuit from 1996 through 2005 as well a regular top ten finisher at the prestigious Mt. Washington Hill Climb. Bolt also competed in the 1992, 1994, and 1998 U.S. Olympic Trials and was an All-American Nordic skier. Bolt is a former member of USATF’s New England Board of Governors, and now represents Mountain Ultra Trail on the USATF Oregon long distance running committee and just received the 2008 USATF Scott Hamilton Award from the Men’s Long Distance Running Committee for his volunteer service. Bolt serves as the men’s mountain rep to the USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Council.

“Our team has seen increased depth which has resulted in higher place finishes on the international stage. We have enjoyed medals – both individual and team – and look forward to another strong showing in 2009,” said Bolt.

Dave Dunham, Bradford, MA has been named Team Manager of the Junior Team for the fourth consecutive year. Dunham has competed for the U.S. at seven World Mountain Running Trophy events finishing on the podium in 1993 as a silver medalist and as the top U.S. finisher six times. He has also been a manager of the men’s team. He is a race director for both mountain and snowshoe races and was the founder of the USATF New England Mountain Running Circuit. Diversified as an athlete, Dunham has also been on two 100km World Cup Teams, he was an Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, and is a national 24-hour Rogaining Champion.
“We've set the bar very high with the junior women's team taking home a silver medal in 2007 and an individual bronze medal last year. The junior men continue to impress with a best finish last year in fourth place among the teams. I hope to build on our success and recruit an even stronger team in 2009 and with some of last year’s athletes still eligible for the junior squad, I’m confident we’ll be in the medal hunt in Italy,” said Dunham.

Ellen Miller, Vail, CO will be the women’s manager for the fourth consecutive year. She is an accomplished athlete and coach with an extensive background in high altitude mountaineering. Miller has successfully summitted Mt. Everest two times. She was named Colorado Sportswoman of the Year 2002. She competed on the Fila Skyrunning Team and qualified for events in Europe and Tibet and also competed internationally as a professional adventure racer. She was the 2005 USATF Masters Marathon Trail Running Champion, is a Level 2 USATF Coach, and founded the “Mountain Divas,” a women’s sports program in Vail which she presently directs.

“It is an honor and a privilege to continue working with such an esteemed group of athletes and coaches who represent the best in mountain running in the U.S. Our Teva U.S. Women's Teams are twice gold medalists, and our women's program has evolved significantly since Nancy Hobbs started the program in 1995. It is exciting and rewarding to have the opportunity to work with top female athletes, and to give back to a sport which has given so much to me. Hopefully sharing my own experiences as a mountain runner, adventure racer, and climber — both at home and abroad — will help these athletes reach their full potential,” said Miller.

Since 2002 the U.S. team has been sponsored by Teva, the title sponsor and official footwear of the team. SportHill is the official team apparel sponsor. Fleet Feet Sports-Boulder, Wicked Fast Sports Nutrition, OrthoLite, and Windermere Real Estate of Teton Valley are official team sponsors and CW-X Conditioning Wear, Costa Del Mar, KINeSYS, FuelBelt, and Youth Runner magazine are product sponsors.

Selection races for the 2009 team include the Mount Cranmore 10km on June 28 in North Conway, NH, which will serve as the USA Mountain Running Championships and the NACAC Mountain Running Championships, and the Cheyenne Canon Mountain Race on July 26 in Colorado Springs, CO.