USATF names Paul Low Mountain Runner of the Year

[USATF Press Release follows]

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION
2001 Beacon Street, Brighton MA 02135-7787
www.usatfne.org / office@usatfne.org / 617-566-7600

LOCAL ATHLETES AND ADMINISTRATORS RECOGNIZED
AT USA TRACK & FIELD NATIONAL ANNUAL MEETING

December 5, 2004 Portland OR

Athletes and administrators from the New England association of USA Track & Field (USATF-NE) received awards at the 2004 USA Track & Field (USATF) Annual Meeting in Portland Oregon during the first week of December.

Paul Low (Amherst MA / Central Mass. Striders) was named the USATF Mountain Runner of the Year for the third straight year in the Open category. Low finished 19th at the World Mountain race in Italy.
Shalane Flanagan (Marblehead MA), now attending the University of North Carolina, was honored as the USATF Female Cross Country Runner of the Year.

In the Masters (age 40+) Road Running ranks, four USATF-NE competitors were rated the top runner nationwide in their respective five year age divisions based on during the year. They are:
- Craig Fram (Plaistow NH / Whirlaway Racing Team) age 45-49
- Bill Dixon (Brattleboro VT/Greater Lowell Roadrunners) age 55-59
- Joe Fernandez (Fairhaven MA MA / NE 65+ Running Club) age 75-79
- Jan Bober (Burlington MA / Heartbreak Hill Striders) age 60-64

In other masters’ awards, Masters Race Walking ranked Marcia Gutsche-Rutledge (Newton MA / NE Walkers) the top female walker age 40-44, and Masters Track and Field selected
Flo Meiler (Shelburne VT) as the top multi-event athlete for the year

Two local administrators were recognized by various committees for their work in the sport.
- Steve Vaitones (Waltham MA) was elected vice-chairman of the Men’s and Women’s Race Walking Committee
- Lance Turley (Nashua NH) was elected East Zone Coordinator for the Youth Athletics Committee

For more information on these individuals, or on USA Track & Field national and New England programs, contact USATF-NE, (617) 566-7600 / office@usatfne.org.
Complete reports from the USATF Annual Meeting can be found at www.usatf.org.