Salem, Mass

1997 Race for Total Grand Prix Points Virtually Over as CMS Quadruples

Despite a starting time temperature in the low 90's with high humidity and the location of the race being in Salem, Massachusetts, a long trek for most CMS members, a sizable contingent of CMS members materialized for the Salem Heritage Days 10K, the third race in this year's USATF-NE Grand Prix. When the final runner had crossed the finish line and USATF-NE had calculated the results, CMS had all but assured itself of yet another overall Grand Prix title. CMS finished first in three scoring divisions - the men's open, women's masters and men's m asters, second in two others - women's open and women's masters, and third in the men's seniors. CMS was also first in the men's veterans' competition which is being contested this year for the first time and is a non-scoring division. The points amassed by CMS in Salem, added to those already scored at Stu's 30K and the Yankee Homecoming 10M, all but guarantee that CMS will once again top the Grand Prix total point standings.

The CMS women's masters' team made it three for three this year in the Grand Prix, topping the second-place Liberty Athletic Club by over 15 minutes. Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley (Chaplin, CT), Marge Bellisle (Warren, RI) and Terri Martland (Newport, RI) finished 1-2-3 among all female masters in scoring for CMS. An impressive total of eleven clubs fielded teams in the women's masters' competition. A CMS team comprised of Mary Ryczek (Longmeadow), Laura Beckwith (Holden) and Dianne Von Voorhis (Ashby) placed 2nd to Liberty in the women's seniors' division. Mary finished second among all competing female seniors. Mary, Laura and Dianne have scored in all three of this year's Grand Prix races.

Just as she did two weeks earlier at the Yankee Homecoming 10M in Newburyport, Mimi Corcoran (Mendon) combined with members of the masters' team who downscored to give CMS a second-place finish to the Boston Athletic Association in the women's open division. The four masters were Rebecca, Marge, Terri Martland (Newport, RI) and Mary Lammi (Spencer). Mimi placed a strong second to Elena Viasova of the Ukraine. Viasova is temporarily residing in Cambridge and was the 1988 Bronze medalist in the 10K. In add ition to their 1-2 masters' finish, Rebecca and Marge placed 9th and 10th overall in the women's competition. Mary deserves the tough competitor of the day award. After being in 5th place overall near the three-mile mark, Mary collapsed with heat exhaustion. Nevertheless, she managed to revive and somehow make it to the finish line.

After disappointing third-place finishes at both Stu's and Yankee Homecoming, the CMS men's masters' team turned the tables and outran the favored Greater Lowell Road Runners and the Tri-Valley Front Runners. Scoring were Wayne Jacob (Mystic, CT), who fi nished 2nd among masters, Geary Daniels (Dudley), Jerry Learned (Hopkinton), John Boyle (Newburyport), who downscored from the seniors' division for the second consecutive Grand Prix race, and Bob Hodge (Clinton). Making the victory extra special was a co mment made during the race by a representative of a CMS rival team who, while looking at the CMS roster, said, "That team doesn't have a chance against Lowell and Tri-Valley."

For the men's open team, the beat goes on. The team won its 18th consecutive Grand Prix race dating back to 1994 when it finished second at the 8K championship. The win all but insures that the men's open team will finish first in the Grand Prix for the 13th consecutive year. As reported in a Cool Running article about the Salem Heritage 10K, the last time CMS failed to win the men's open title in the Grand Prix, Ronald Reagan was President. Scoring were Darin Shearer (Cambridge), who finished second to Houssine Siba of Morocco, Ted Towse (Holyoke), Craig Fram (Plaistow, NH), Adam Hersh (Hanover, NH) and George Adams (Keene, NH). Ted, Craig, Adam and George placed 3rd, 6th, 8th and 12th respectively. For Darin, the race was a rare venture away from track and at a distance over 3000 meters. If the other thirteen clubs which fielded teams in the men's open division had combined all of their runners and competed as a single entity, CMS would have still won the team competition by over one minute.

John Boyle, Glenn Sauder (Marlboro), George Kasierski (Northbridge), Peter Orni (Fitchburg) and Ray Boutotte (Pepperell) combined to give CMS third-place finish in the men's seniors' division. For the second straight Grand Prix race, John, who won Salem Heritage outright in 1987, finished second in the seniors' division to Larry Olsen of the Tri-Valley Front Runners.

In the experimental men's veterans' competition, three long-time CMS members - Paul McDermott (Fitchburg), Stu Thurston (Boylston) and Stan Vancelette (Amherst, NH) - scored in the win. Stu and Stan have been CMS members since the late 1970's.

Above and beyond the first, second and third place finishes for CMS at Salem, perhaps the best indication of how pervasive was the presence of CMS as a team is the fact that CMS was the only club which fielded teams in all seven competitive divisions.

Teams

Men's Open (Top 8 of 14)

1. Central Mass Striders 2:39:16 2. Boston Athletic Association 2:46:04 3. Greater Lowell Road Runners 2:47:48 4. Whirlaway Racing Team 2:49:32 5. Merrimack Valley Striders 2:51:43 6. Greater Boston Track Club 2:52:10 7. North Shore Striders 2:52:39 8. Tri-Valley Front Runners 2:54:50

Women's Open (8 of 8)

1. Boston Athletic Association 3:04:50 2. Central Mass Striders 3:12:50 3. Boston Running Club 3:23:17 4. Cambridge Sports Union 3:33:27 5. Greater Lowell Road Runners 3:35:51 6. Greater Boston Track Club 3:52:30 7. Merrimack Valley Striders 3:56:10 8. North Shore Striders 4:05:45

Men's Masters (Top 8 of 13)

1. Central Mass Striders 2:52:10 2. Greater Lowell Road Runners 2:52:58 3. Tri-Valley Front Runners 2:54:50 4. Boston Athletic Association 3:06:34 5. Cambridge Sports Union 3:07:13 6. Greater Springfield Harriers 3:17:14 7. Merrimack Valley Striders 3:21:27 8. North Medford Club 3:22:15

Women's Masters (Top 8 of 11)

1. Central Mass Striders 1:57:09 2. Liberty Athletic Club 2:12:19 3. Boston Athletic Association 2:12:24 4. Cambridge Sports Union 2:16:14 5. Boston Running Club 2:32:21 6. North Shore Striders 2:32:57 7. Greater Lowell Road Runners 2:36:49 8. Merrimack Valley Striders 2:42:42

Men's Seniors (5 of 5)

1. Cambridge Sports Union 3:13:14 2. Greater Lowell Road Runners 3:18:39 3. Central Mass Striders 3:19:17 4. Merrimack Valley Striders 3:28:30 5. Boston Athletic Association 3:32:27

Women's Seniors (3 of 3)

1. Liberty Athletic Club 2:12:19 2. Central Mass Striders 2:30:01 3. Boston Running Club 2:32:21

Men's Veterans (3 of 3)

1. Central Mass Striders 2:19:34 2. Boston Athletic Association 2:25:04 3. New England 65+ 3:11:57

Individual Results

As with all USATF-NE Grand Prix race results, the following do not include CMS members who competed for a club other than CMS nor those who failed to list CMS as the club of affiliation.

1. Houssine Siba (Morocco) 29:55

2. Darin Shearer 31:25

3. Ted Towse 31:40

4. Jesse Darley (GBTC) 31:49

5. John Barbour (GLRR) -1m- 31:53

6. Craig Fram 31:54

7. Rob Pierce (TNB) 31:59

8. Adam Hersh 32:00

9. Peter Hammer (BRC) 32:01

10. James Miller (SSR) 32:04

12. George Adams 32:17

16. Jeff Sullivan 32:41

23. Rich Marion 32:54

25. Wayne Jacob -2m- 32:57

26. Larry Olsen (TVFR) -1s/3m- 32:59

31. Byrne Decker 33:31

37. Geary Daniels 34:15

40. Jerry Learned 34:21

49. Elena Viasova (Ukraine) -1f- 34:40

55. John Boyle -2s- 34:59

57. Mimi Corcoran -2f- 35:03

67. Bob Hodge 35:38

68. Julie Peterson (BAA) -3f- 35:42

85. Joe Hall 36:19

89. Frank Rucki 36:32

111. Rich Ovian 37:22

119. Roger Nasatka 37:32

134. Rebecca Stockdale- Woolley -1fm- 38:04

156. Marge Bellisle -2fm- 39:01

167. Glenn Sauder 39:29

189. Terri Martland -3fm- 40:04

194. George Kasierski 40:16

206. Mary Lammi 40:38

213. Peter Orni 40:49

225. Susan Gustafson (LAC) -1fs- 41:15

270. Rick Hebert 42:38

300. Mary Ryczek -2fs- 43:17

313. Ray Boutotte 43:44

344. Paul McDermott 44:42

351. Cheryl Buckley 45:03

422. Stu Thurston 46:38

492. Stan Vancelette 48:14

577. Laura Beckwith 50:53

689. Dianne Von Voorhis 55:51

(888f - clear; low 90's; humid; results courtesy of USATF-NE)

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Page revd August 18, 1997, barry