Posted: September 17, 2007

Athletics (RWire): Past Champions Headline 26th Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon October 7

Prize purse exceeds $300,000; also USA Masters Marathon Championship MINNEAPOLIS - Past Twin Cities Marathon champions Augustus Kavutu, Kim Pawelek, Irina Bogacheva, women's course record holder Zina Semenova and two-time defending USA Masters champion Susan Loken are set to return to compete for more than $300,000 in prize money at the 26th Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday, October 7, 2007. After a two year hiatus, 2004 Twin Cities Marathon champion Kenyan Augustus Kavutu headlines the men's field, which is filled with runners who have won marathons over the past year. Wesley Ngetich, 2007 Grandma's Marathon winner, is scheduled to race, as is Kenyan Fred Mogaka, who won the Los Angeles Marathon in April. Jonathan Ndambuki, another Kenyan, who won the 2006 Cal International Marathon, and 2004 Olympian from St. Lucia, Zepherinus Joseph will also toe the line. The deep men's field will have more than 25 runners with personal bests of 2:20 or better. The women's field will feature three former Twin Cities Marathon champions. Three-time winner and course record holder Zina Semenova of Russia returns to the field as a master; 2004 Athens Olympian Irina Bogacheva of Kyrgyzstan won the 2002 Twin Cities Marathon and Kim Pawelek of Jacksonville, FL, the 1999 Twin Cities Marathon winner and national champion. Rounding out the women's field are 2007 Grandma's Marathon champion and member of the 2007 U.S. World Championship marathon team Mary Akor of Glendale, CA; Russian Svetlana Ponomarenko who won the 2006 Dallas White Rock Marathon last December and another 2004 Athens Olympian Tatiana Borisova of Kyrgyzstan. Making her marathon debut is Caroline Cretti, 22, of Blowing Rock, NC who was 5th at the USA 25K Championship in May. For the 17th consecutive year, the Medtronic Twin Cites Marathon will host the USA Masters Championship. Phoenix resident and reigning USA Masters champion Susan Loken is looking to improve on her personal best of 2:41:33 set at the 2006 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon. Challenging Loken for the women's masters title will be Michelle Simonaitis, Draper, UT; Doreen McCoubrie, Malvern, PA and Tere Stouffer, Sevierville, TN. The men's masters field includes 1996 Olympian Sean Wade of Houston, TX. Chasing Wade will be 2004 USA Masters Marathon champion Dennis Simonaitis of Draper, UT and Paul Aufdemberge of Redford, MI. Aufdemberge will be joined by Kenyan Gideon Mutisya who beat Aufdemberge at the Crim 10 Mile in Michigan on August 25. Visit MTCMarathon.org for more information. Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director (805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016 Ryan@RunningUSA.org www.RunningUSA.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest