2008 Boilermaker 15K opens 2008-09 PRRO Circuit
Top road racers converged on Utica, New York for the 31st Utica Boilermaker 15K, and two runners - Terefe Maregu and Ashu Rabo Kasim - reached the finish with a head start on earning the $35,000 bonus offered in the 2008-09 Professional Road Running Organization Circuit (PRRO Circuit). The Boilermaker, on Sunday, July 13, was the inaugural event of the 2008-09 PRRO Circuit, and the first chance for athletes to begin chasing the PRRO Circuit Bonus, which has grown to $35,000 for the new season.
"The male and female champions at Boilermaker will be first out of the blocks in chasing the PRRO Circuit purse," said PRRO President Don Kardong. "After Boilermaker, they just need to win one other PRRO Circuit event to be eligible to contest for the bonus at the 2009 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race."
To be eligible for the bonus, an athlete must win two of the four qualifying PRRO events, which include the 2008 Boilermaker 15K and 2009 races: World's Best 10K in San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 1; Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile in Washington, DC on April 5 and Lilac Bloomsday 12K in Spokane, WA on May 3 plus the PRRO Championship at the AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, GA on July 4. The bonus is paid out in addition to the prize money at the individual events. The bonus is split if an eligible male and female both win the Championship at Peachtree.
Only Lineth Chepkurui won at least two of the four PRRO events during the 2007-08 season, but the Kenyan star is nursing a sore hamstring and couldn't compete at this year's AJC Peachtree Road Race. This sets the stage for the PRRO Circuit Bonus to grow to $35,000 for 2008-09. The bonus increases by $5000 each year it is unclaimed.
Tracey Russell, Director of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race, added, "We hope we will have one if not two athletes vying for the $35,000 Circuit Bonus at Peachtree in 2009. This would create a very exciting finale to the 2008-09 PRRO Championship Season."
Boilermaker race director Jim Stasaitis is equally enthusiastic. "We're proud to be the inaugural event of each PRRO Championship Circuit season," he said. "And we hope athletes take advantage of the opportunity to get a leg up on other runners in earning the $35,000 bonus."
The PRRO Circuit offers world class competition for athletes of all nations in events at less than the marathon distance. The circuit has shown its commitment to a drug-free sport by funding mandatory drug testing for professional athletes at all the PRRO Circuit events. The testing is carried out by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.RunningUSA.org.
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