Runner's & Triathlete's Web (RWire) Athletics: Semick's Silver Leads USA to Team Silver Medal at 100K World Cup in Italy

World champions Calcaterra, Zhirkova propel Italy and Russia to team titles

From the IAAF and Jim Estes, USATF

TARQUINIA, Italy - (November 8, 2008) - Kami Semick (Bend, Ore.) finished second and won the silver medal on Saturday at the IAU 100K World Cup in Tarquinia, Italy, leading an outstanding U.S. team performance. Semick's time of 7 hours, 33 minutes, 58 seconds made her the second fastest U.S. woman for 62 plus miles (only ultra superstar Ann Trason is faster) and also lead Team USA to the team silver medal.

Meghan Arbogast (Corvallis, Ore.) finished sixth in 7:52:21, while Devon Crosby-Helms (San Francisco, Calif.) rounded out the U.S. team scoring (three fastest score in time total), finishing tenth in 8:01:52. Connie Gardner (Medina, Ohio) was 29th (8:42:13). Tatyana Zhirkova of Russia crossed the finish line over 10 minutes before Semick as the world champion clocked a swift 7:23:33 to propel the Russian women to the team title.

In the men's race, Giorgio Calcaterra of Italy handily captured the world title in 6:37:41 over Poland's Jaroslaw Janicki who ran 6:40:04. The host country also put 4 men in the top 8 to win the team title. First-time Team USA member Michael Wardian (Arlington, Va.) led the American men, finishing ninth in 7:06:35. Adam Lint (Seattle, Wash.) finished in 50th place in 8:06:35 and Greg Crowther (Seattle, Wash.), 74th (9:04:54).

The 100K asphalt circuit was a mainly flat course (with some alternating hills and uphills). The first 37K went from Tuscania to Tarquinia, followed by a 14K circuit, which was repeated 4 times (56K). The final section, composed of about 7K, led to the finish in Tarquinia at the Piazza Cavour.

IAU 100K World Cup - Tarquinia, Italy, Saturday, November 8, 2008

MEN
1) Giorgio Calcaterra (ITA), 6:37:41
2) Jaroslaw Janicki (POL), 6:40:04
3) Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP), 6:53:44
4) Anssi Raittila (FIN), 6:56:49
5) Christophe Buquet (FRA), 6:57:59
6) Marco D'Innocenti (ITA), 6:58:43
7) Andrea Rigo (ITA), 6:59:02
8) Francesco Caroni (ITA), 6:59:54
9) Michael Wardian (USA), 7:06:35
10) Igor Tyazhkorob (RUS), 7:07:46
Other U.S.
50) Adam Lint (USA), 8:06:35
74) Greg Crowther (USA), 9:04:54

TEAM
1) Italy, 20:35:26
2) France, 21:44:40
3) Spain, 21:49:07 

WOMEN
1) Tatyana Zhirkova (RUS), 7:23:33
2) Kami Semick (USA), 7:33:58
3) Monica Carlin (ITA), 7:35:38
4) Irina Vishnevskaya (RUS), 7:38:40
5) Hiroko Sho (JPN), 7:46:35
6) Meghan Arbogast (USA), 7:52:21
7) Mai Fujisawa (JPN), 7:55:48
8) Marina Bychknova (RUS), 7:56:38
9) Mazuho Izutsu (JPN), 7:59:48
10) Devon Crosby-Helms (USA), 8:01:52
Other U.S.
29) Connie Gardner (USA), 8:42:13

TEAM
1) Russia, 22:58:49 
2) USA, 23:28:11
3) Japan, 23:42:11

For results, go to: TDS-Live.com

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.RunningUSA.org.