INDIANAPOLIS - Team USA took eighth place at the 2008 International Chiba Ekiden Monday in Chiba, Japan, finishing in 2:11:54. Ethiopia dominated the event with a course record of 2:05:27, defeating host team Japan by 1:12. Russia was third in 2:08:04.
Team USA was led off by 2007 Pan American Games 5,000 meter gold medalist Ed Moran (Williamsburg, Va.) who ran the opening 5 km in 13:47 to finish fifth on his leg. Carrie Messner Vickers (Vail, Colo.), ran the second 5 km leg in 16:16, handing off to Sean Quigley (Braintree, Mass.), who ran the 10 km third leg in 29:00. After Quigley's leg, Team USA stood in sixth place as Allison Grace (Blowing Rock, N.C.), ran the 5 km fourth leg in 16:46, putting Team USA in eighth.
On the fifth leg, 2004 Olympian Dan Browne (Portland, Ore.) turned in a 31:10 10 km with Team USA in ninth as he turned the sash over to Tera Moody. Moody ran 24:55 for the final 7.195 km leg, crossing the line eighth.
Now in its 20th year, the format of the race featured mixed teams of men and women running six alternating legs totaling 42.195 km as follows: 1st leg, Men 5 km; 2nd leg, Women 5 km; 3rd leg, Men 10 km; 4th leg, Women 5 km; 5th leg, Men 10 km; 6th leg, Women 7.195 km.
David Jankowski (Rochester Hills, Mich.) and Teresa McWalters (Cambridge, Mass.) each finished second in the respective men's and women's alternate's races.
For more information on the 2008 Chiba International Ekiden visit USATF.org.
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