Vega, McGregor lead USA Running Circuit standings; Kamba wins Rhythm City Casino Race for the Jackpot
By: Jim Estes, USATF
DAVENPORT, Iowa - (July 24, 2010) - As midsummer thunderstorms blew through the Quad Cities, 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials champion Ryan Hall (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) stormed past early race leader Antonio Vega (Minneapolis, Minn.) at five miles to take the men's title at the USA 7 Mile Championships, running 32 minutes, 55 seconds. In her professional road racing debut, Lisa Koll (Fort Dodge, Iowa) easily took the women's title clocking 37:52. The national championships were hosted Saturday for the second consecutive year by the Quad-City Times Bix 7, a Midwest summer road racing tradition.
After passing the first mile in 5:04, Vega, Scott Bauhs (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and James Carney (Boulder, Colo.), separated from the pack that included Hall, Ed Moran (Williamsburg, Va.) and Sean Quigley (Philadelphia). As the leading trio approached the turnaround point, Vega held a small lead over Bauhs.
Shortly before four miles, Vega began to pull away from Bauhs and looked to be on his way to his second USA title of the year (also half-marathon), but Hall, Moran and Quigley were working together to pass Carney and were closing in on Bauhs.
Shortly after passing five miles in 23:42, Vega was caught and passed by Hall, 27, who quickly opened a five meter gap. From there, the California native cruised down the Brady Street hill for his first U.S. title since the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials and his fifth overall. Moran and Quigley also overtook Vega to finish second and third in 33:00 and 33:05 respectively. Vega held on for fourth in 33:08, while Carney finished fifth (33:21).
In the women's race, local favorite Koll, 22, became the first woman from Iowa to win the Bix 7 since 1981 as the Iowa State grad cruised to a decisive win for her first USA road title at the 36th edition. Amy Hastings (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) took the runner-up position in 38:33 with Andrea Walkonen taking third in 38:43. Rounding out the top 5 were 2008 Olympian Blake Russell (Pacific Grove, Calif.) and Lindsay Allen (Flagstaff, Ariz.) in 39:23 and 39:57 respectively.
The USA 7 Mile Championships, the sixth stop for men and the fifth for women on the 2010 USA Running Circuit (USARC), offered $50,000 in U.S. prize money with Hall and Koll taking home $12,500 or a 2010 automobile each as national champions.
The USARC, a USA Track & Field road series, features USA Championships from one mile to the marathon and attracts the best U.S. distance runners. The 2010 circuit features ten events each for men and women. Vega has retaken the lead in the men's standings with 32 points, while Katie McGregor (St. Louis Park, Minn.) tops the women with 30 points. For more information on the 2010 USA 7 Mile Championships and the USARC, visit: www.USARunningCircuit.com.
Also at the 2010 Bix 7, Ashley Kamba won the 7th Rhythm City Casino Race for the Jackpot and took home $3600. Kamba, 24, had 2.4 mile head start on the field and Ryan Hall only sighted her as he neared the finish line. The local massage therapist "beat" race champion Hall by 2 minutes, 25 seconds. Contestants have now won 5 of 7 Jackpot "races".
36th Quad-City Times Bix 7: USA 7 Mile Championship
Davenport, IA, Saturday, July 24, 2010
MEN
1) Ryan Hall (CA), 32:55, $12,500 or 2010 automobile
2) Ed Moran (VA), 33:00, $4000
3) Sean Quigley (PA), 33:05, $2500
4) Antonio Vega (MN), 33:08, $1500
5) James Carney (CO), 33:21, $1000
6) Ian Burrell (AZ), 33:24, $900
7) Ben True (OR), 33:27, $800
8) Scott Bauhs (CA), 33:28, $700
9) Andrew Carlson (AZ), 33:35, $600
10) Bobby Mack (NC), 34:04, $500
WOMEN
1) Lisa Koll (IA), 37:52, $12,500 or 2010 automobile
2) Amy Hastings (CA), 38:33, $4000
3) Andrea Walkonen (MA), 38:43, $2500
4) Blake Russell (CA), 39:23, $1500
5) Lindsay Allen (AZ), 39:57, $1000
6) Erin Moeller (IA), 40:07, $900
7) Clara Peterson (CA), 40:09, $800
8) Kim Conley (CA), 40:13, $700
9) Emily Mortensen (MI), 40:39, $600
10) Zoila Gomez (CO), 41:10, $500
Full results and more at: Bix7.com.
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