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BOSTON, Mass. - (Saturday, November 25, 2000) - Wisconsin Runner Racing Team, led by brothers Matt and Andy Downin, won the men's race at the USA Fall Cross Country Championship, while the host Boston Athletic Association won the women's championship at Franklin Park in Boston on Saturday.

Wisconsin Runner placed three harriers among the top nine overall finishers (Matt Downin, first place, 29:01; brother Andy Downin, seventh, 29:23; and Brad Kirk, ninth, 29:26) to beat runner-up Hansons Running Shop of Michigan by one point (60 to 61).

The first five runners for a declared team score by posting the lowest point total, and Hansons put five runners among the top 25 scorers, but the New England-raised Downin brothers' low points paved the way for the Wisconsin Runner victory, awarding it the title of the country's best (USA Track & Field Association) running club. Kyle Baker of Indiana Invaders was runner-up to Downin in a time of 29:05 and Chad Johnson of Hansons, was third in 29:06.

At last year's championship, Wisconsin Runner was sixth, only one place and two points behind Hansons Running Shop. On Saturday, the Wisconsin team avenged both its mid-West rival and the rest of the field. The Farm Team of California was the 1999 champion when the event was held in its home state at Long Beach and finished third this year.

Twenty-seven men's teams, including 238 finishers, contested the men's championship (9855 meters), while 132 finishers and 15 teams battled in the women's race (6017 meters).

For the victorious B.A.A. women's team, it was the club's second victory in three years, winning by a 13-point margin over runner-up Indiana Invaders (90 to 103). All five B.A.A. runners finished among the top 30 scorers - something not achieved by any other women's club - but Amy Lyman (seventh overall) was the club's only athlete among the top 10.

The victory by the B.A.A. women completed a hat trick of sorts for the club, having won the Mayor's Cup at Franklin Park on October 22 and the New England Championships at Franklin Park on November 12.

Kim Fitchen, who resides in Palo Alto, Calif. and trains with The Farm Team, but whose affiliation is with Nike International, won the women's race in 20:04. After sharing the lead for much of the race with Carrie Tollefson of adidas, Fitchen broke away over the last mile to win the individual title by 13 seconds. Tollefson was runner-up in 20:17 and Sarah Hann of Greater Lowell Road Runners, was third in 20:20.

In the Masters Division 10K championship, Thomas Dalton of Adirondack Athletic Club and Susan LaChance of Cambridge Sports Union were the individual winners. Reebok Aggies of California and Run to Win of Maine were the respective men's and women's team champions in the 40 and older division.

The 2001 USA Winter Cross Country Championship will be contested on February 17 and 18 in Vancouver, Washington. Next year's Fall Championship is scheduled for December 1, 2001 in Mobile, Alabama.

For complete results of the USA Fall Cross Country Championships, presented by the B.A.A. and adidas, go to http://www.usatfne.org

USA Fall Cross Country Championships
Boston, MA, November 25, 2000

Partly cloudy. Temperature 36°F. Wind from the Southwest at 5 mph. Relative
Humidity at 35%. Course conditions: Good, firm footing, partially frozen
turf; 99% grass and dirt

MEN'S TEAMS
1) Wisconsin Runner Racing Team, 60 points
2) Hansons Running Shop (Michigan), 61
3) The Farm Team (Calif.), 98
4) Reebok Boston, 162
5) Indiana Invaders, 180

MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP (9855 meters)
1) Matt Downin, Wisconsin Runner Racing Team, 29:01
2) Kyle Baker, Indiana Invaders, 29:05
3) Chad Johnson, Hansons Running Shop, 29:06
4) Peter Sherry, Reebok Enclave, 29:19
5) Greg Jimmerson, The Farm Team, 29:20
6) Rick Sluder, Indiana Invaders, 29:22
7) Andy Downin, Wisconsin Runner Racing Team, 29:23
8) Sandu Rebenciuc, Greater Springfield Harriers, 29:23
9) Brad Kirk, Wisconsin Runner Racing Team, 29:26
10) Nolan Swanson, unattached, 29:27

WOMEN'S TEAMS
1) Boston Athletic Association, 90 points
2) Indiana Invaders, 103
3) Fila Track West, 117
4) Reebok Boston, 128
5) Greater Lowell Road Runners, 142

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP (6017 meters)
1) Kim Fitchen, Nike, 20:04
2) Carrie Tollefson, adidas, 20:17
3) Sarah Hann, Greater Lowell Road Runners, 20:20
4) Collette Liss, Indiana Invaders, 20:25
5) Priscilla Hein, Indiana Invaders, 20:25
6) Kristen Chisum, Reebok Boston, 20:34
7) Amy Lyman, Boston Athletic Association, 20:36
8) Jenelle Deatherage, Wisconsin Runner Racing Team, 20:37
9) Kristin Harper, Fila Track West, 20:41
10) Jaime King, Hagar Hobblers, 20:44

MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP (9855 meters)

WOMEN'S TEAMS
40 and older: 1) Run to Win, 2:00:56
50 and older: 1) Liberty Athletic Club, 2:11:47
55 and older: 1) Liberty Athletic Club, 2:47:26

FEMALE AGE GROUP: 40 to 44
1) Susan LaChance, Cambridge Sports Union, 37:48

FEMALE AGE GROUP: 45 to 49
1) Susan Maslowski, Greater Lowell Road Runners, 39:07

FEMALE AGE GROUP: 50 to 54
1) Carolyn Smith-Hanna, Genesee Valley Harriers, 38:57

FEMALE AGE GROUP: 55 to 59
1) Regina Wright, Liberty Athletic Club, 49:09

MEN'S TEAMS
40 and older: 1) Reebok Aggies, 2:43:21
50 and older: 1) Central Mass Striders, 3:06:00
60 and older: 1) Wolfpit Running Club, 2:03:16

MALE AGE GROUP: 40 to 44
1) Thomas Dalton, Adirondack Athletic Club, 30:48

MALE AGE GROUP: 45 to 49
1) Kenneth Leinbach, Boston Athletic Association, 32:46

MALE AGE GROUP: 50 to 54
1) Vladimir Krivoy, unattached, 33:50

MALE AGE GROUP: 55 to 59
1) Larry Ingram, unattached, 36:30

MALE AGE GROUP: 60 to 64
1) Bill Borla, Wolfpit RC, 36:50

MALE AGE GROUP: 65 to 69
1) John Dugdale, Wolfpit RC, 40:51

MALE AGE GROUP: 70 and Over
1) John McManus, Millrose AA, 55:15

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Special thanks to 
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Coordinator for providing us this press release.
USATF Road Running Information Center
5522 Camino Cerralvo, Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 696-6252
http://www.runningusa.org
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