Webster, Mora, Cummins, Checkers AC run to runner-up finishes at masters cross country nationals

Results      Niagara photos  (on Facebook)

The 2021 USATF Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships were held on Sunday (17-Oct.) in Boston, Mass.  The event attracted 289 athletes from 25 states.  It was held in Franklin Park the site of the 1992 World Cross Country Championships.

Thirty eight (38) USATF Niagara members and seven teams (7) competed in the championships.  Five (5) individuals and four (4) teams from the association earned trips to the awards podium for finishing in the top three in their age divisions.

Earning silver medals for their runner-up finishes were Heather Webster (Genesee Valley Harriers), 47, of Honeoye Falls; Joseph Mora (Genesee Valley Harriers), 60, of Fayetteville; and Brian Cummins (Syracuse Track Club), 66, of Cortland.  Webster finished second in the women's 45-49 division running 20:43.  The race was won by Lorilynn Bloomer of Oregon in 19:30.  Mora's silver medal was earned in the men's 60-64 division as he crossed the line in 19:06.  Daniel King of Colorado finished nine seconds ahead of Mora in 18:57. Cummins ran 20:59 to finish behind Ken Youngers (19:30) of Georgia.

In the men's 55-59 division GVH teammates Mike Nier (56, Rochester) and Alan Evans (58, Beaver Dams) battled for the third and final podium spot.  It was Nier, who ran 18:21, that earned the  bronze medal as Evans crossed the line just one second back in 18:22.  Nat Larson of Massachusetts won in 17:31.

Amy Fakterowitz (Checkers AC), 53, of Williamsville finished third in the women's 50-54 division running 20:38.  She was just five seconds behind the runner-up Kara Haas of Massachusetts.  The race was won in 19:23 by Karolyn Bowley of Rhode Island.

The top Niagara age-graded performances were:
    Alan Evans            84.95%
    Mike Nier              83.61%
    Joseph Mora         83.10%
    Amy Fakterowitz     82.60%
    John McMahon      82.09%
    Dale Flanders        80.53%
    Todd Witzleben      80.07%

Age-graded scores mathematically "level the playing field" across age divisions, identifying those who are running closest to the world’s best for their age and gender.

In the team competition Niagara clubs earned four trips to the awards podium. In the women's 50+ division the Checkers AC finished second (27 pts) with the Genesee Valley Harriers just five points behind finishing third.  The division was won the Greater Philadelphia TC with 9 points. The scoring members for the Checkers AC squad were Amy Fakterowitz, Ann Marie Gannon, and Joann O'Loughlin.  The scoring athletes for the GVH team were Sandra Gregorich, Carol Reif, and Audra Naujokas.

The Genesee Valley men's 50+ and 70+ teams each ran to third place team finishes.  The men's 50+ team scored 65 points behind the finishes of Mike Nier, Alan Evans, Dale Flanders, Wayne Crandall, and Carl Johnston. The men's GVH 70+ team scored 33 points with  Jim May, Keith Yeates, and Jim Glinsky as the scoring members.  

Fourth place team finishes were turned in by the Genesse Valley Harriers women's 40+, Checkers AC men's 40+, Genesse Valley Harriers men's 60+ teams.

Next year's championships will be held in Boulder, CO in mid-October.