Results The 2025 USATF Niagara 5 km Championships, hosted by the Oak Tree 5K in Geneseo, NY on August 31, brought together 95 athletes for a competitive morning of racing across open and masters divisions. Fast times and spirited competition highlighted the event, with titles awarded in both men’s and women’s categories.
In the men’s open race, Thomas Appenheimer (Buffalo, NY) captured the championship title in 14:51, holding off Patrick Klinger (Niagara Falls, NY), who was close behind in 14:55. Lee Berube (Syracuse, NY) rounded out the podium, clocking 15:15 to take third. The win moved Appenheimer into second in the Niagara Runner of the Year series, just 16 points behind Joseph Whelan.
The women’s open championship went to Gabrielle Orie (Orchard Park, NY), who broke the tape in 16:46. It was Orie's sixth Niagara title this year. With the win, she clinched the Niagara Runner of the Year title. Trisha Byler (Honeoye Falls, NY) secured second with a strong 17:15, while Lindsay Piraino (Rush, NY) took third in 17:25, just ten seconds back.
The masters men’s race featured impressive age-graded performances. Jose Fuentes, 61, (Hamilton, ON) claimed the top spot with a time of 17:20, scoring a 92.37 age-grade rating. John McMahon, 59, (Williamsville, NY) ran 17:21 for an age-graded score of 90.69 followed closely by Mark Andrews, 54, (Rochester, NY) who ran 16:46, scoring 89.98.. This was Fuentes third master's title this year but John McMahon leads the Runner of the Year series with 126 points, followed by Andrews with 116 points. Fuentes is fourth with 75 points.
On the women’s masters side, Trisha Byler, 41, (Honeoye Falls, NY) doubled back from her open runner-up finish to claim the masters title running 17:15 which resulted in an age-graded score of 85.50. Amy McMahon, 57, (Buffalo, NY) earned second with an age-graded score of 85.01, while Jenny Keenan, 43, (Buffalo, NY) secured third, scoring 83.63.
In the team competition, Bergen Elite captured the men’s open team title with a combined time of 1:18:54, led by runner-up Patrick Klinger. The win clinched the win for Bergen Elite in the year-long Club Grand Prix. Roadkill Racing secured second in the men’s division with a team total of 1:24:55. On the women’s side, Roadkill Racing claimed the open team crown in 1:29:46, clinching the Grand Prix title. Checkers AC finished second second in 1:32:22.
In the masters categories, Checkers AC earned a narrow victory in the men’s masters team race with an age-graded total of 425.82, edging out the Genesee Valley Harriers (425.57). The women’s masters team title also went to Checkers AC, which posted a score of 395.72, ahead of the Genesee Valley Harriers (357.53).