National 5KM Indoor Championship, Rochester, N.Y., 2015.12.27
Pegasus men’s team members swelled the middle of the race pack with Dan O’Briens 6th in 26:25, followed closely by evergreens Leon Jasionowski (30:00) and Bill Reed (30:11) resulting in a 2nd team performance behind Shore A.C. of New Jersey. Oddly, the first walker was a Canadian Finishing in 20:37 follow by Mike Mannozi’s 23:34 taking the U.S. Championship.
On the distaff side, Katie Smith (28:39) teamed with Becky Benjamin for the Pegasus women. Benjamin’s 31:13 set an age group 50 record. Sadly, two walkers aren’t enough for team scoring.
2015 Grand Prix Awards
The national race walk Grand Prix is a grueling series of races, all at different distances, held at different sites throughout the United States. The race distance range from 5km through 40km.
The Pegasus teams have been especially fortunate in having members who are both willing to travel and talented enough to score at varied distances. The 2015 USATF convention held at Houston in December honored a number of Pegasus walkers for their achievements during the past year. Age group winners include Mary Anne Taylor (awarded posthumously – 45-49); Dave Swarts (50-54); Andrew Smith (65-69); and Leon Jasionowski (70-74). Additionally, Dave Swarts and Debbie Topham were named top masters finishers. Swarts was also named Masters Racewalker of the Year.
The women’s Pegasus AC team finished first in the Grand Prix team standings; the men’s team finished second.
The other team members who participated in the race walk national Grand Prix include Katie Smith, Cathy Mayfield, Becky Benjamin, Teresa Vaill, Max Walker, Mark Green, Dan O’Brien, Zbigniew Sadlej, Ray Sharp, Bill Reed and Tom Belford.
In the past decade the record of Pegasus teams competing in the Grand Prix speaks for itself.
Women
- 2004: tied for 2nd
- 2006: 1st
- 2007: tied for 1st
- 2008: tied for 1st
- 2009: 1st
- 2010: 1st
- 2014: 1st
- 2015: 1st
Men
- 2004: 1st
- 2006: 2nd
- 2007: 1st
- 2008: 1st
- 2010: 1st
- 2011: 1st
- 2012: 1st
- 2013: 2nd
- 2014: 2nd
- 2015: 2nd
Special thanks to Dan O’Brien and Debbie Topham for their diligent record keeping of the Pegasus team achievements over this past decade for for comping this data.
Coming Events
- Sunday, 6 March 2016
Michigan Association USATF Indoor Track & Field Championships
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
3000 Meter @ 10:00 a.m. - March 19 – 20, 2016
Canada Masters Indoor Championship
York University, Toronto, Ontario
Membership
I have already received a couple of 2016 membership. How about forwarding yours along.
Frank Soby
Coach and Sometimes Editor, pegasusac.org
11 January, 2016