RAY HUGHES SETS NEW MEET RECORD IN WINNING SEATTLE OPEN MEN’S 4K TITLE
Mindy Leffler wins fourth straight women’s 4k title


(Seattle, WA)  Ray Hughes of Eugene stole the spotlight in today’s running of the Seattle Open Cross Country Classic at Lincoln Park, as he won an exciting men’s 4-kilometer (2.46 miles) short cross race in a new meet record time of 12:47.

Hughes, competing for NIKE, was pushed by former University of Portland standout Pete Julian, before he pulled away for the victory. Julian’s time of 12:56 also broke the course record of 13:05 set last year by Geoff Perry.

Matt Johnstone of Surrey, British Columbia placed third in today’s race in a time of 13:23.

Although hampered by the muddy course, slight winds, and temperatures that hovered in the mid-30 degree range, Bellevue’s Mindy Leffler easily defended her Seattle Open 4-kilometer title in a time of 15:23. 

Leffler’s win was her fourth consecutive win over the 4-kilometer distance at the Seattle Open.

In a very exciting men’s10-kilometer (6.2 miles) race, former US national cross country team member Dan Nelson from Bend, Oregon emerged victorious, covering the distance in 31:03 to beat Shawn Beitelspacher from Portland (31:13), and Tim Julian of Bend (31:16).

Emilie Mondor of Montreal, a student at British Columbia’s Simon Fraser University won today’s featured women’s 6-kilometer (3.74 miles) race in a time of 21:03, running away from fellow Canadian national team member Lisa Harvey of Calgary by 25 seconds.  Liz Wilson of Eugene, OR., finished third in a time of 21:47.

In the Northwest International Team Challenge race held in conjunction with the men’s 10-k and women’s 6-k races, Oregon, led by Nelson, Beitelspacher and Julian cruised to victory over British Columbia and Washington, scoring a perfect 10 points.

The Washington women, consisting of Jessica Scalzo, Kim Bender, Judy Fisher, and Susanne Bassler also scored a perfect 10 points to win the team title.

The Seattle Open Cross Country Classic, presented by NIKE, with assistance from the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, Talking Rain, SoBe Beverages, the Pacific Northwest Association of USA Track & Field, and Active.com, is one of the final high performance cross country races in the country designed to help prepare runners for the USA Cross Country Championships in Vancouver Washington on February 9-10 and the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in March.

Complete results of the Seattle Open Cross Country Classic are available by clicking here.

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Top 3 Finishers—Seattle Open Cross Country Classic

Men’s 4-kilometer: Ray Hughes, Eugene OR (NIKE)-12:47-new course record; Pete Julian, Atherton CA (unattached)-12:56; Matt Johnstone, Surrey, British Columbia (Valley Royals TC)—13:22.

Women’s 4-kilometer: Mindy Leffler, Bellevue WA (Club Northwest)-15:23; Sarah Leonard, Seattle (Club Northwest)-17:08; Fran Faure, Eugene (unattached)-18:27.

Men’s 10-kilometer: Dan Nelson, Bend, OR (West Valley TC)-31:06; Shawn Beitelspacher, Portland (Portland RC)-31:13; Tim Julian, Bend (unattached)-31:16.

Women’s 6-kilometer:  Emilie Mondor, Montreal, QB (Montreal OC)-21:03; Lisa Harvey, Calgary, AB (Calgary Spartans)-21:28; Liz Wilson, Eugene (unattached)-21:47