Age no barrier in Cross Country Cup

Age was certainly no barrier at Cross Country Cup 2004 because the overall winners in both the 5- and 10-kilometer races were runners in the 40-49 age group Saturday morning at Western Nevada Community College.

Reno's Wayne Avery ran a time of 43 minutes, 52 seconds to emerge as the overall winner on a highly challenging double loop 10K and Fred Zalokar of the Silver State Striders emerged as the overall 5K winner with a 19:30 clocking during the seventh annual Cross Country Cup.

A total of 92 runners and walkers turned out for the event, which was held as a fund-raiser for the Carson High School and Sierra Flyers age group cross country programs.

Mike Keck finished second overall in the 5K and first in the men's 30-39 age group with a time of 20:14 on a course that challenged runners with hills and sand. Chad Shroy, a Carson High junior, finished third overall in (20:19) and Mike Freeman, who runs for the Douglas High cross country team, was fourth (21:05).

Incline High's Addie Devine was the first woman and 15th overall in 23:34. Carson High senior Patty Capistrant was the second woman (25:08) and Minden's Sara Mangiaracina (25:09) was one second behind. Mangiaracina finished first in the girls 11-12 age group.

The 5K age group winners ranged from 60-something Neal Chappell of Stateline (24:00) and Jim Barratt in the 70-and-over division (35:20) to 10-year-old Peter Brinson of Carson City (27:33).

Mike Goralka finished second overall in the 10K (44:41) and Cory Avery was third overall and the first woman to finish (47:05). Andrew Simons was fourth overall (47:16) and Debbie Devine of Incline Village fifth overall (50:10). Lon Monroe, race director for the Silver State Marathon, was seventh overall and first in the men's 50-59 age group (54:14).

The first-place finishers among men and women in the 5K walk were Michael Solinger (38:31) and Sherry Forrette (40:00).

See The Skinny for complete race results.