Posted: March 12, 2005

Athletics: Shay And Rhines Win U.S. 15-K Titles

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

Ryan Shay and Jen Rhines won U.S. 15-K titles today in Jacksonville, Fla. It was the first 15-K national title for Shay, and the second for Rhines who also won in 1998.

Defending men's champion, Meb Keflezighi did not compete, while defending women's champion, Colleen De Reuck, finished fourth.

Shay's victory has to be considered an upset, because he beat two-time Olympian Allan Culpper in the final kilometer of the race. Culpepper is training for the BAA Boston Marathon on 18-Apr. Shay clocked 43:52, the slowest winning time in this championship since 2000, with Culpepper just six seconds behind. Matt Lane came from behind to finish third in 44:08, with James Carney (44:17) and Anthony Famiglietti (44:23) rounding out the top-5.

Shay also won the "Equalizer Bonus" awarded to the first athlete to cross the finish line (the women were given a 5 minute head start); he beat Rhines by 29 seconds. His first place prize of $10,000 was supplemented by an additional $5,000 for the Equalizer Bonus.

In the women's race, Rhines clocked 49:21, much faster than the 51:00 she ran the last time she won. Elva Dryer finished second in 49:42, while Blake Russel was third (49:46) and De Reuck, 40, fourth (49:51). Kim Fitchen-Young was a distant fifth in 50:46.

Rhines collected $10,000 for her victory.

LINKS:

Eace photos:
Ryan Shay
and
Jen Rhines.

NOTE: Sam Grotewold contributed reporting for this story from Jacksonville --Ed.