Lucas Nonyana (RSA) after his victory at the IAU 50km Trophy Final in Gibraltar (© Nadeem Khan)
GibraltarLucas Nonyana of South Africa and Kami Semick of the USA brought home their respective titles at the IAU 50km Trophy Final on Saturday (31) in Gibraltar.
Nonyana ran a time of 2:58:03 and Semick clocked 3:29:48 to take top honours. The selected runners were invited on the basis of their times in 50 km races around the world.
Gibraltar, a nation of close to 30,000 people, is one of IAU’s newest members and was the site of the 50 km Trophy Final. It is located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar.
Conditions during the race were in the mid 20s C and there was a slight mist at the start. The course was on an out and back 8 km section combined with a 2 km section to start off the race.
Nonyana won the men’s race after enduring fierce competition with Michael Wardian (USA). Nonyana and Wardian practically ran the whole race together until the last 8 km when Nonyana made his decisive move to take sole possession of the lead. Paul Molineux (GBR) sneaked by in the middle to finish second.
Nonyana was the top runner coming into the race and ran a very tactical run to perfectly time his surge and go past Wardian. On the other hand, Molineaux ran a very conservative race finishing out strong in the later sections of the run.
Semick, the pre-race leader and winner of the 2009 IAU 100 km World Cup, won the women’s race. Monica Carlin (ITA), 3rd place at the same World Cup, finished in the silver medal spot. She was followed into the finish by Lesley Train (RSA).
Semick took the lead in the early stages of the race and never relinquished it. She was hoping for a 3:20 but due to the tough course and warm temperatures, she slowed her pace a bit. Carlin was the early leader in the race but faded in the middle stages, once falling into 3rd spot behind Lesley but then regrouped quickly, to regain the silver medal position.
Athletes for the Trophy Final were selected from fourteen races organized around the world as part of the 50 km Trophy Final series races. Winners in each event under the qualification mark of 3:20 for men and 3:50 for women received automatic selection to the race. In the event of open spots the next set of runners under the qualification mark were asked to participate.
The 50km Trophy Final brings a completion to the IAU World events for 2009. Next year’s season starts in May with the 24 Hour World Championship in Brive, France.
Nadeem Khan for the IAAF
Leading Results -
Men:
1) Lucas Nonyana, RSA 2:58:03
2) Paul Molineaux, GBR 3:00:15
3) Michael Wardian, USA 3:00:56
4) David Kirkland, GBR 3:03:10
5) Julian Rendall, 3:12:35
Women:
1) Kami Semick, USA 3:29:48
2) Monica Carlin, ITA 3:37:10
3) Lesley Train, ITA 3:38:23
4) June Petrie, AUS 3:44:35
5) Amanda Stickel, USA 3:52:38
Nonyana ran a time of 2:58:03 and Semick clocked 3:29:48 to take top honours. The selected runners were invited on the basis of their times in 50 km races around the world.
Gibraltar, a nation of close to 30,000 people, is one of IAU’s newest members and was the site of the 50 km Trophy Final. It is located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar.
Conditions during the race were in the mid 20s C and there was a slight mist at the start. The course was on an out and back 8 km section combined with a 2 km section to start off the race.
Nonyana won the men’s race after enduring fierce competition with Michael Wardian (USA). Nonyana and Wardian practically ran the whole race together until the last 8 km when Nonyana made his decisive move to take sole possession of the lead. Paul Molineux (GBR) sneaked by in the middle to finish second.
Nonyana was the top runner coming into the race and ran a very tactical run to perfectly time his surge and go past Wardian. On the other hand, Molineaux ran a very conservative race finishing out strong in the later sections of the run.
Semick, the pre-race leader and winner of the 2009 IAU 100 km World Cup, won the women’s race. Monica Carlin (ITA), 3rd place at the same World Cup, finished in the silver medal spot. She was followed into the finish by Lesley Train (RSA).
Semick took the lead in the early stages of the race and never relinquished it. She was hoping for a 3:20 but due to the tough course and warm temperatures, she slowed her pace a bit. Carlin was the early leader in the race but faded in the middle stages, once falling into 3rd spot behind Lesley but then regrouped quickly, to regain the silver medal position.
Athletes for the Trophy Final were selected from fourteen races organized around the world as part of the 50 km Trophy Final series races. Winners in each event under the qualification mark of 3:20 for men and 3:50 for women received automatic selection to the race. In the event of open spots the next set of runners under the qualification mark were asked to participate.
The 50km Trophy Final brings a completion to the IAU World events for 2009. Next year’s season starts in May with the 24 Hour World Championship in Brive, France.
Nadeem Khan for the IAAF
Leading Results -
Men:
1) Lucas Nonyana, RSA 2:58:03
2) Paul Molineaux, GBR 3:00:15
3) Michael Wardian, USA 3:00:56
4) David Kirkland, GBR 3:03:10
5) Julian Rendall, 3:12:35
Women:
1) Kami Semick, USA 3:29:48
2) Monica Carlin, ITA 3:37:10
3) Lesley Train, ITA 3:38:23
4) June Petrie, AUS 3:44:35
5) Amanda Stickel, USA 3:52:38