Media contact: Al Heppner Phone: 619-410-1181

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February 28, 2001 For immediate release



Clausen, Stevenson win Penn Relay crowns

New York Athletic Club's Curt Clausen and Olivet Nazarene's Sara Stevenson
both came away victorious this morning at the 107th running of the Penn
Relays, despite facing completely different challenges. Stevenson escaped
down the final straight away to repeat as the relay's champion in the 5 km
racewalk with a time of 22 minutes, 16.34 seconds, just one-half second ahead
of Jill Zenner. In the men's 10 km, two-time Olympian Clausen held off the
Army's Al Heppner to win the walk in 41:29.15 for his second Penn Relays
crown.

After a brief 200-meter outbreak by Tara Shea, Stevenson led the rest of the
way but faced early challenges from Jill Zenner and UW-Parkside's Amber
Antonia. All three walkers went through the mile mark in 7:20 at which point
Stevenson and Zenner began to separate from Antonia. The pair picked up the
pace, crossing the two-mile in 14:26 to Antonia's 14:42.

"Sara wanted to go out conservative, but Jill just tucked in behind," said
her coach, Ray Kuhles.

The duo was never more than an arm's length apart as Zenner, the 1998 and
1999 Penn Relay's Champ, held tough behind Stevenson. Coming down the final
straight away Zenner briefly pulled even with Stevenson before the Olivet
senior found another gear to nip Zenner at the tape. Antonia held strong for
third in a personal best time with Parkside AC's Sam Cohen walking solidly in
fourth the entire way. Shea eventually faded to sixth behind Laurie Starr of
Hastings College.

"It was a kicker's race. Today it happened to be Sara's. Next time it could
very well be Jill. But Sara was really pleased with her race. She had been
struggling with sickness and was finally able to put it together," Kuhles
said.

In the men's race, 1993 Penn Relays Champion Clausen established the early
tempo and reached the mile in 6:37. Al Heppner, the 1997 champion, followed
in 6:45. Clausen hit the 5 km mark in 20:42, with Heppner 25 seconds back at
21:07. While Clausen held a steady pace, Heppner picked it up gradually and
walked the last 2 km in 8:02 to whittle Clausen's lead to seven seconds, but
it wasn't nearly enough. Heppner finished in 41:36.35 and broke his previous
best time by 18 seconds which he set at the 1999 relays. Wisconsin-Parkside
bound Ben Shorey easily won the junior crown and finished third overall in
44:16.68.

"I wanted to go out and hold an even pace. Most of my laps were under 1:40. I
did a double check at the end to make sure I wasn't slowing down. I just
tried to pick it up a little and I'm happy with the results," Clausen said.

Clausen travels to Palo Alto for a 20 km on April 6, while Heppner will
compete at the same distance at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside the
following weekend.


Women's 5 km results:

PL Time Name Affiliation
1 22:16.34 Sara Stevenson Olivet Nazarene
2 22:16.84 Jill Zenner Miami Valley TC
3 23:05.52 Amber Antonia Wisconsin/Parkside*
4 24:37.39 Sam Cohen Parkside AC
5 25:49.50 Laurie Starr Hastings College
6 26:43.78 Tara Shea Alabama A&M
7 26:48.80 Alina Zeleznova Shore AC/National**
8 26:49.82 Christina Farrel United Stars TC*
9 26:53.31 Alice Tan Murry Bergtraum
10 26:54.79 Sherry Brosnahan Shore AC/National***
11 27:16.44 Amanda Bergeron Maine Race Walkers
12 27:30.79 Keelin Yenney Sterling TC
13 27:30.85 Elizabeth Paxton Alexander's Lightning Express
14 27:41.59 Megan Sheehan Pearl River
15 28:24.92 Christine Tagliaferri Pernfield
16 28:39.03 Dana Vered Paramus
17 28:51.85 Katie Rulapaugh Cedarville College
18 29:10.44 Traci Bridges Olivet Nazarine
19 31:32.91 Allison Snochowski New Balance/New Jersey

Men's 10 km

PL Time Name Affiliation
1 41:29.15 Curt Clausen New York AC
2 41:36.35 Al Heppner Army*
3 44:16.68 Ben Shorey Ellsworth High School**
4 44:30.04 Lachlan MacDonald Wisconsin/Parkside
5 45:04.89 Jim Heys Wisconsin/Parkside
6 45:43.14 Matt De Witt Wisconsin/Parkside
7 47:26.13 Greg Dawson Walk USA
8 48:10.45 Mike Stanton Wisconsin/Parkside
9 48:49.99 Matt Boyles Rio Grande
10 48:59.25 Dan Pendergrast Maine Race Walkers
11 49:19.51 Chris Mimm unattached***
12 50:30.18 Rob Williams Farmingdale College
13 50:39.69 Adam Staier Maine Race Walkers
14 51:01.94 Dave Doherty Potomac Valley TC
15 51:03.90 Douglass Johnson Kentucky Racers
16 51:19.87 William Leggett unattached
17 51:59.24 Jim Robinson Rio Grande College
18 52:02.47 Jim Carmines Potomac Valley TC
19 52:47.59 Christifor Diaz South Texas Walking Club
20 52:49.31 Vince Peters Miami Valley TC
21 53:44.81 Jonathan Chase Maine Race Walkers
DQ John Soucheck Shore AC/National
DQ Rich Friedlander unattached

*personal best time
**junior race (under 20) champion
***master race (40 & over) champion




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