Gutierrez and Shepard Victorious at 32nd LaSportiva Vail Hill Climb

Vail, CO (July 6, 2008) - A past Hill Climb champion won the men’s division and a newcomer to trail racing led the women up Vail Mountain this morning for the 32nd annual LaSportiva Vail Hill Climb. Simon Gutierrez, 42, Alamosa, CO, a veteran Hill Climb competitor who raced to victory in 2006, won the men’s title today by more than two minutes over second-place finisher, twenty-year old Alex Willis. Gutierrez’s time of 48:14 was much faster than his winning time of 51:58 in 2006, although this year’s course was slightly shorter than prior years due to some construction on the mountain.

The course started in Vail Village and ascended more than 2400 feet on mostly gravel trail for the seven-plus mile route. With the base elevation hovering just over 8200 feet and a climb which averaged 7%, many of the participants were relegated to a walk during some of the steeper sections of the course. Gutierrez, like many of the top competitors, ran from start to finish.

“I had a good, hard training week. This was my fourth hard session in the past eight days. Everything feels good and I feel fitter than I’ve been in four years,” said Gutierrez.

It was an exciting sprint to the finish for third-place when Vail’s own Josiah Middaugh, 29, put it in overdrive on the final climb to out-step John Tribbia, 26, Boulder, by one second at the line. Middaugh posted a time of 51:10. Rounding out the top five was University of Colorado at Colorado Springs’ cross country coach Mark Misch, 35, who was timed in 51:50.

On the women’s side, Sarah Shepard, 23, Glenwood Springs (left), who ran for UCCS (but was coached by Misch’s predecessor Graeme Badger), led from start to finish crossing the line in 56:52 besting last year’s champion Helen Cospolich, 31, Breckenridge, who finished in a time of 58:31. This was Shepard’s second trail race having finished second at last month’s Lara Bar 10 km in Vail. “I’ve never done anything like that before,” said Shepard after her finish today. “You get stuck in a pace, it’s hard to get into a rhythm, but I had fun. I think I’d like to try getting more into this (trail running).” She added, “It was a great temperature out there today.”

Cospolich (below) concurred about the weather, “The cooler temps really helped me. There were a lot of really good people (running) today. They went out really fast and then I passed about six girls in the first three miles. I was running in second from there.” Cospolich considers herself more of an ultrarunner than a short-distance specialist. She raced the San Juan 50-miler just two weeks ago where she finished third among the women. “I do ultras. I have done six since February up to the 100 kilometer distance. I always enjoy these short ones ‘cause I think you can do anything for an hour. Today I didn’t feel as bad as last year when I ran Western States (100 Miler) the week before.”

Third among the women was Eagle County’s Aurora Leon, 39, who finished in 1:00:51 followed by Jeanne Hennessy, 30, Eagle, in 1:01:13. In fifth place was Boulder’s Susan Nuzum, 41, who was timed in 1:01:36. Nuzum finished third at last year’s race. The age-group competition is keen in the Hill Climb, no where more evident than in the men’s 60-plus division where 18 runners ranging in age from 60 to 71 raced up the mountain. Leading the charge was Bob Cooper, 60, Thornton, whose time of 1:06:35 was good enough for 64th overall in a field of more than 300 runners. Cooper, who considers himself a “fresh 60,” provided some advice for other runners who may consider racing at next year’s event, “Don’t go out too hard. Do
some energy (gel or sports drink) early. If you do ‘em late they don’t help you. That’s the way it is for me.”

Hill Climb competitors, whether young or old, have varied goals. Some, like Dawn Ibis, 39, who made the trip to Vail from her home of Telluride, set a finish time as their goal. Ibis planned to hike and run the course in the hopes of finishing in less than two hours. She was delighted to cross the line in 1:49:16.

Thirty-four year old competitor, Troy Brennan, from Colorado Springs, was using the race as a tune-up for next week’s Barr Trail Mountain Race. He finished fourth in his age group with a time of 57:46.

Getting ready for next month’s Pikes Peak Ascent was the goal of John Everly, 53, Vail, who posted a time of 1:16:23.

Like Everly and Brennan, who are planning to race in the coming weeks, winner Gutierrez has his sites set on the next race in the La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running series, the LaSportiva Berry Picker, on Sunday, July 20.

In order to get ready, Gutierrez – after his victory today – rode the gondola down the mountain and ran back up the Berry Picker Trail with several of his fellow competitors to preview the course. The event also serves as the final Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team selection race which Gutierrez is looking forward to and where his hope is first and foremost, “to win.”

“I hope we have a good field and a good race and get a feel for what we’ll see in September (at the World Mountain Running Trophy Race),” explained Gutierrez who hopes to make his seventh mountain team this year. The first U.S. man, the first two U.S. women, and the first U.S. junior man will each earn a berth on the team at this year’s Berry Picker.

In addition to the Berry Picker, the LaSportiva Vail Half Marathon will also be held on July 20. Runners can select either race as a scoring event in the series. In order to be scored in the series, runners must finish four of the five events. The first race in the series, the La Sportiva Summer Solstice 10k, was held on June 21 with Bernie Boettcher (left) and Amanda Occhi victorious.

The fourth event, the LaSportiva 10k at 10,000 Feet will be held on August 10. Runners will take a ride up the Eagle Bahn Gondola for the start of the race at the summit of Vail Mountain. The entire race is above 9,000 feet of elevation with the high points above 10,000 feet.

The final race of the series is the LaSportiva Evergold 10k on September 7. Series awards will be presented at the September 7 event during the race awards ceremony. Last year’s series boasted more than 1000 participants with 35 runners completing at least four races in the series.

Individual race entry is $25 or $35 on race day. You can register online at www.active.com, print out an entry form at www.vailrec.com and mail, or fax your completed entry, or stop by Vail Recreation District at 700 South Frontage Road East (the building with the large clock next to the tennis courts).

Sponsors in addition to series title sponsor La Sportiva (www.mountainrunning.com), are First Bank of Vail, Vail’s Mountain Haus, SmartWool, Tiga Advertising, Howard Head Sports Medicine Centers, Steadman Hawkins, Joint Juice and Gatorade.

By Nancy Hobbs