Photo: Atalelech Ketema (20) of Washington, DC, on top of the open division

Open Women
Twelve runners qualified in the Open Division, with Atelelech Ketema of Washington DC and Ethiopia taking the top spot. She also led the Summer ranking period. The Opus Anniversary 5K in Rockville, Maryland proved to be the most competitive race, with Ketema (16:27) beating runner-up Naoko Ishibe (17:02) of Silver Spring, Maryland and fourth-ranked Alisa Harvey (17:28) of Manassas, Virginia.

A second showdown was the nTelos 8K in Richmond, where Ketema (26:20) again defeated Ishibe (27:00). Dorota Gruca of Chevy Chase, Maryland and Poland takes the third spot, with her best performance being a 34:27 at the Veterans Day 10K, beating fifth- ranked Jennifer Concaugh (36:28) of Alexandria, Virginia.

The youngest qualifier was the impressive 13-year-old, Aurora Scott of Portsmouth, Virginia, and the oldest qualifier was 45- year-old Lee DiPietro of Towson, Maryland. DiPietro, Ishibe, and Hanscom also have qualified for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
  1	Atelelech Ketema	20	Washington, DC
  2	Naoko Ishibe     	34	Silver Spring, MD
  3	Dorota Gruca     	32	Chevy Chase, MD
  4	Alisa Harvey     	37	Manassas, VA
  5	Jennifer Concaugh	28	Alexandria, VA
  6	Heather Hanscom 	25	Alexandria, VA
  7	Tatyana Maslova 	36	Gaithersburg, MD
  8	Cathy Pugsley    	33	Annandale, VA
  9	Irina Suvorova   	32	Gaithersburg, MD
 10	Casey Smith      	23	Arlington, VA
 11	Lee DiPietro     	45	Towson, MD
 12	Aurora Scott      	13	Portsmouth, VA

Women 35 - 39
Helen Beven, 36,of Kensington, MD, 8th in the sub-masters category

The 35-39 category was an active age group in the Fall, with 15 runners qualifying. Summer runner-up Alisa Harvey of Manassas, Virginia turns the tables on Summer rankings leader Tatyana Maslova of Gaithersburg, Maryland and Russia, and takes the top spot.

Harvey defeated two of the top-five runners, running 59:29 at the Army 10-Miler to beat fourth-ranked Elizabeth Feldman (1:03:25) of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and running 28:28 at the Fair Lakes 8K to beat fifth-ranked Maria Kozloski (30:53) of Washington, DC. Second-ranked Maslova ran two fine times, including a 17:57 at Potomac Maryland's Ivymount 5K, and a 2:54:42 at the Anthem Bay Bridge Marathon in Virginia Beach.

Third-ranked Denise Knickman of Baltimore showed similar versatility, running 18:15 at Baltimore's Race for the Cure, and a 2:56:07 at the Marathon in the Parks.

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
  1	Alisa Harvey      	37	Manassas, VA
  2	Tatyana Maslova 	36	Gaithersburg, MD
  3	Denise Knickman 	35	Baltimore, MD
  4	Elizabeth Feldman	35	Chevy Chase, MD
  5	Maria Kozloski   	38	Washington, DC
  6	Linda Sawvell    	37	Newport News, VA
  7	Kerry Rodgers    	35	Washington, DC
  8	Helen Beven      	36	Kensington, MD
  9	Monica Grillo     	38	Arlington, VA
 10	Cathy Friedel     	39	Solomons, MD
 11	Kristin DiDomenico	36	Potomac Falls, VA
 12	Maureen Hall      	38	Lavale, MD
 13	Julie Hayes       	35	Arlington, VA
 14	Christy Prillaman	37	Newport News, VA
 15	Rebecca Nathan    	38	Arlington, VA

Women 40 - 44
Photo above: Laeticia Warring of Reston, VA, 5th among women 40-44

Ten runners qualified in the 40-44 division, and Laura Freix of Centreville, Virginia, the Winter rankings leader, again assumes the top spot. The top three runners all faced off at the Veterans Day 10K, where Freix (38:48) defeated second-ranked Win Persina (40:33) of Washington, DC and third-ranked Leslie Minnix- Wolfe (40:38) of Herndon, Virginia.

Another rankings battle was the Army 10-Miler, where Minnix- Wolfe (1:07:16) defeated fifth-ranked Laeticia Warring (1:09:39) of Reston, Virginia. Fourth-ranked was Kendall Tata of Virginia Beach, Virginia, whose best performance was a 1:05:35 at the Cape Henry 10-Mile in Virginia Beach.

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
  1	Laura Freix       	41	Centreville, VA
  2	Win Persina       	43	Washington, DC
  3	Leslie Minnix-Wolfe	41	Herndon, VA
  4	Kendall Tata      	40	Virginia Beach, VA
  5	Laeticia Warring	40	Reston, VA
  6	Joni Fehrenbacher	40	Midlothian, VA
  7	Pamela Lovett     	41	Newport News, VA
  8	Marjorie Boyd     	41	Annapolis, MD
  9	Theresa Kolish    	42	Alexandria, VA
 10	Julie Caprio      	42	Columbia, MD

Women 45 - 49
Lee DiPietro, 45 of Towson, MD dominated her division and would have led the 40-44 division as well

Olympic Trials Qualifier Lee DiPietro again dominates the 45-49 age group. She also would have led the 40-44 category. She established her dominance by defeating three of the top five rankers. She ran 2:50:34 at the Baltimore Marathon, defeating fifth-ranked Patty Shull (3:07:28) of Ashburn, Virginia, and ran 29:32 at Richmond's nTelos 8K, defeating second-ranked Debi Bernardes (30:41) of King George, Virginia and fourth-ranked Sharon White (32:37) of Langley AFB, Virginia.

Third-ranked was Leisa Ensle of Virginia Beach, Virginia, the Summer runner-up, who did not race against any of the other top runners, but did record some outstanding times, including a 31:04 at the Neptune Festival 8K in Virginia Beach.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Lee DiPietro	45	Towson, MD
  2	Debi Bernardes	45	King George, VA
  3	Leisa Ensle	45	Virginia Beach, VA
  4	Sharon White	46	Langley AFB, VA
  5	Patty Shull	45	Ashburn, VA
  6	Alison Suckling	48	Arnold, MD
  7	Ofelia Perotti	47	Alexandria, VA
  8	Sheri Segal	46	Virginia Beach, VA
  9	Laura Dewald	45	Baltimore, MD
 10	Robin Goodwin	45	Timonium, MD
 11	Linda Kidder	46	Williamsburg, VA
 12	Liza Recto	47	Lexington Park, MD
 13	Michelle Lybarger 48	Irvington, VA

Women 50 - 54
Photo above: Sandra Adams of Winchester, VA, 4th in the 50-54 division

Betty Blank of Falls Church, Virginia, the Spring rankings leader, regains the top spot in the Fall. To do so, she defeated two top-five runners in three races. The two showdowns against second-ranked Suanne Shocket of Manassas, Virginia were no contest. At the Goblin Gallop 5K, Blank (21:16) beat Shocket (24:11) by almost three minutes. Then at the Veterans Day 10K, Blank (41:39) again soundly defeated Shocket (47:27). Blank had a tougher contest against fourth-ranked and Summer rankings leader Sandra Adams of Winchester, Virginia, with Blank (1:09:29) getting the better of Adams (1:10:58).

Adams might have ranked higher, but ran only a 3:35:52 at the Marine Corps Marathon. Third-ranked was Maria Shields of Davidsonville, Maryland, who had four qualifying performances, including a 22:49 at Crofton, Maryland's Amy's Run 5K. Fifth- ranked was Linell Smith of Baltimore, who did not race against any of the other qualifying runners, but did manage a 22:25 at Baltimore's Race to Remember 5K.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Betty Blank	50	Falls Church, VA
  2	Suanne Shocket	50	Manassas, VA
  3	Maria Shields	52	Davidsonville, MD
  4	Sandra Adams	53	Winchester, VA
  5	Linell Smith	50	Baltimore, MD
  6	Sabra Harvey	54	Indian Head, MD
  7	Christie Wamsley 50	Colonial Heights, VA
  8	Brenda Mitchell	 52	Williamsburg, VA

Women 55 - 59
Alice Franks of Rockville, Maryland wins the category for the third consecutive time (and the ratings period prior to that she led the 50-54 category). Three top rankers met at the Army 10- Miler, where Franks (1:14:08) beat second-ranked Priscila Prunella (1:17:50) of Rockville and fifth-ranked Cathy Van Brocklin (1:23:43) of Gaithersburg, Maryland. Franks also ran 36:30 at the Kensington 8K, defeating fourth-ranked Deborah Gebhardt (38:20) and Van Brocklin (40:02).

Third goes to Maurine Buettner of Baltimore, whose best performance was a 23:20 at Baltimore's Race for the Cure.

 Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
  1	Alice Franks      	55	Rockville, MD
  2	Priscilla Prunella	58	Rockville, MD
  3	Maurine Buettner	55	Baltimore, MD
  4	Deborah Gebhardt	55	Adelphi, MD
  5	Cathy Van Brocklin	56	Gaithersburg, MD
  6	Linda Peters     	56	New Kent, VA
  7	Claudia Crawford	56	Stafford, VA
  8	Betty Brothers   	56	Virginia Beach, VA
  9	June Schneider   	56	Millersville, MD

Women 60 - 64
There is a huge upset in the 60-64 category, with perennial rankings leader Sharon Dolan of Gaithersburg, Maryland being upended by Judy Gilbert of Baltimore. Dolan had by far the best single performance in the age group (44:04 at the Rockville 10K), but her times were not consistently significantly better than Gilbert's, and Gilbert beat better competition.

Gilbert's most important competitive result was at the Baltimore Half-Marathon, where Gilbert (1:48:30) decisively defeated fourth-ranked Nancy Linck (2:03:38) of Alexandria, Virginia. Third was Dee Nelson of Gaithersburg, whose most important performance was a 1:21:18 at the Army 10-Miler, defeating fifth- ranked Sharon Wright (1:35:03) of Washington, DC.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Judy Gilbert	60	Baltimore, MD
  2	Sharon Dolan	60	Gaithersburg, MD
  3	Dee Nelson	60	Gaithersburg, MD
  4	Nancy Linck	61	Alexandria, VA
  5	Sharon Wright	60	Washington, DC
  6	Mary Ann O'Connor 62	Reston, VA
  7	Sylvia Boecker	63	Williamsburg, VA
  8	Betty Munden	63	Norfolk, VA
  9	Janet Newburgh	61	Rockville, MD
 10	Brenda Murray	64	Chevy Chase, MD

Women 65 - 69
Tami Graf of Lusby, Maryland led the age group for the third consecutive time. The only head-to-head battles among the top five rankers were between Graf and fifth-ranked Betty Lou Wolfe of Manassas, Virginia. Graf clearly showed her superiority, running 45:11 at the Fair Lakes 8K to beat Wolfe (56:22), and 27:54 at the Goblin Gallop 5K to again decisively defeat Wolfe (34:15).

Repeating as second-ranked is Jill Mottus of Baltimore, whose performances include a 28:35 at Baltimore's IND Run for Energy 5K. Third is Jamie Wollard of Rockville, Maryland, whose five consistent qualifying performances include a 30:59 at the National Press Club 5K. Fourth is Pauline Ely, whose two qualifiers include a 30:17 at the William & Mary Homecoming 5K.

 Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
  1	Tami Graf         	66	Lusby, MD
  2	Jill Mottus       	65	Baltimore, MD
  3	Jamie Wollard     	65	Rockville, MD
  4	Pauline Ely       	65	Hampton, VA
  5	Betty Lou Wolfe 	66	Manassas, VA
  6	Jeanette Chambers	68	Arnold, MD

Women 70 - 74
Summer runner-up Yvonne Aasen of Severna Park, Maryland switched places with Summer top-ranker Pat Ewell of Williamsburg, Virginia. Aasen gets the nod this time in a very close call, based on a tie-breaker (number of qualifying marks). Aasen's best performance was a 1:03:00 at the B&A Trail 10K, and she also ran a 30:50 at Crofton's Amy's Run 5K, and a 51:02 at the Down's Park Trail Run 5-Mile.

Ewell ran a 30:37 at the William & Mary Homecoming 5K and a 2:19:35 at the Mulberry Island Half-Marathon. Third and fourth were decided by the Veterans Day 10K, where Jacqueline O'Neil (1:08:50) of Washington, DC defeated Lee Glassco (1:13:16) of McLean, Virginia. Fifth was Hiroko Hunt of Reston, Virginia, who ran a 2:00:33 at the Army 10-Miler.

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
  1	Yvonne Aasen      	71	Severna Park, MD
  2	Pat Ewell         	70	Williamsburg, VA
  3	Jacqueline O'Neil	72	Washington, DC
  4	Lee Glassco      	72	McLean, VA
  5	Hiroko Hunt       	70	Reston, VA
  6	Martha Trimmer   	74	Grasonville, MD

Women 75 & Over
The oldest woman qualifier is Monica Friedman of Silver Spring, Maryland. She ran two qualifying performances--a 37:00 at the National Press Club 5K and a 60:17 at the Kensington 8K.

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
  1	Monica Friedman 	76	Silver Spring, MD

See the Men's Summer 2003 WRR Runner Rankings