Open Women
Ten runners qualified for the Open division, and the big battle was the Rockville Twilight 8K. Top-ranked Tatyana Maslova of Gaithersburg, Maryland won this battle of the titans, running 27:46 to defeat second-ranked and Olympic Trials qualifier Naoko Ishibe (27:51) of Silver Spring, Maryland, third-ranked Megan McLaughlin (28:38) of Alexandria, Virginia, fourth-ranked Cathy Pugsley (28:39) of Annandale, Virginia, fifth-ranked and Olympic Trials qualifier Lee DiPietro (29:02) of Towson, Maryland, sixth- ranked Alisa Harvey (29:06) of Manassas, Virginia, seventh- ranked Susannah Kvasnicka (29:09) of Great Falls, Virginia, and eighth-ranked Kristin Barry (29:35) of Vienna, Virginia. It is difficult to recall another race in which all of the top eight runners faced off head-to-head. DiPietro, at age 45, was the oldest qualifier in the Open division.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Tatyana Maslova	36	Gaithersburg, MD
  2	Naoko Ishibe	34	Silver Spring, MD
  3	Megan McLaughlin 23	Alexandria, VA
  4	Cathy Pugsley	33	Annandale, VA
  5	Lee DiPietro	45	Towson, MD
  6	Alisa Harvey	37	Manassas, VA
  7	Susannah Kvasnicka 30	Great Falls, VA
  8	Kristin Barry	29	Vienna, VA
  9	Irina Suvorova	32	Gaithersburg, MD
 10	Emily Enstice	24	Potomac, MD

Women 35 - 39
There were 11 qualifiers in the 35-39 age group, and Open division winner Tatyana Maslova of Gaithersburg, Maryland assumes the top spot. All of the top five runners faced off in the Rockville Twilight 8K, where Maslova (27:45) won overall, defeating Alisa Harvey (29:02) of Manassas, Virginia, Denise Knickman (30:07) of Baltimore, Helen Beven (31:22) of Kensington, Maryland, and Julie Thienel (31:52) of Columbia, Maryland. Maslova also recorded a fine 35:23 at the Lawyers Have Heart 10K, which she also won overall.

Harvey's best performance was a 17:14 at the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K, and Knickman had a 37:08 at Baltimore's MC VET 10K, where she beat Thienel (39:02). Beven's best performance was an 18:50 at Potomac's Cure Autism Now 5K.

 Pl	Name     	Age	Hometown
  1	Tatyana Maslova	36	Gaithersburg, MD
  2	Alisa Harvey	37	Manassas, VA
  3	Denise Knickman	35	Baltimore, MD
  4	Helen Beven	36	Kensington, MD
  5	Julie Thienel	39	Columbia, MD
  6	Robin Humphrey	39	Ellicott City, MD
  7	Marjan Huizing	35	Gaithersburg, MD
  8	Maria Kozloski	38	Washington, DC
  9	Monica Grillo	38	Arlington, VA
 10	Maureen Hall	38	Lavale, MD
 11	Linda Sawvell	37	Newport News, VA

Women 40 - 44
Photo above: Leslie Minnix-Wolfe of Herndon, VA, 11th in the 40-44 division

The 40-44 division was one of the most competitive women's age groups, with 17 runners qualifying. Maria Spinnler of Hagerstown, Maryland repeated as number one. Spinnler's most important race was the Lawyers Have Heart 10K, where her 38:59 defeated fifth-ranked Laura Freix (40:42) of Centreville, Virginia.

Pat Keating of Dayton, Maryland, took the second spot, with her best race being a 19:18 at Columbia's Women's Distance Festival 5K, beating fourth-ranked Pat Wilkerson (19:58) of Columbia. Cecilia Lutz of Reston, Virginia took the third spot, with her best performance being a 19:01 at Fairfax's Tim Harmon 5K. She might have placed higher, had she run against any of the other top competitors.

Photo below: Robin Goodwin of Timonium, MD is ranked 12th

 Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
  1	Maria Spinnler     	41	Hagerstown, MD
  2	Pat Keating      	41	Dayton, MD
  3	Cecilia Lutz      	42	Reston, VA
  4	Pat Wilkerson     	44	Columbia, MD
  5	Laura Freix      	41	Centreville, VA
  6	Jeanne Grillo     	42	Potomac, MD
  7	Gloria Santarpia	41	Odenton, MD
  8	Marjorie Boyd     	41	Annapolis, MD
  9	Kendall Tata      	40	Virginia Beach, VA
 10	Debi Bernardes    	44	King George, VA
 11	Leslie Minnix-Wolfe	41	Herndon, VA
 12	Robin Goodwin     	44	Timonium, MD
 13	Monica Allard     	42	Virginia Beach, VA
 14	Valerie Plyler   	43	Newport News, VA
 15	Julie Caprio     	42	Columbia, MD
 16	Patricia Zerfas 	41	Kensington, MD
 17	Laeticia Warring	40	Reston, VA

Women 45 - 49
The 45-49 division was the most competitive women's division, starting with Lee DiPietro of Towson, Maryland, who qualified for the 2004 Olympic Trials and ranked fifth in the Open division. An impressive 23 runners qualified for ranking.

DiPietro outclassed the rest of the division, with a best performance of 17:42 at Towson's GBMC Father's Day 5K. The second spot goes to Leisa Ensle of Virginia Beach, Virginia, whose best performance was an 18:40 at the Virginia Beach Independence Day 5K. She also ran a 1:25:20 at the Rock & Roll Half-Marathon.

Third is Claudia Cortes of Sterling, Virginia, who ran 32:37 to defeat fourth-ranked Gretchen Triantos (32:42) of Rockville, Maryland at the Twilight 8K. The fifth ranking goes to Sharon White of Langley AFB, who was the model of consistency, running 20:41 at the 5K Run for Mental Health, 20:39 at Yorktown's Freedom Run 5K, and 20:38 at the Super Day 5K in Fort Eustis. Note also that her times get slightly faster each race!

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
  1	Lee DiPietro     	45	Towson, MD
  2	Leisa Ensle      	45	Virginia Beach, VA
  3	Claudia Cortes    	48	Sterling, VA
  4	Gretchen Triantos	45	Rockville, MD
  5	Sharon White      	46	Langley AFB, VA
  6	Carol Talley     	48	Toano, VA
  7	Mary Siemann     	46	Frostburg, MD
  8	Katharine Daragan	46	Wheaton, MD
  9	Alison Suckling 	48	Arnold, MD
 10	Joan Nugent      	45	Silver Spring, MD
 11	Linda Ingleson    	46	Williamsburg, VA
 12	Laura Roman       	47	Baltimore, MD
 13	Lisa Schrader     	48	Annapolis, MD
 14	Mary Lang         	49	Pasadena, MD
 15	Linda Wack       	47	Germantown, MD
 16	Stephanie Shipp 	49	Great Falls, VA
 17	Bernadette Flynn	45	Fairfax, VA
 18	Linnea Olsen     	47	Alexandria, VA
 19	Carole Roeder     	46	Ashburn, VA
 20	Evie Thompson     	48	Virginia Beach, VA
 21	Dorothy Winn      	47	Norfolk, VA
 22	Linda Kidder     	46	Williamsburg, VA
 23	Elizabeth Snyderwine	45	Potomac, MD

Women 50 - 54
The 50-54 age group was again competitive, with 16 runners qualifying. Sandra Adams of Winchester, Virginia, the 2002 champion, achieved the top ranking for the first time in 2003. Her best performance was a 20:57 at the Tim Harmon 5K. The battle between the top three runners was very close, with the decisive factor being Adams (43:57) defeating sixth-ranked Karen Erb (47:30) of Alexandria, Virginia, at the Leesburg 10K.

Barbara Mathewson of Virginia Beach, Virginia takes the second spot, with her best race being a 20:26 at the Virginia Beach Independence Day 5K. Spring leader Betty Blank of Falls Church, Virginia takes third, with her times including a 20:25 at Baltimore's MC VET 5K.

Linell Smith of Baltimore is fourth, with a best performance of 21:44 at Baltimore's Women's Distance Classic 5K, and Linda Gulick of Richmond, Virginia takes fourth, having recorded a 21:36 at the Innsbrook 5K. The top five runners all had similar performances, and the rankings were determined by strength of competition defeated.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Sandra Adams	53	Winchester, VA
  2	Barbara Mathewson 53	Virginia Beach, VA
  3	Betty Blank	50	Falls Church, VA
  4	Linell Smith	50	Baltimore, MD
  5	Linda Gulick	51	Richmond, VA
  6	Karen Erb	52	Alexandria, VA
  7	Valerie Campbell 52	Wheaton, MD
  8	Susan Wait	52	Baltimore, MD
  9	Peggy Davis	50	Falls Church, VA
 10	Rita Twist	50	Linthicum, MD
 11	Sandy Salazar	51	Columbia, MD
 12	Maria Shields	52	Davidsonville, MD
 13	Jean Lauzon	50	Spotsylvania, VA
 14	Patricia Brooks	52	Ellicott City, MD
 15	Brenda Mitchell	52	Williamsburg, VA
 16	Cathy MacFawn	50	LaVale, MD

Women 55 - 59
Photo above: Alice Franks of Rockville, MD, on top of the 55 - 59 group

The 55-59 age group saw seven runners qualify in the summer ratings period. The center of excellence for the age group was Montgomery County, Maryland, which contributed four of the top five runners. Alice Franks of Rockville, Maryland repeated as the number one runner, and had eight qualifying performances.

Priscilla Prunella, also of Rockville, took second. Surprisingly, given that they live in the same city, Franks and Prunella did not run against each other. Franks gets the decision based on much faster times, including a 45:35 at the Leesburg 10K. Prunella's best performance was a 23:15 at Bethesda's Capital Crescent 5K, and her most important races were the Gaithersburg Cross-Country 5K, where her 25:28 defeated third-ranked Cathy Van Brocklin (25:40) of Gaithersburg, Maryland and fifth-ranked Dee Nelson (26:41) of Gaithersburg. Prunella also ran a 1:50:27 at the Riley's Rumble Half-Marathon, beating Van Brocklin (1:57:20).

Fourth was Mary Napoleon of Batesville, Virginia, who ran a 23:16 at Charlottesville's Fourth of July 5K, but did not run outside of Charlottesville, and did not compete against any of the other top competitors. Fifth-ranked Nelson (photo below) had a best of 23:39 at the St. Agnes Labor Day 5K.

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
  1	Alice Franks      	55	Rockville, MD
  2	Priscilla Prunella	58	Rockville, MD
  3	Cathy Van Brocklin	56	Gaithersburg, MD
  4	Mary Napoleon     	57	Batesville, VA
  5	Dee Nelson        	59	Gaithersburg, MD
  6	Mary Thibodeaux 	55	Williamsburg, VA
  7	Claudia Crawford	56	Stafford, VA

Women 60 - 64
Photo by Bob Mallet above: Janet Newburgh - on the left - ranked 10th in the 60 - 64 category

The 60-64 category had 13 qualifiers, led again by the amazing Sharon Dolan of Gaithersburg, Maryland. She would also have led the 50-54 and 55-59 categories. Her best was a 43:17 at Baltimore's MC VET 10K, and she also ran 21:24 at the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K.

Joan Coven of Williamsburg, Virginia repeats at number two, with a best performance of 22:57 at Williamsburg's 5K Run for Mental Health. Judy Gilbert of Baltimore is third, with her performances including a 24:42 at the St. Agnes Labor Day 5K, beating fifth-ranked Ellen Hocheder (28:19) of Mt. Airy, Maryland. The fourth spot goes to Yolanda Perez of Silver Spring, Maryland, who ran a 54:27 at Rockville's Oy Vay 10K.

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
  1	Sharon Dolan     	60	Gaithersburg, MD
  2	Joan Coven       	61	Williamsburg, VA
  3	Judy Gilbert     	60	Baltimore, MD
  4	Yolanda Perez    	61	Silver Spring, MD
  5	Ellen Hocheder    	60	Mt. Airy, MD
  6	Sylvia Boecker    	63	Williamsburg, VA
  7	Betty Munden     	63	Norfolk, VA
  8	Lis Villadsen    	63	Charlottesville, VA
  9	Mary Ann O'Connor	62	Reston, VA
 10	Janet Newburgh    	61	Rockville, MD
 11	Nancy Jakubec    	60	Richmond, VA
 12	Arlowene Garland	64	Warsaw, VA
 13	Rosemary Schwartzbard	61	Arlington, VA

Women 65 - 69
Photo by James Oesch above: Rockville's Jamie Wollard is ranked 6th among women 65 - 69

Tami Graf of Lusby, Maryland repeated as number one in the age group, with bests of 26:17 at the DC Memorial Day 5K and 35:46 at the Bastille Day 4-Mile. Second goes to Jill Mottus of Baltimore, with her most important race being a 28:38 to defeat fifth-ranked Mary Grillo (29:01) of Gambrills, Maryland at the St. Agnes Labor Day 5K. Mottus gets second rank in a close decision over winter ratings leader Nancy Patron of Williamsburg, Virginia, whose best performance was a 27:47 at the Vineyards of Williamsburg 5K. Mottus gets second on the basis of having defeated higher-ranked competitors than Patron did. Nancy Fraser of Charlottesville, Virginia is fourth, with a best of 28:47 at Charlottesville's Fourth of July 5K, but no races against the other top runners.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Tami Graf	66	Lusby, MD
  2	Jill Mottus	65	Baltimore, MD
  3	Nancy Patron	66	Williamsburg, VA
  4	Nancy Fraser	66	Charlottesville, VA
  5	Mary Grillo	65	Gambrills, MD
  6	Jamie Wollard	65	Rockville, MD
  7	Joanne Schecter	68	Baltimore, MD
  8	Betty Lou Wolfe	66	Manassas, VA
  9	Ann Manciagli	67	Williamsburg, VA

Women 70 - 74
The 70-74 division came alive in the summer ratings period, with six runners qualifying. First place went to Pat Ewell of Williamsburg, Virginia, previously a high ranker in the 65-69 division. Her most important performance was a 2:22:34 at the Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon, where she defeated third-ranked Hiroko Hunt (2:39:19) of Reston, Virginia.

A close second was Yvonne Aasen, whose performances included a 30:15 at the Annapolis Women's Distance Festival 5K. Third- ranked Hunt also ran a 1:53:56 at the Annapolis 10-Mile, beating fourth-ranked Marjorie Lane (1:59:46) of Reston, Virginia.

Fifth was Lee Glassco of McLean, Virginia, whose best performance was a 47:05 at the Bastille Day 4-Mile.

 Pl	Name     	Age	Hometown
  1	Pat Ewell	70	Williamsburg, VA
  2	Yvonne Aasen	71	Severna Park, MD
  3	Hiroko Hunt	70	Reston, VA
  4	Marjorie Lane	70	Reston, VA
  5	Lee Glassco	72	McLean, VA
  6	Winnie Gordon	70	Fairfax, VA

Women 75 & Over
The oldest woman qualifier is Kay Morrison of Potomac, Maryland, who previously led the 70+ group in the Winter and Spring ratings periods. She had four qualifying performances, including a 33:55 at Bethesda's Capital Crescent 5K, and a 57:46 at the Rockville Twilight 8K.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Kay Morrison	75	Potomac, MD

See the Men's Summer 2003 WRR Runner Rankings