Photo above: Irina Suvorova, 32 of Gaithersburg, MD, 3rd among open women

Open Women
Like the Open Men's division, the Open Women's division was relatively quiet in the Winter rankings period. Expatriate Russians dominate the category.

Czech Anna Pichrtova of Waynesboro, Virginia ranks first, based on four qualifying performances, including an outstanding 1:15:29 at the Norfolk Half-Marathon, and a 1:16:08 at the Colonial Half-Marathon. She also ran a fast 54:29 at the Frostbite 15K.

First American is second-ranked Jacqueline Concaugh of Alexandria, Virginia. Her four qualifying marks include an excellent 17:22 at the Red Ribbon Run 5K and a 29:00 at Alexandria's Turkey Trot 5-Mile.

Third is Russian Irina Suvorova of Washington, DC, who ran a fine 36:47 at the George Washington's Birthday 10K. Places four and five are held by provisional qualifiers who recorded only one qualifying performance. Fourth-ranked Russian Olga Romanova of Gaithersburg, Maryland ran a blazing 26:52 at the Outback Steakhouse 8K, barely edging fifth-ranked Russian Tatyana Chulakh (26:55) of Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The 21-year-old Chulakh was the youngest qualifier, and the 32- year-old Suvorova was the oldest.

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown 
  1	Anna Pichrtova     	30	Waynesboro, VA
  2	Jacqueline Concaugh	28	Alexandria, VA
  3	Irina Suvorova    	32	Gaithersburg, MD
  4	Olga Romanova     	23	Gaithersburg, MD
  5	Tatyana Chulakh 	21	Gaithersburg, MD

Women 35 - 39
Competition was stiff in the 35-39 age group, and 13 runners qualified for the rankings. Marjan Huizing (photo at left) of Gaithersburg, Maryland, fifth in 2003, takes the top spot. Her best race was the George Washington's Birthday 10K, where her 38:35 defeated third-ranked Maria Kozloski (39:44) of Washington, DC.

Second is Denise Knickman of Baltimore, who ran a fine 18:08 at Towson's Turkey Trot 5K, but did not race against any of the other top runners.

Helen Beven of Kensington, Maryland is fourth, on the basis of four qualifying performances, including a 1:04:10 at the RRCA Club Challenge 10-Mile. Fifth-ranked Barbara Wigle of Centreville, Virginia, had a 19:15 at the Virginia Run Turkey Trot 5K.

Photo: Vicki Lang, 35 of Columbia, MD, is ranked 9th

 Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
  1	Marjan Huizing    	35	Gaithersburg, MD
  2	Denise Knickman 	35	Baltimore, MD
  3	Maria Kozloski    	38	Washington, DC
  4	Helen Beven       	36	Kensington, MD
  5	Barbara Wigle     	37	Centreville, VA
  6	Elizabeth Feldman	36	Chevy Chase, MD
  7	Cheryl McMurray 	35	Fairfax, VA
  8	Monica Grillo      	39	Arlington, VA
  9	Vicki Lang        	35	Columbia, MD
 10	Robyn Humphrey    	39	Ellicott City, MD
 11	Maureen Hall      	39	Lavale, MD
 12	Elizabeth Cottone	37	Charlottesville, VA
 13	Meredith Valmon 	35	Rockville, MD

Women 40 - 44
Laura Freix of Centreville, Virginia, the 2003 runner-up, gets a great start in 2004 by leading the Winter rankings period. Her performances are so strong that she also would have led the 35- 39 age group. She settled the competition for number one by running 30:44 at the Outback Steakhouse 8K, defeating second- ranked Pat Keating (photo) (31:47) of Dayton, Maryland, by more than a minute.

Third is Robin Moon of Yorktown, Virginia, who ran 19:43 to defeat fifth-ranked Valerie Plyler (19:58) at the Governor's Land 5K. Fourth is Leslie Minnix-Wolfe of Herndon, Virginia, whose performances include a 40:40 at the George Washington's Birthday 10K.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Laura Freix	42	Centreville, VA
  2	Pat Keating	43	Dayton, MD
  3	Robin Moon	44	Yorktown, VA
  4	Leslie Minnix-Wolfe 42	Herndon, VA
  5	Valerie Plyler	44	Newport News, VA
  6	Kendall Tata	41	Virginia Beach, VA
  7	Win Persina	43	Washington, DC
  8	Julie Thienel	40	Columbia, MD
  9	Jeanie Trent	42	Richmond, VA
 10	Pamela Lovett	41	Newport News, VA
 11	Andrea Wright	42	Charlottesville, VA
 12	Marjorie Boyd	42	Annapolis, MD

Women 45 - 49
Gretchen Triantos of Rockville, Maryland, third-ranked in 2003, takes the top spot. Triantos ran a 19:40 at the Red Ribbon Run 5K and a 32:34 at the Alexandria Turkey Trot 5-Mile.

Second is long distance specialist Dorothy Beckett of Columbia, Maryland. Beckett ran 1:10:20 at the RRCA Club Challenge 10- Mile, beating fourth-ranked Robin Goodwin (1:14:42) of Timonium, Maryland.

The third spot goes to Carol Talley of Toano, Virginia. Talley ran 1:38:23 at the Colonial Half-Marathon, beating fifth-ranked Linda Fournier (1:40:03) of Richmond.

 Pl	Name            	Age	Hometown
  1	Gretchen Triantos	46	Rockville, MD
  2	Dorothy Beckett 	46	Columbia, MD
  3	Carol Talley      	49	Toano, VA
  4	Robin Goodwin     	45	Timonium, MD
  5	Linda Fournier    	45	Richmond, VA
  6	Liza Recto      	47	Lexington Park, MD
  7	Peggy Mowbray     	48	Charlottesville, VA
  8	Linda Ingleson  	46	Williamsburg, VA

Women 50 - 54
The 2003 champion, Betty Blank (photo) of Falls Church, Virginia, also starts 2004 in the top spot. Blank's most outstanding performances were a 19:53 at the Red Ribbon Run 5K, defeating fifth-ranked Suann Shocket (24:39) of Manassas, Virginia, and a 32:52 at the Alexandria Turkey Trot 5-Mile.

Second is Maria Shields of Davidsonville, Maryland, who recorded a 22:37 at Annapolis's Washington's Birthday 5K. She gets a narrow edge, based on consistency, over third-ranked Jane Godfrey of Takoma Park, Maryland, whose best was a 37:14 at the Outback Steakhouse 8K, defeating fourth-ranked Peggy Davis of Falls Church, Virginia.

Peggy Davis (48:49) defeated Shocket (50:30) at the George Washington's Birthday 10K, which gained her the fourth spot.

 Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
  1	Betty Blank       	50	Falls Church, VA
  2	Maria Shields    	53	Davidsonville, MD
  3	Jane Godfrey      	54	Takoma Park, MD
  4	Peggy Davis        	52	Falls Church, VA
  5	Suann Shocket     	50	Manassas, VA
  6	Barbara Mathewson	54	Virginia Beach, VA
  7	Patricia Gilley 	51	King William, VA
  8	Linda Scandore    	53	Charlottesville, VA

Women 55 - 59
Alice Franks of Rockville, Maryland, the 2003 champion, continues out front. She recorded a remarkable seven qualifying marks, with the best test being the Bethesda Turkey Chase 10K, in which Franks (45:29) beat third-ranked Cathy Van Brocklin (48:46) of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and fourth-ranked Nancy Avitabile (49:41) of Bethesda, Maryland.

Second is Linda Peters of New Kent, Virginia, who ran 1:46:57 at the Colonial Half-Marathon, to beat Van Brocklin (1:50:06). Fifth is Jeanne Kruger-Williams of Norfolk, Virginia, who did not race against the other top runners, but did record a fine 1:43:28 at the Norfolk Half-Marathon.

 Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
  1	Alice Franks      	55	Rockville, MD
  2	Linda Peters      	57	New Kent, VA
  3	Catherine Van Brocklin	57	Gaithersburg, MD
  4	Nancy Avitabile 	56	Bethesda, MD
  5	Jeanne Kruger-Williams	56	Norfolk, VA
  6	Mary Napoleon     	58	Batesville, VA
  7	Claudia Crawford	57	Stafford, VA
  8	Jane Poole        	56	Falls Church, VA

Women 60 - 64
Don't look now, but the 60-64 division is getting very competitive. This time 2003 champ Sharon Dolan of Gaithersburg, Maryland is topped by 2003 runner-up Joan Coven of Williamsburg, Virginia.

Joan Coven gets the nod based on a significant time advantage, including a 22:23 at the Toys for Tots 5K. Of course, Dolan was also no slouch, running 39:10 at the Country Road 5-Miler, to beat third-ranked Priscilla Prunella (40:19) of Rockville, Maryland.

Priscilla Prunella ran 1:19:37 at the RRCA Club Challenge 10- Mile, beating fourth-ranked Judith Gilbert (1:26:12) to sew up the third spot. Fifth is Dee Nelson of Gaithersburg, Maryland, whose best was a 24:11 at the Red Ribbon Run 5K.

 Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
  1	Joan Coven        	62	Williamsburg, VA
  2	Sharon Dolan       	61	Gaithersburg, MD
  3	Priscilla Prunella	60	Rockville, MD
  4	Judith Gilbert    	60	Stevenson, MD
  5	Dee Nelson         	60	Gaithersburg, MD
  6	Mary Ann O'Connor	62	Reston, VA
  7	Ellen Hocheder     	61	Mount Airy, MD
  8	Judith Brennan    	62	Mount Airy, MD
  9	Mary Kate Berglund	62	Richmond, VA
 10	Sylvia Boecker    	64	Williamsburg, VA
 11	Barbara Privitera	61	Alexandria, VA

Women 65 - 69
The 2003 champion, Tami Graf of Lusby, Maryland, starts out 2004 as number one. Graf twice defeated fifth-ranked Jamie Wollard of Rockville, Maryland, running 43:49 at the Outback Steakhouse 8K to beat Wollard (51:29), and then running 54:57 at the George Washington's Birthday 10K to again beat Wollard (67:16).

Second-ranked E.C. Williams (58:08) of Reston, Virginia, also established her credentials by beating Wollard (1:10:44) at the Rotary 10K Adventure.

Third-ranked Jill Mottus of Baltimore, also ranked third in 2003, switched places this time with Nancy Patron of Williamsburg, Virginia. A very slight edge goes to Mottus based on having three qualifying times, including a 28:27 at the Journey Home 5K Challenge. Patron also recorded good times, with a 27:03 at the Governor's Land 5K and a 28:49 at the Swamp Run 5K.

 Pl	Name       	Age	Hometown
  1	Tami Graf	67	Lusby, MD
  2	E.C. Williams	65	Reston, VA
  3	Jill Mottus	66	Baltimore, MD
  4	Nancy Patron	67	Williamsburg, VA
  5	Jamie Wollard	65	Rockville, MD
  6	Pauline Ely	65	Hampton, VA
  7	Nancy Welker	69	Roseland, VA
  8	Betty Lou Wolfe	67	Manassas, VA

Women 70 - 74
Leading the 70-74 group is the 2003 champion, Pat Ewell of Williamsburg, Virginia. Ewell ran a 30:51 at the Governor's Land 5K. Second is Lee Glassco of McLean, Virginia, with a 1:02:54 at the Over Hillandale 5-Mile.

Third-ranked Yvonne Aasen of Severna Park, Maryland is a provisional qualifier with only one qualifying mark, although that was a good 35:41 at Annapolis' Washington's Birthday 5K.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Pat Ewell	70	Williamsburg, VA
  2	Lee Glassco	72	McLean, VA
  3	Yvonne Aasen	72	Severna Park, MD

Women 75 & Over
The 2003 champion, Kay Morrison of Potomac, Maryland, again leads the category. Her best was a 56:44 at the Outback Steakhouse 8K.

Second is Louise Akers of Christiansburg, Virginia, with a 43:02 at the Blacksburg Classic 5K. Akers is the oldest woman qualifier in the Winter rankings period.

 Pl	Name      	Age	Hometown
  1	Kay Morrison	77	Potomac, MD
  2	Louise Akers	79	Christiansburg, VA

See the Men's Winter 2004 WRR Runner Rankings