The Ultra Series got rolling down at Zumbro a week and a half ago, and what a start! Racers were treated to beautiful, summer-like weather on Friday, then deteriorating weather through the night, right down to the hypothermic range. Congrats to all who raced through the tough conditions, whether you found your way to the finish line or not.
As for results, on the women’s side Leslie Semler jumped out to the lead in the open and overall divisions by volunteering on Friday before winning the women’s division of the 50 mile race and finishing 6th overall! Kathy Jambor fought through the 100 mile race to take the Masters lead, and the grandmasters are still laying low. Take note of Leslie’s doubling-up tactic, as those volunteer points can be valuable. In 2013, two of the divisions were decided by less than 15 points, and could have been swung by an extra volunteer effort…
For men, we have a tie in the open division between Eric Hadtrath and Jordan Schmidt, and also in the grandmasters between Jim Wilson and John Maas, while Mike Barton in the masters was the only man to claim a division lead! The overall division is tied up too, with Eric and John leading.
Next up on the schedule is the Chippewa 50K this Saturday. The trail is reported to be clear of snow this year, which will be sure to please those who remember the ice and slush of 2013. Good luck to racers headed for New Auburn!
As always, please check the results and contact us with any errors or omissions. Remember to report your volunteer efforts too!
Results can be found on the UMTR Ultra Series Page.