Black Sand Beach

    Scramble 10K results 

    Scramble 5K results 


(Makena, Maui) -- Joe Kurian (20-29) and Christine Lundy (30-39) won their respective divisions at today's XTERRA Scramble 10K.

Racers were treated to a first-rate off-road race complete with steep, rugged climbs, stunning views and winding single track strewn with lava rocks. The tough course and humid conditions required a little extra grit from competitors who ranged in age from seven to seventy-years-old. This is the same course athletes will compete on at  tomorrow's Nissan Xterra World Championship.

Kurian, who hails from Madison, WI finished a solid four minutes ahead of second-place finisher Andrew Ross of New Zealand (40-49). Rounding out the top three of this international podium was Richard Kolar (20-29) of the Czech Republic.

On the women's side, a familiar face appeared at the top spot on the podium. Earlier this month Lundy won the women's division at the XTERRA Scramble 10K in Lake Tahoe, NV. On both occasions she earned round trip tickets on Hawaiian Airlines from the West Coast to Hawaii.

CONGRATULATES
  Christine Lundy
She was the fastest 10K wahine finisher.
Hawaiian Airlines awarded her a pair of round-trip tickets to Hawaii.

Giving Lundy a run for the money was second-place finisher Cassandra Henkiel (30-39) of Austin, TX. The two finished 38-seconds apart. Rounding out the women's podium is Emma Major (20-29) of Solana Beach, CA.

Today's 10K performances were doubly impressive, considering the difficulty of the course. Race director Dave Nicholas warned racers at the race briefing about sections of the course that were "simply not run-able." That apparently didn't affect the top 10K-ers here today, as they still managed to keep seven to eight-minute miles along the steep terrain.

The 5K version of this race, which started just five minutes after the 10K, also drew a fast international field of competitors.

It started off with local boy Dennis Queirolo (30-39) of nearby Kihei crossing the finish line first in 23:15. Second-place finisher Yasuhiro Kojima of Tokyo, Japan followed thirty seconds later. Athletes from the Czech Republic, Canada, New Zealand and multiple U.S. states also showed up on the results list. James Meyer (20-29) made the trip from Spearfish, SD worthwhile by finishing third overall for the men.

Maui girl Nancy Robberson (40-49) was the top 5K women's finisher in 26:59. Kudos go out to Robberson for her efforts to help promote today's races, which are a benefit for Maui United Way and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui County. Charlotte Endicott (30-39) of Alamo, CA earned second overall for the ladies in 30:56. Mieke Meyer, wife of third-place men's 10K finisher James Meyer, also earned bronze with a 32:42 finish.