New York FTW

The 2015 Baker Trail UltraChallenge - August 29

On a beautiful, sunny Saturday in late August, Brooklynite Pat Noonan took off from the Summerville starting line and left everyone behind. Only Pittsburgher Mark Frey was able to catch up, staying with Pat during much of the second half, but ended up finishing more than 15 minutes behind.

Nearly 15 minutes behind Mark was top finisher (and 2013 UltraChallenge winner) Andrew Brosius.

The first female finisher was seventeen year old Taylor Strong, in seventh place overall!

The brand new two-mile trail route above the Mahoning Reservoir was still being broken in. Almost every runner stopped at least once to look for a blaze or a defined trace, unsure if they were still on the trail.

Relay team Skanks & Geezers again captured the overall relay title, despite having lost their 30 minute lead going into the third leg as venerable Geezer Jim Crist lost time in the new reroute. Nevertheless, their fourth and fifth leg runners more than made up for it, bringing the team to a finish two hours ahead of second-place team UB5.

The day began around 60 degrees and rose to the low 80s in the afternoon, with abundant sunshine.

For these ten runners, this section earned them the final piece of the medal and the accompanying rolling pin display:

  • Andrew Beard
  • Benjamin Ewing
  • Joe Sciulli
  • Michael Dobbs
  • Michael Meissner
  • Michal G Kawecki
  • Miriam R Fein
  • Robert Tisherman
  • Ryan Hampton
  • Tara Leale Porter

Congratulations to all!

Many thanks to our volunteers, without whom the UltraChallenge would not happen: Dewaine Beard, Jan Berg, Matthew Brownlee, Patty Brunner, Tricia Burkett, Janice Cessna, Jim Crist, Bill Dietrich, Mark Eyerman, Larry Finkel, Kate Fissell, Dave Galbreath, Mark Gibson, Elizabeth Hermann, Malcolm Hermann, Doris Hicks, Paul Hicks, Betty Hovland, Andrew Karnavas, Ryan Knecht, Bill Latta, Mike Latta, David Lindahl, Stef McVeigh, Steve Mentzer, Karen Muirhead, Bob Mulshine, Cindy Rogers, Charles Shaffer, Joe Shupienis, Bryan Simanic, Kevin Snyder, Jenna Stahlman, Andrew Stanley, Jonathan Stanley, Anastasia Stolz, Donna Stolz, Jason Strohm, Mike Waldvogel, Steve Waltman, Brenda Wolfe, Linda Xenophontos.

A special thanks to our great friends Hisham Youssef and Rebecca Slak, who host the race at their farm.

And many thanks to our generous sponsor this year: Rae Lyn Enterprises.

— Steve Mentzer