Lombardi and Place Capture Season Opener

           The 23^rd season of Snowstorm Classics began on a wintry note with cold temperatures and snow covered roads. Harriers Ron Lombardi and Cheryl Place didn’t let the New England weather bother them as each ran, slipped and slid to first place finishes.
           Ron had to fend off David Raucci, a feisty teenager from the Troy Trailblazers (New York), to earn his second career Snowstorm Classic crown. Ron opened an early lead but the 16 year old caught him at the two kilometer mark then repeatedly surged in an attempt to break his remaining challenger. With just over a kilometer to go, however, Ron turned the tables with a surge of his own and pulled away for a 36:13 to 36:25 victory. David and his brother Joe (7^th in 38:58) are on their way to Carrollton, Georgia, with their Troy Trailblazer teammates for the USATF Junior Olympic cross country championships on December 14^th. 
           Dave Reinhart took third in a smooth striding 37:59 to lead not only the senior (over 50) men, but the master’s men as well. Dave’s not your ordinary senior however.  On November 24^th he won the senior title at the USATF National Master’s 5K Cross Country Championship in Holmdel, New Jersey, and on December 14^th he will lead the Harrier senior men’s team at the USATF 10K Championships in Rocklin, California. Several of the GSH seniors used the Snowstorm Classic as a tune-up for the California race including Steve O’Neil (9^th in 39:15), Art Roberts (19^th in 42:17), Ramon Alicia (25^th in 44:53), and the anchor of the squad Pete Stasz (53^rd in 52:50). 
           The women’s race was equally competitive as Cheryl held off mountain biker extraordinaire Mary Misiazek 46:12 to 46:33 for her 3^rd career Snowstorm Classic crown. Fellow GSHer Deb Bercovici wasn’t all that far behind for 3^rd in 47:15. Cheryl also took master’s honors.
           Despite the talented field, the rugged conditions prevented anyone from setting an age record….anyone that is except the Champ, Doug Blanchard. The 77 year old Harrier legend claimed his 13^th age record on the 10K course (matching his 13 records on the 5K course) with a slippery 59:30 clocking.

 1  36:13  Ron       Lombardi    38M  GSH
 2  36:25  David     Raucci      16M  TT
 3  37:59  Dave      Reinhart    50M  GSH
 4  38:06  Billy     Rowe        41M  ---
 5  38:18  Alan      Bohdiewicz  17M  GSH
 6  38:39  Tom       Michaud     21M  ---
 7  38:58  Joe       Raucci      17M  TT
 8  39:04  Dennis    Roche       16M  ---
 9  39:15  Steve     O'Neil      51M  GSH
10  39:17  Pete      Gillen      20M  ---
11  39:26  Mike      Gauvin      27M  GSH
12  39:28  David     Ross        18M  ---
13  39:30  Zach      Hine        15M  EORC
14  40:23  Jim       Sullivan    37M  GSH
15  40:29  Travis    Benanti     28M  ---
16  40:50  John      Harris      21M  ---
17  40:50  Brian     Walsh       27M  ---
18  41:36  Richard   Clark       48M  SMAC
19  42:17  Art       Roberts     58M  GSH
20  43:28  Paul      Dreyer      17M  ---
21  43:51  Joe       Fois        27M  GSH
22  43:57  Eddie     Mulhern     13M  ---
23  43:59  Chris     Adeletti    37M  GSH
24  44:39  Tom       Whelan      44M  GSH
25  44:53  Ramon     Alicea      51M  GSH
26  45:46  Brian     Goddu       53M  GSH
27  46:12  Cheryl    Place       45F  GSH
28  46:33  Mary      Misiaszek   36F  GSH
29  46:45  Jim       Plaza       50M  SMAC
30  46:55  Brent     Coon        37M  GSH
31  46:56  Jeff      Staab       38M  BAA
32  47:15  Deb       Bercovici   36F  GSH
33  47:41  Tom       Deluca      47M  GSH
34  48:03  Sara      Pragluski   23F  GSH
35  48:10  Jesse     Regnier     15M  GSH
36  48:28  Kent      Fernald     48M  ---  
37  48:44  Matt      DuFresne    36M  GSH
38  49:01  Colleen   Cummings    36F  ---
39  49:25  Bill      Thibault    45M  EORC
40  49:31  Zach      Santamaria  15M  ---
41  49:38  Steve     Penna       47M  ---
42  49:42  Karen     Hine        47F  EORC
43  49:44  Steve     Sheffield   52M  ---
44  49:50  Tom       Conlin      62M  ---
45  50:06  Sharon    Mikaelian   37F  GSH
46  50:15  Bob       Massaro     59M  EORC
47  50:46  Tom       Regnier     42M  GSH
48  50:56  Chris     Park        31M  ---
49  51:00  Bruce     Rockwell    59M  GSH
50  51:34  Kim       Freedman    42F  ---
51  52:21  Don       Grant       60M  SMAC
52  52:42  Bryon     Dailey      48M  GSH
53  52:50  Pete      Stasz       55M  GSH
54  53:00  Dave      Mengel      39M  ---
55  53:02  Tom       Zukowski    36M  GSH
56  53:04  Dave      Aronson     47M  SMAC
57  53:13  Kelly     Sullivan    36F  GSH
58  53:41  Asli      Sahin       26F  ---
59  54:19  Kathy     Lynch       40M  GSH
60  55:08  Ellen     Bellicchi   52F  GSH
61  55:31  Dennis    Mahoney     48M  SCS
62  55:46  Andrea    Dufresne    33F  GSH
63  56:16  Ed        Dwyer       36M  GSH
64  56:20  Mike      Butler      30M  ---
65  57:22  Ray       Wenninger   54M  SMAC
66  57:33  Mary Lou  White       47F  ---
67  57:46  Mike      Connor      52M  ---
68  59:30  Doug      Blanchard   77M  GSH
69  64:01  Mike      LaPlante    42M  GSH
70  66:21  Sue       Grant       58F  SMAC
71  67:21  Mike      Passmore    54M  GSH
72  77:34  Bruce     Kurtz       66M  SMAC