Bowley, Larson win USATF Masters Cross Country Titles

Fall cross country came to a close on Saturday at the USATF Club and Masters Cross Country Championships held at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida.  The course is the site of the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships. 
 
While Florida was expected to be warm, higher than usual December temperatures and humid conditions added to the course's challenges for the five contested races. 

Three Masters races led off the day - Women's 6km, Men's 40-59 10km, and Men's 60+ 8km, - and medals including gold were the order of the day for New Englanders. 

Nat Larson (Gr.Springfield Harriers), recently named USATF 2023 Masters Road Runner of the Year, was a repeat winner in M60+ race,. having a margin of over 20 seconds at the tape,   Karolyn Bowley (B.A.A.), a New England title winner in cross, road, and track events, was the W50 victor. 

Mary Cass earned silver in the W60 division.  Silver also went to Peter Hammer (B.A.A.,M55, ) and Daniel Smith (Tracksmith, M45, 35:05.5).  Racing to M65 bronze was David Westenberg (GLRR).
Three USATF-NE teams had third place podium finishes. Cass led her Liberty AC W60 trio to bronze, and Tracksmith Boston Hares M40 and Central Mass Striders M50 returned home with bronze as well.

The Open Club Championship as hotly contested as usual with USATF-NE men's medal teams B.A.A. (8th), Tracksmith Boston Hares (11th), and Battle Road TC (13th) running to hard-earned placings over the 10km route. Eric Linden (B.A.A.) was top local individual in 13th.   Sydney Clary (Battle Road) in 30th was first NE woman in the Open results. No USATF-NE Women's clubs fielded a scoring team.

NEW ENGLAND SCOREBOARD - Top division placers and scoring teams

Open 6km	30.Sydney Clary, Battle Rd TC, 22:22.6	No NE teams
W40 (6km)	9.Jennifer Lutz (Battle Road TC) 22:45.5
W50	1.Karolyn Bowley, B.A.A., 24:00.4
W55	7.Jennifer Hegarty, Battle Road TC, 26:36.8
W60	2.Mary Cass, Liberty AC, 25:44.7 5.Amanda King, Liberty AC, 27:57.5	W60+ 3.Libety AC 23
W65	9.Cynthia Hastings, GBTC, 38:41.5
Men Open (in top 25)	13.Eric Linden, BAA, 31:52.1 18.Tim McGowan, BAA, 32:04.7 24.Colin Cernik, Tracksmith, 32:11.1	8.Boston Athletic Assn 246 11.Battle Road TC 272 13.Tracksmith Boston Hares 365 21.Greater Boston TC 520
M40 (10km)	4.Ed Baker, Tracksmith, 33:44.8	3.Tracksmith Boston Hares 74
M45	2.Daniel Smith, Tracksmith, 35:05.5
M50	6.Gregory Putnam, CMS, 36:32.2	M50+ 3.Central Mass Striders 78 9.Gr.Springfield Harriers 233
M55	2.Peter Hammer, BAA, 37:14.8
M60 (8km)	1.Nat Larson, Gr.Springfield Harriers, 29:33.5	M60+ 11.Greaters Lowell RR 105
M65	3.David Westenberg, GLRR, 32:53.4
M70	23.Tom Derderian, GBTC, 56:18.8

Complete Results

The 2024 WinterNationals, also the selection races for the USA World Cross Country Team, runs on January 20 in Richmond, Virginia. Open and masters races are open to all.  Information

The 2024 USATF Club Championship will be held in Tacoma, Washington on December 14. 

Karolyn Bowley (B.A.A. photo)