2009-2010 PRRO Circuit Resumes February 28th at World's Best 10K
Two More Athletes Will
Qualify for a Chance to Earn the 2009-2010 Season Bonus
Two
additional athletes will join Ridouane Harroufi of Morocco and Alice Timbili of
Kenya in pursuit of the $10,000 PRRO Circuit Purse as the series moves to its
second stop at the World's Best 10K in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Feb. 28. Under
the new format adopted last year, the male and female winners of each PRRO
circuit event are eligible to race for the bonus at the PRRO Championship held
each year at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race on July 4th.
Harroufi
and Timbili earned their eligibility by capturing the first titles up for grabs
on the 2009-2010 PRRO Circuit Purse at the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, New York
last July 12th.
In the
2008-2009 PRRO Circuit, Kenyan stars Sammy Kitwara and Lineth Chepkurui each
claimed half ($17,500) of the $35,000 circuit purse by winning the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. Once a bonus is paid out, it resets to
$10,000 the following year and grows by $5,000 each year that it is not claimed
at the Championship race. If a qualified male and female both win the
Championship, the purse is shared.
"We
adjusted our rules a year ago to allow an athlete to become eligible to compete
for the Circuit Purse by winning just one of the first four races," said PRRO
President Don Kardong. "That means there should always be several athletes in
contention for the Purse at the PRRO Championship each year at The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race."
The PRRO
Circuit offers world-class competition for athletes of all nations in events at
less than the marathon distance. The circuit has shown its commitment to a
drug-free sport by funding mandatory drug testing for elite athletes at all the
PRRO Circuit events. The testing is carried out by the United States Anti-Doping
Agency.
A summary
of results from the 2008-2009 PRRO Circuit and contacts for the 2009-2010 series
appear below.
2008-2009 Events and
Results:
Boilermaker 15K,
July 13, 2008, Utica, NY. Men's winner: Terefe Maregu, Ethiopia,
44:17. Women's winner: Ashu Rabo Kasim, Ethiopia, 50:39
World's Best 10K,
March 1, 2009, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Men's winner: Sammy Kitwara,
Kenya, 27:26. Women's winner: Vivian Cheruiyot, Kenya, 31:12
Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile,
April 5, 2009, Washington, DC. Men's winner: Riduoane Harroufi,
Morocco, 45:56. Women's winner: Lineth Chepkurui, Kenya, 53:32.
Lilac
Bloomsday 12K,
May 3, 2009, Spokane, WA. Men's winner: John Yuda, Tanzania, 34:36.
Women's winner: Lineth Chepkurui, Kenya, 38:37.
The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race (2008-2009 PRRO
Championship),
July 4, 2009, Atlanta, GA. Men's winner: Sammy Kitwara, Kenya, 27:21.
Women's winner: Lineth Chepkurui, Kenya, 31:30.
2009-2010 Events:
Boilermaker 15K,
July 12, 2009, Utica, NY. Men's winner: Ridouane Harroufi, Morocco,
43:56. Women's winner: Alice Timbili, Kenya, 49:32.
World's Best 10K,
February 28, 2010, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over $600,000 in prize money and
bonuses. $25,000 for 1st. Elite athlete contact: Rafael Acosta,
787-767-2000.
Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile,
April 11, 2010, Washington, DC. $40,000 in prize money and bonuses. $7,500
for first. Elite athlete contact: Bill Orr, 863-533-0654.
Lilac
Bloomsday 12K,
May 2, 2010, Spokane, WA. Over $80,000 in prize money. $7,000 for 1st.
Elite athlete contact: Jon Neill, 509-747-0101
The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race (2009-2010 PRRO
Championship),
July 4, 2010, Atlanta, GA. Over $80,000 in prize money. $15,000 for 1st.
$10,000 PRRO Circuit Bonus for eligible runners. Elite athlete contact:
Elizabeth Unislawski, 404-231-9064 x11.
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