Contacts:
Nancy Hobbs, Chair, USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Running Chair, 719-573-4133, trlrunner@aol.com
Roy Pirrung, Vice Chair, USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Running Chair, ultraone@charter.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2007
2007 U.S. National 100Km Team Leaders Announced
USA Track and Field has appointed the team staff for the 2007 USA 100Km Team which will compete in the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) 100 Kilometer World Cup to be held on Saturday, September 8 in Winschoten, The Netherlands.
At the helm will be Lin Gentling of Rochester, MN. Gentling has been 100Km Team leader 12 times and brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the team. This will be Gentling’s fourth time attending the World Cup in Winschoten. She was a member of the 100Km team in 1991 and 1992, as well as the 1991 100Km national champion. Gentling has coached athletes for 14 years, helping over 750 runners reach the marathon finish line.
New to the team this year, will be Mike Spinnler of Hagerstown, MD, who will serve as assistant team leader. Spinnler has been the race director of the JFK 50 Mile, America’s oldest, largest and most prestigious ultra marathon, since 1993. In addition to serving on two prior National Team staffs, Spinnler brings years of coaching experience to the table, having coached at the collegiate level from 1983-2001.
Lion Caldwell has been named team physician. This will be Lion’s 12th time traveling as support staff to the U.S. 100Km Team. Caldwell has attended the World Cup in Winschoten on four occasions. He currently serves as a fulltime physician, practicing at the bottom of the Grand Canyon on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. He is Board Certified in Family Practice with a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine and has been a competitive ultra marathon runner since 1978.
“The 100Km is an event that requires a great deal of organization leading up to the event as well as on race day. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated and experienced team staff to lead our National Team in Winschoten this year,” said Nancy Hobbs, Chairperson, USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Running Chairperson.
For details on the athlete selection process for the 2007 USA National Team, visit www.usatf.org/events/2007/IAU100kmWorldCup/entry/. The National Team will be announced in June. Additional information on the IAU World Cup is available at http://iau.org.tw/.