Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Runners turn the corner at Santa Cruz Avenue and head for home in the annual Great Race.

Turman great in Great Race

Acosta runs to women's title

By Dick Sparrer

It took Ben Turman almost 20 minutes to make the trip from downtown Saratoga to downtown Los Gatos last weekend.

Now, even in heavy traffic, and even when you hit all the lights wrong, a driver can usually make that trip in about 10 minutes, no problem.

So what took Turman so long last Sunday morning? Well, he wasn't driving.

Turman was running in the annual 3.8-mile Great Race from Saratoga to Los Gatos, and he made great time even without his car.

The 27-year-old runner covered the distance in 18:25 to finish a good 28 seconds ahead of his nearest rival to claim the Great Race crown.

He didn't have to worry about stopping for any signal lights, but he did have some rather heavy traffic to contend with. There were nearly 2,500 runners entered in the popular local race, a record that broke the mark of 2,100 set just a year earlier.

But Turman didn't really have to worry much about the rest of the field--he was well out in front most of the way.

Women's champ Barb Acosta had to fight her way through traffic to run to the gold. But the 39-year-old speedster picked her way through the field to finish 18th overall and first among the female competitors. Acosta covered the distance in 21:03 to finish well ahead of the women's field.

Amy Avrit was a distant second in 21:51 and led a pack of women to the finish line. Only 38 seconds separated second from seventh in the women's division.

Susie Blake of Campbell was third in 21:58, with Elizabeth Nast fourth in 22:15, Julie Rohloff of Los Gatos fifth in 22:28.0, Beverly Goldman of Saratoga sixth in 22:28.7 and Sally Benassi of Los Gatos seventh in 22:29.

Jackie McCleary of Los Gatos was eighth in 22:37, with Robyn Vanderluit ninth in 22:55 and Carolyn Benson 10th in 23:12.

Other local finishers in the top 20 included Sheri Mulroe (Saratoga), 13th in 24:26; Debbie Follmar (Saratoga), 15th in 24:47; Judi Shade (Los Gatos), 17th in 24:57; Jeanne Fishback (Los Gatos), 18th in 25:06; and Sarah Villareal (Monte Sereno), 10th in 25:13.

Turman cruised to the men's title. Local men in the top 20 overall included Kenrick Sealy (Los Gatos), third in 19:09; Rob Nast (Saratoga), 12th in 20:20; Bernie Lahde (Saratoga), 15th in 20:47; Dirk Rohloff (Los Gatos), 16th in 20:51; Karl Malmsheimer (Los Gatos), 17th in 21:06; James Green (Los Gatos), 19th in 21:08; and Bill Shawhan (Los Gatos), 20th in 21:14.