Saratoga News

Sports

Hongo romps to win in the Great Race

Kriege is the women's champion in 2006 run

By Kevin Sparrer

It would seem that today's young athletes can't keep up with experience ... literally. At the age of 40, Jeff Hongo of Campbell finished first in the 27th running of the Los Gatos Rotary Club sponsored Great Race from Saratoga to Los Gatos. Hongo finished the 4-mile race in 21:13, a full 20 seconds faster than the next runner who was almost 20 years his junior.

Behind Hongo was 23-year-old Nick Fill of San Jose in 21:35.6. Fill, also the champion of the 19-29 age group, was followed to the finish line by 45-year-old Robert Pickens, third in 22:01.

Kenneth Douglas was the first Los Gatos finisher in the race and Rob Nast was the first Saratogan to the finish line. Douglas, 17, was sixth overall in 22:33.5 and the winner of the 14-18 age group. Nast was seventh in 22:34.5.

The rest of the top 10 overall included Brad Jacobs, fourth in 22:15.0; Tom Gardin, fifth in 22:19.2; Eric Baum, eighth in 22:37.2; Martino Poggio, ninth in 22:41; and Dave Leroy of Saratoga, 10th in 22:47.4.

The female side of the race was not much different, with experience winning out over youth.

Becki Kriege of San Jose won the women's division at 39 years old in 23:15.6. Less than a minute behind Kriege was 35-year-old Kristina Park, also of San Jose, in 23:59.1.

Erin Leigh, 30, was the first Los Gatos female runner to finish. She came in third in 24:48.3.

Rounding out the top 10 were: Katie Nast, fourth in 25:46.9); Julie Rohloff, fifth in 26:08; Tamara Torlakson, sixth in 26:38; Melinda Dinapoli, seventh in 26:38.9); Liz Nast, eighth in 26:41.5; Feriha Chiponis, ninth in 27:15.4; and Lisa Renteria, 10th in 27:23.8.

Three Saratoga runners in the race finished first in their age groups. Nicholas Olsen, 13, won the 2-13 age group by more than a minute in 23:20.6; 74-year-old Dan Tellep finished first in the 70-79 age group in 36:02.9; and 14-year-old Katie Nast was first in the women's 14-18 age group in 25:46.9.

Liz Nast of Saratoga was second in her age group. At 44, she ran 26:41.5 for second place in the women's 40-49 division. David Beam, 13, of Saratoga took second in his age group, finishing in 24:26.8 in the boy's 2-13 class.

Julie Rohloff was the only Los Gatos runner to win an age group title. At age 43, Rohloff defeated the other 183 competitors in the women's 40-49 age group.

In addition to finishing 10th overall, Lisa Renteria of Los Gatos was second in her age group, running 27:23.8 in the 19-29 class. Christine Lowe was another Los Gatos runner to finish second in her age group. At age 62, Lowe finished second in women's 60-69 group in 33:30. Kenneth Douglas, 17, from Los Gatos finished second in the young men's 14-18 class in 22:33.5.

Top 10 overall finishers

1--Jeff Hongo (Campbell), 21:13; 2--Nick Fill (San Jose), 21:35.6; 3--Robert Pickens (Campbell), 22:01; 4--Brad Jacobs (Berkeley), 22:15.9; 5--Tom Gardin (San Jose), 22:19.2; 6--Kenneth Douglas (Los Gatos), 22:33.5; 7--Rob Nast (Saratoga), 22:34.5; 8--Eric Baum (Los Gatos), 22:37.2; 9--Martino Poggio (San Jose), 22:41; 10--Dave Leroy (Saratoga), 22:47.4.

Top 10 female finishers

1--Becki Kriege (San Jose), 23:18.6; 2--Kristina Park (San Jose), 23:59.1; 3--Rerin Leigh (Los Gatos), 24:48.3; 4--Katie Nast (Saratoga), 25:46.9; 5--Julie Rohloff (Los Gatos), 26:08; 6--Tamara Torlakson (Santa Cruz), 26:38; 7--Melinda Dinapoli (Saratoga), 26:38.9; 8--Liz Nast (Saratoga), 26:41.5; 9--Feriha Chiponis (San Jose), 27:15.4; 10--Lisa Renteria (Los Gatos), 27:23.8.

Top Finishers By Age Group

Boys' 2-13

1--Nicholas Olsen (Saratoga), 23:20.6; 2--David Beam (Saratoga), 24:26.8; 3--Reed Thornburg (San Jose), 24:44.8; 4--Will Geiken (Los Gatos), 27:01.5; 5--Stefan Eckhardt (Los Gatos), 27:35.5.

Girls' 2-13

1--Karen Wal, 29:14.4; 2--Megan Lemma (San Jose), 29:18.9; 3--Camille Oneto (San Jose), 32:42.1; 4--Katherine Strong (Saratoga), 33:07.7; 5--Amy Saxton (Sunnyvale), 34:14.3.

Young Mens' 14-18

1--Brad Jacobs (Berkeley), 22:15.9; 2--Kenneth Douglas (Los Gatos), 22:33.5; 3--Eric Baum (Los Gatos), 22:37.2; 4--Alan Menezes (Saratoga), 23:38.2; 5--Brantley Rideau (Los Gatos), 24:20.9.

Young Womens' 14-18

1--Katie Nast (Saratoga), 25:46.9; 2--Christina Lopez (Vacaville), 27:24.6; 3--Tracy Vargo (Los Gatos), 29:03.3; 4--Nicole Zanardi (Los Gatos), 29:03.6; 5--Julia Fancey (Los Gatos), 30:52.9.

Mens' 19-29

1--Nick Fill (San Jose), 21:35.6; 2--Martino Poggio (San Jose), 22:41; 3--Golden Krishna (Sunnyvale), 23:12.3; 4--Christian Degen (Los Gatos), 23:14.6; 5--Jay Jacinto (Saratoga), 24:57.5.

Womens' 19-29

1--Tamara Torlakson (Santa Cruz), 26:38; 2--Lisa Renteria (Los Gatos), 27:23.8; 3--Olivia Vegh (Scotts Valley), 27:33.1; 4--Honey Gholam (San Jose), 27:42.3; 5--Jo Beck (Santa Cruz), 28:03.8.

Mens' 30-39

1--Michael Mahon (San Jose), 22:56.9; 2--Patrick McDonnell (Cork), 23:01.7; 3--Scott Bang (Campbell), 23:03.6; 4--Deric Horn (Los Gatos), 23:08.4; 5--Chris Campo (Cupertino), 24:12.4.

Womens' 30-39

1--Becki Kriege (San Jose), 23:18.6; 2--Kristina Park (San Jose), 23:59.1; 3--Erin Leigh (Los Gatos), 24:48.3; 4--Melinda Dinapoli (Saratoga), 26:38.9; 5--Feriha Chiponis (San Jose), 27:15.4.

Mens' 40-49

1--Jeff Hongo (Campbell), 21:13; 2--Robert Pickens (Campbell), 22:01; 3--Tom Gardin (San Jose), 22:19.2; 4--Rob Nast (Saratoga), 22:34.5; 5--Dave Leroy (Saratoga), 22:47.4.

Womens' 40-49

1--Julie Rohloff (Los Gatos), 26:08; 2--Liz Nast (Saratoga), 26:41.5; 3--Kelly Emo (Campbell), 27:32.5; 4--Carol Devack-Reichel (Los Gatos), 28:12; 5--Gina Krieg (Los Gatos), 28:38.

Mens' 50-59

1--Dan Anderson (Union City), 23:19.2; 2--Thomas O'Connor (San Jose), 23:27.2; 3--Jim Bordoni (Los Altos), 23:58.8; 4--John Pettinichio (Hayward), 24:29; 5--Keith Songerg (Redwood City), 25:03.9.

Womens' 50-59

1--Vicki Hawkinson (Boulder Creek), 30:03.7; 2--Mirabeau (San Jose), 31:11.9; 3--Kat Powell (San Jose), 32:56.8; 4--Annete McPhail, 33:11.7; 5--Cynthia Singletary (Saratoga), 33:13.

Mens' 60-69

1--Jim Howe (San Jose), 25:28.5; 2--Robert Schmitt (Sunnyvale), 26:26.8; 3--Bill Bengiveno (San Jose), 26:44.7; 4--Carl Petersen (Sunnyvale), 28:05.1; 5--Tim Rostege (San Jose), 28:33.3.

Womens' 60-69

1--Jean-Louis Juncker, 27:38.1; 2--Christine Lowe (Los Gatos), 33:30; 3--Riley George (Campbell), 34:20.9; 4--Marsha Eagle (Los Gatos), 36:28.1; 5--Carol Turner (Newark), 37:06.1.

Mens' 70-79

1--Dan Tellep (Saratoga), 36:02.9; 2--Bob Swan (San Jose), 36:22.5; 3--Robert Meyer (Los Gatos), 37:16.1; 4--Jack Vandenbogaerde (Oakland), 45:31.1; 5--John Sheehan (Sunnyvale), 49:45.6.

Womens' 70-79

1--Joy Johnson (San Jose), 41:16.2.