March 24, 2025. The weather was fine, and spirits were high, on Sunday, March 23rd as the Masters athletes reported to the West End competition area for the 2025 WMA Indoor Championships Non-Stadia Cross Country Championships. Fair skies, light winds, and 60's temperatures greeted the competitors. The Cross Country course was a 2 km loop course on grass, three loops for age divisions 70+ and four loops for all other age divisions. One of the athletes from an older division rolled his ankle during his preview of the course on Saturday. Another described the course, on Strava, in the following terms "Lumpy grass, sandy soil with a few rolling hills - think golf course that is no longer maintained other than an occasional mow." Of course, to many Cross Country runners that is part of the joy and challenge of Cross Country--you never know exactly what you are going to get. It was a terrific day of racing and Team USA delivered the goods!
Note 1: With no disrespect intended, in most cases below, I will not report the full name of athletes from countries other than the US. Sometimes I will report a last name and country, other times just refer to their nation. This saves me time and, given the difficulty of getting some international names correct, saves me from error. Where it seems clear, I observe the Hispanic tradition for last names of including the father's family name first followed by the mother's. If an athlete competes for the USA, I do not mention a country along with the name.
Note 2: Points are reported. Points are total places of the first three scorers for each national teams. Only complete teams are included. As a result, if there is just one complete team, the score is 6 points for 1-2-3 even if the individuals did not finish that high in individual competition.
Note 3: Thanks to April Lund who posted photos and video from the Cross Country Championship races. I have used a few.
First up were the Men and Women 70+ divisions, run together.
Race 1: M70+/W70+ 9 AM
WOMEN 80-84 A solo Czech athlete won the Gold medal in 48:22.
75-79 In the first sign that the US would not have things all their way, and that there would be some terrific races, Kenny of Ireland was able to hang with the remarkable Jeannie Rice! Kenny sprinted past her in the closing kilometer. This is not the event that Rice trains for, and it is just three weeks after her Tokyo Marathon. I would still classify it as an upset. Hats off to Kenny and Rice for a stirring contest. Rice was up by three seconds with two kilometers to go. But Kenny got the win by 7 seconds!
Jeannie Rice-Heading for the Silver Medal in 75-79 at the 2025 WMA Indoor Championships Cross Country - Photo courtesy of April Lund
After a British runner took 3rd in 34:56, Norma Hudnall was 2nd American in 4th 38:53, with Andrea McCarter providing the all-important third scorer for Team USA. Gold for USA 1:45:23 6 points.
Individual: Kenny Ireland 30:28 Jeannie Rice 30:35 Tabor Great Britain 34:56
Team: USA 1:45:23 6 points
70-74 This one was not an upset! The 2024 Masters Athlete of the Year, Nora Cary, did not disappoint. Ahead by two minutes with one loop to go, Cary won, going away, by almost four minutes! Two Canadians and one Finnish athlete finished before Cindy Lucking provided the second score at fifth place 35:58 for Team USA. Trenice Mullis Dubow closed things off for the team in sixth 41:11.
Individual: Nora Cary 28:14 Canada 32:05 Finland 32:22
Team: USA 1:45:23 6 points
MEN 85-89 Runners from Mexico and France took it out hard. Three minutes ahead of the field, and just one second apart, Mexico pulled away on the last loop for a 29-second win. David Turner led the Americans through the first three loops and held it through to take the Bronze medal with over a minute to spare. George Gilder passed Roland Cormier on the final loop to finish 4th 40:21. Cormier closed things off for Team USA in 5th place 40:36.
Individual Mexico 34:00 France 34:29 David Turner 38:59
Team: USA 1:59:56 6 points
80-84 A Swede and a Spaniard battled for the win. Separated by a single second with one loop to go. The Swede won the close contest by six seconds! Three and a half minutes after a Finn took third. Przemek Nowicki was the first American to finish, fourth 40:24. Morris Williams finished sixth 47:01.
Individual: Sweden 33:46 Spain 33:51 Finland 36:50
Team: No complete teams.
75-79 After French and British runners, Jean Thomas and Ronald Cattle, went 1-2, Gary Ostwald led the American contingent in third place. Within six seconds of the British runner with one loop to go, Ostwald ran a gritty last lap but was only able to take one second out of the Brit's lead. Jerry Learned provided the second score in 4th place 29:12; Terry McCluskey closed things off for Team USA in 5th, securing the Team Gold 29:45.
Individual: Jean Thomas France 27:46 Ronald Cattle Great Britain 28:09 Gary Ostwald 28:15
Team: USA 1:27:12 6 points
70-74 A many time USATF Masters Harrier of the Year, Rick Becker delivered! Over a half minute ahead of the field with one loop to go, Becker won by nearly a minute! Jack Pottle and Reno Stirrat continued the fine running they displayed this past fall at the Masters 5 Km XC and the Club Cross championships. With one loop to go it was two Canadians, Pottle and Stirrat, in a tight group. Midway through the final loop, Pottle and Stirrat were able to drop the Canadians. Pottle pulled away to claim second fourteen seconds ahead of Stirrat, with the bronze medal, in a true 1-2-3 sweep for Team USA!
Individual: Rick Becker 26:03 Jack Pottle 26:57 Reno Stirrat 27:11
Team: USA 1:20:11 6 points Thailand 1:28:56 29 points Puerto Rico 1:29:46 29 points
Race 2: W35-69 10:15 AM
W65 Suzanne Cordes loves running on the turf and led another 1-2-3 sweep for Team USA! Cordes finished the third loop a half minute ahead of Kitty Musante who had a similar gap on the third American athlete, Diane Rothman. Rothman had over a minute on the Spanish woman who would finish fourth. Cordes added slightly to her lead on the final loop, winning by 40 seconds. Musante held her place as 2nd American and Rothman added slightly to the gap back to the Spanish athlete.
Individual: Suzanne Cordes 39:56 Kitty Musante 40:36 Diane Rothman 41:14
Team: USA 2:01:46 6 points
60-64 The two top Brits, Elms and Usher, went up against the top two Americans, Suzanne La Burt and Mary Cass. La Burt could not keep pace with the speedy Elms but finished over a minute ahead of Usher. Cass was twelve seconds behind Usher with one loop remaining. Cass pushed with all her might, but Usher had the answer as Cass was unable to take time out of her lead. Tina Klein closed off the American effort with a 38:02 for sixth. La Burt, Cass and Klein rolled to Team Gold!
Individual: Elms Great Britain 33:58 Suzanne La Burt 34:26 Usher Great Britain 35:43
Team: USA 1:48:23 6 points
55-59 Except for knowing that her name ends with '...dottir' as is standard with Finnish names, I cannot decipher the winner's name. The Icelandic script has defeated me, and she defeated everyone in the division. The Finn had over 40 seconds on McDonald of Great Britain with a loop to go and finished with that lead. Rachel Hopkins, who is always a threat for a national age division Cross Country championship, could not stay with the pair. Hopkins captured the bronze medal and Amy McMahon added a fourth-place finish forty seconds later. Then they had to wait to find out if Laura Delea's back held up for the entire race. It did! After French, Colombian and German athletes took the next three spots, Delea closed off Team USA's scoring with her 8th place in 40:57.
Individual: Iceland 33:52 Great Britain 34:39 Rachel Hopkins 37:09
Team: Great Britain 1:44:20 6 points USA 1:55:55 15 points
Note: There is a confusing facet of Team Results. One cannot simply look at the individual results for the age division. If a particular division has fewer than three athletes from a given nation, the Team Manger can move enough athletes down from a higher division, prior to the race, to form a complete team. That is, apparently, what Great Britain did. The Team Manager must have moved Elms and Usher down from W60, where they had only two runners and therefore would not score a team anyway. With Elms and Usher in the team scoring, their cumulative team total is 1:44:20, as indicated, and their point total is 1-2-3 as all three Brits finish ahead of Hopkins in the team scoring,
50-54 Euleen Josiah-Tanner ran her best today; she is the 50-54 World Champion! Hortencia Aliaga had another fine race but could not stay with her compatriot today! Aliaga ran tough though. She had just 14 seconds on a Polish athlete with one loop to go. Over that 2 Km, Aliaga extended her lead to almost 20 seconds. Bialorczyk, the Pole took third and one of her teammates claimed fourth. A Puerto Rican athlete was fifth. Katherine Huggins, a converted marathoner, closed things out for Team USA with her sixth place in 36:16. She fought off a Ukrainian athlete who was just seven seconds back with one loop to go, certainly within shooting distance. Huggins finished strong, stretching that gap to over 20 seconds. Team USA took the Team Gold ahead of Poland.
Individual: Euleen Josiah-Tanner 33:57 Hortencia Aliaga 34:36 Bialorczyk Poland 34:55
Team: USA 1:44:49 8 points Poland 1:47:43 13 points
45-49 Erika Holroyd was on fire! Ahead of Ireland's M Kenny by a minute with 2 Km to go, Holroyd upped her winning margin to 1:08 by the finish. Jennifer Pesce, 14 seconds behind Kenny with a loop to go, gave it all her effort but could not keep it close. Pesce finished third, over two minutes ahead of Shannon Florea, who claimed bronze for the USA. Florea showed strength at the end. Locked in a duel with a Peruvian runner at the end of three loops, Florea pulled away to take fourth with 15 seconds to spare. With Holroyd, Pesce and Florea going 1-3-4, Team USA had no trouble taking Team Gold.
Individual: Erika Holroyd 31:43 M Kenny Ireland 32:51 Jennifer Pesce 33:40
Team: USA 1:41:41 6 points
40-44 This was Katie Sherron's day! The Gulf Winds took full advantage of the home state setting. Both she and April Lund have had success at Masters Cross C4ountry championships. Sherron set a pace that was initially a bit too fast for Lund. Down by ten seconds with 2 km to go, Lund closed Sherron's advantage down to a single second by the end. That must have been exciting to watch! The last time Chelsea Lenge Warren and Lund met, Warren finished just two seconds back. The gap was bigger this time but Warren played an important part. Vail, a Czech athlete, passed her in the final loop. Warren could not match Vail's pace but held tough to the line. She extended the gap back to the British athlete, Luxton, who was trying to close on her. That gave USA a 1-2-4 finish and the Team Gold.
Individual: Katie Sherron 30:29 April Lund 30:30 Vail Czech Republic 31:01
Team: USA 1:32:08 6 points Great Britain 1:50:43 13 points
35-39 Santos, of Portugal, and Brzezina, of Poland, went 1-2. No one stayed close to Santos. Andrea Richardson was twenty seconds behind Brzezina with one loopp to go. She pushed and took 3 seconds out of the lead but had to be happy with the bronze medal. In pursuing Brzezina, she upped her advantage over the French and German athletes who were chasing her. After those two claimed 4th and 5th, Rachel Aubert finished 6th in 36:09, with Megan Zavorka Thomas 7th in 37:08. That closed out team scoring for the USA. If any of those three had faltered, Charmayne Yazzie was next up in 8th.
Individual: Santos Portugal 30:16 Brzezina Poland 32:30 Andrea Richardson 32:47
Team: USA 1:46:08 8 points Germany 1:53:29 13 points
Video of Start of Men 35-54 Race-Courtesy of April Lund
Race 3: M55-69 11:15 AM
65-69 Kauppila, of Finland, carved out an 8 second lead over Roger Sayre in the first three loops. Sayre pushed for all he was worth on the final loop; he took just two seconds out of Kauppila's lead. Kauppila had the gold and Sayre the silver. Sayre enjoyed a lead of over forty seconds on the third-place finisher, Alem of Algeria. Jay Littlepage was twenty-six seconds behind Alem in fourth; Ken Youngers finished a minute later in fifth. Littlepage appears to have reaped the rewards of a very active and successful training block. Either Sayre ran exceptionally well today, or Youngers had an off day. The last time they met on the turf they finished very close to one another. Regardless, they both were part of a successful Team USA effort that reaped the Team Gold.
Individual: Kauppila Finland 31:51 Roger Sayre 31:57 Alem Algeria 32:41
Team: USA 1:39:13 6 points
60-64 Australia's John Meagher set a pace no one could match. Mark Zamek was a half-minute back with a loop to go. Zamek was able to take a couple of seconds out of Meagher's lead but that was it. With one loop to go, a Spanish athlete had Zamek in his sights, just 40 meters ahead. But by the end of the loop, Zamek had nearly a hundred meter lead as he crossed the finish line. Neither Rick Lee nor Mark Hixson were able to stay with the Span6ish athlete, but they worked together for a good Team USA result. Running together with the final loop in front, they stretched their lead over a British athlete who was chasing them.
Mark Hixson left and Rick Lee heading for 5th and 4th to secure the Men 60 Team Gold Medal at the 2025 WMA Indoor Championships Cross Country - Photo courtesy of April Lund
Lee outlasted Hixson to take 4th by three seconds, in 31:16.
Individual: John Meagher Australia 29:57 Mark Zamek 30:26 Spain 30:46
Team: USA 1:33:01 6 points Ireland 1:47:37 19 points Great Britain 1:52:08 20 points.
55-59 Molero-Eichwein, a German athlete, was able to break out form a lead group of four, establishing a gap of about 50 meters with one loop to go. Matt Farley was, at that point, part of the chase group, along with Rens of Belgium and Mora (Arroyo) of Spain. The German doubled his lead over the final loop. Rens and Farley were able to drop Mora on the run into the finish. Rens just outlasted Farley, claiming silver by a single second with Farley in the bronze medal position. A fast-closing Steven Brightman nearly caught the Spaniard, carving fifteen seconds out of his lead in the final two kilometers. They were given the same 29:42 time. Christopher Harris, who had been running with Brightman, couldn't quite match his speed over the final meters, finishing sixth just 4 seconds back. Team USA moved from second to first over the final loop.
Individual: Molero-Eichwein Germany 28:53 Rens Belgium 29:21 Matt Farley 29:22
Team: USA 1:28:50 11 points Spain 1:30:20 17 points Canada 1:43:53 30 points
Race 4: M35-54 12:15 PM
Video of Start of Men 35-54 Race-Courtesy of April Lund
50-54 This race was loaded with international talent. Spain's De La Fuente ran fast enough to be on the podium for the next two younger age divisions. He was followed a half minute later by an Irish athlete, Fulcher, a British runner, Brodie, and a Spanish teammate, Gadea Sanchez. Ahrlin Bauman, a mainstay of the tough Bowerman XC squads and winner of M50 at 2023 Cross Nationals in Richmond, finished 5th 31:46. A Venezuelan and a second Irish athlete finished 6th and 7th. Markelle Taylor was the second American in 8th place 33:53. Matthew Bivans finished 12th 37:41 to assure Team USA of the Silver Medals behind Ireland's gold.
Individual: De La Fuente Spain 28:08 Fulcher Ireland 29:00 Brodie Great Britain 29:31
Team: Ireland 1:38:12 9 points USA 1:43:20 12 points
45-49 Kevin Shirk led Team USA. He stayed with the leaders, Luig0i Del Buono, of Italy, and Hilel Ayachi, of Tunisia. The punishing pace was too much. Shirk fell back ont hefinal loop but maintained his third place position, claiming the bronze medal and leading the US squad to gold. Trent Bryson provided crucial support, finishing fourth 29:25. Leonardo Canete closed scoring off for Team USA with his 7th place finish 31:08, a half minute ahead of a Mexican competitor. USA edged Italy for the team win by a single point!
Individual: Luigi Del Buono Italy 27:45 Hilel Ayachi Tunisia 27:53 Kevin Shirk 28:13
Team: USA 1:28:46 10 points Italy 1:29:46 11 points
40-44 To say that Team USA dominated this division is an understatement. The first 8 finishers all wore the blue Team USA kit, not to mention 9 of the first ten. World Mountain Running Champion, Joseph Gray led the way as he has done at every national Masters LDR championship he entered in 2024. Not known as a Cross Country runner, newly minted Masters athlete, James Grabow. came in with 'road cred' in the form of a 1:06:40 half marathon in 2023 and two 31:30 10K's in the past year. It worked! Grabow had only lost 12 seconds to Gray by the 6 km mark. Twenty seconds after Gray crossed the line in first, Grabow claimed the second spot. Mark Currell prepped over the winter by taking Masters wins at each of the Salt Lake City Winter series runs, the 5K in 16:03, the 10K in 32:56, and the 15K in 50:57. Currell was able to finish ahead of fellow Americans, David Proudfoot, Jerry Faulkner, Jeremy Ruston, Adrian Herrera, and Bryan Hendricks. Currell's third place finish gave Team USA the official sweep and the Team Gold ahead of Germany.
Individual: Joseph Gray 25:44 James Grabow 26:04 Mark Currell 27:25
Team: USA 1:19:13 6 points
35-39 Ignacio Garcia Ramon of Spain and Jorge Jabaz were locked in a classic duel, dead even with 2 kilometers to go. Ramon had just a little more in the tank. He finished in first, ten seconds ahead of Jabaz. A half minute after Jabaz claimed the silver medal, Mattia Francini of Italy finished third. A Spanish athlete took fourth. Thomas York was in fifth place with the final loop ahead but Schulz, a German athlete, was right on his heels. Schulz was able to outlast York down the stretch; York finished 6th 30:17, a mere second behind Schulz! Spain had the only complete team; they took the Gold.
Individual: Ignacio Garcia Ramon Spain 26:59 Jorge Jabaz 27:09 Mattia Francini Italy 27:39
Team: Spain 1:23:28 6 points
USA Individual Medal Winners:
Gold Rick Becker Nora Cary Suzanne Cordes Joseph Gray Erika Holroyd Euleen Josiah-Tanner Katie Sherron
Silver Hortencia Aliaga James Grabow Jorge Jabaz Suzanne La Burt April Lund Kitty Musante Jack Pottle Jeannie Rice Roger Sayre Mark Zamek
Bronze Mark Currell Matt Farley Rachel Hopkins Gary Ostwald Jennifer Pesce Andrea Richardson Diane Rothman Kevin Shirk Reno Stirrat David Turner
The above reads like a 'Who's Who' of American Masters Cross Country Runners---Not all of the greats are there, but all who made the list are Great American Masters Cross Country Runners!
Medal Count-XC: Individual
USA: 27 TOTAL - 7 Gold; 10 Silver; 10 Bronze
Great Britain: 7 TOTAL - 2 Gold; 2 Silver; 3 Bronze
Spain: 4 TOTAL - 2 Gold; 1 Silver; 1 Bronze
Ireland: 3 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 2 Silver
Finland: 3 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 2 Bronze
France: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Silver
Czech Republic: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Bronze
Italy: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Bronze
Poland: 2 TOTAL - 1 Silver; 1 Bronze
Australia: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold
Germany: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold
Iceland: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold
Mexico: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold
Portugal: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold
Sweden: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold
Belgium: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver
Canada: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver
Tunisia: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver
Algeria: 1 TOTAL - 1 Bronze
Medal Count-XC: Team
USA: 18 TOTAL - 16 Gold; 2 Silver
Ireland: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Silver
Spain: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Silver
Great Britain: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Bronze
Germany: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver
Italy: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver
Poland: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver
Thailand: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver
Canada: 1 TOTAL - 1 Bronze
Puerto Rico: 1 TOTAL - 1 Bronze
TEAM AWARDS Pics - Courtesy of April Lund
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| Men 40-44 Podium-Team USA-Gold |
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| Men 50-54 Podium-Team USA-Silver |
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| Men 60-64 Podium-Team USA-Gold |
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| Women 50-54 Podium-Team USA-Gold |
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