The La Sportiva Berry Picker is the second and last Selection Race for the Teva US Mountain Running Team. This means some top runners will be flying in to have a go at making the Team. Should be an excellent race!
The top two Women and the winning Male will automatically qualify. One other Male and Female would normally be selected At-Large, but Clint Wells of Boulder, who qualified at Mount Washington, declined his berth, and if Brandy Erholtz, who won at Mount Washington is one of the top two Women at Berry Picker, then rather than automatically qualify the third place Women, an additional At-Large selection will be made for the Women’s Team also.
Got that? It’s all explained very well in Nancy Hobb’s USATF Press Release, which includes extensive bio’s of leading participants: berrypickerpicks
The whole world of sanctioned trail racing is explained here.
The selection process will be wrapped on August 1, in preparation for the World Trophy Race on September 14 in Switzerland. The At-Large selections will be approved by the 25 person USATF MUT (Mountain-Ultra-Trail) Committee, based on recommendations by the Staff, which is Nancy Hobbs (Chair), Dave Dunham (Jr Team Manager), Richard Bolt (Men’s Team Manager), and Ellen Miller (Women’s Team Manager).
Anyway, never mind all that … it’s a good race! Good course, good people, and it’s open to everyone. Hope to see you there!
