FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ian Monahan
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
858-450-6510
Past Champions Tarus, Wolasha and Cheboiboch Highlight
Professional Field at 10th Anniversary Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (May 29, 2007) – Course veterans and past champions
Philip Tarus and Christopher Cheboiboch from Kenya along with Ethiopian
Belay Wolasha, highlight the men's professional field for Sunday's 10th
anniversary Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. The women's field will feature
performances from Ethiopians Worknesh Tola and Mulu Seboka, as well as
Hellen Kimutai from Kenya.
Tarus, 32, won the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in 1998 and then
returned the next year, blistering the course, on his way to a repeat
victory in time of 2 hours, 8 minutes, 33 seconds, the current course
record. In 2000, after falling far off the pace, Wolasha mustered a
comeback at approximately mile 24 to take the lead and claim his win in
2:12:45. After placing second and fifth in 1998 and 2000 respectively, the
third time was a charm for Cheboiboch at the 2005 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon as
he fought off flu-like symptoms to out kick Stephen Kiogora, finishing in
2:09:17.
"Their course experience will be helpful on race day," said Mike Long,
Elite Racing's athlete coordinator. "But, they will have a lot of
competition out there."
With 23 athletes entered in the men's field, the competition will likely
come from Ethiopian Terefe Yae, 26, who began the new year with a victory
last January at the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon. Also in
the hunt will be Kenyan standouts Daniel Yego, 27, and Fred Mogaka, 29.
In the women's race, Kimutai, 29, returns to San Diego hoping to better her
second place finish from 2006. Tola, 29, and Seboka, 23, who are both
making their first visits to the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, should prove to be
tough competition for the Kenyan. Seboka finished fourth at the P.F.
Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon this past January.
Svetlana Pretot, 35, from France is a tough competitor, running her second
marathon in just over a month. She finished second at the Country Music
Marathon in Nashville, Tenn. on April 30 after leading the majority of the
race. She enjoyed the music on the course and was relaxed enough to wave at
the bands as she raced by.
For more information about the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, please visit
www.RnRmarathon.com or call 800/311-1255.
Saturn SKY to Pace the Race
The Saturn SKY is the official vehicle of the 2007 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
and will lead the professional athletes as they race for victory. The SKY
will also be on display at the Health & Fitness Expo and "Finish Line
Festival." To discover Saturn, please visit a local Saturn retailer or
www.Saturn.com
ELITE ATHLETES - MEN
NAME, AGE, COUNTRY, BEST, HIGHLIGHT
1) Christopher Cheboiboch, 30, KEN, 2:08:17, 1st 2005 Rock 'n' Roll
Marathon, 5th 2003 Boston Marathon
2) Teklu Tefera, 27, ETH, 2:12:07, 2nd 2007 Valencia Marathon
3) Terefe Yae, 26, ETH, 2:11:45, 1st 2007 & 2005, 2nd 2006 P.F Chang's Rock
'n' Roll Arizona Marathon
4) Belay Wolasha, 35, ETH, 2:10:57, Champion 2000 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon,
4th 2006 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon
5) Feyissa Tusse, 24, ETH, 2:11:38, 1st 2007 Houston Marathon, 1st 2006
Country Music Marathon
6) Daniel Yego, 27, KEN, 2:08:16, 4th 2006 ING New York City Marathon, 2nd
2005 Amsterdam Marathon
7) Peter Muthama, 35, KEN, 2:11:37, 3rd, 2006 Toronto Waterfront Marathon
8) Fikadu Degefu, 33, ETH, 2:11:33, 2nd 2007 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll
Arizona Marathon, 3rd 2006 Country Music Marathon
9) Boaz Kimaiyo, 31, KEN, 2:08:46, 10th 2006 Frankfurt Marathon, 1st 2003&
2004 Frankfurt Marathon
10) Richard Maiyo, 30, KEN, 2:09:47, 1st 2005 Brescia Marathon, 6th 2004
Los Angeles Marathon
11) William Cheseret, 33, KEN, 2:12:09, N/A
12) Jonathan Ndambuki, 30, KEN, 2:10:58, 1st 2006 Cal International
Marathon, 2nd 2006 Quad Cities Marathon
13) Fred Mogaka, 29, KEN, 2:12:02, 1st 2007 Los Angeles Marathon, 2nd 2006
Commonwealth Games Marathon
14) Ashebir Demissu, 29, ETH, 2:09:14, 2nd 2006 Singapore Marathon, 3rd
2006 Salt Lake City Marathon
15) Moses Kororia, 29, KEN, 2:12:04, 2nd 2007 Los Angeles Marathon, 1st
2006 Dallas White Rock Marathon
16) Moges Taye, 33, ETH, 2:09:21, 6th 2007 Nagano Marathon, 3rd 2006
Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon
17) Girma Tola, 31, ETH, 2:10:33, 5th 2007 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll
Arizona Marathon
18) Fikadu Lemma, 25, ETH, 2:16:11, 3rd 2007 Lausanne Marathon
19) Solomon Tadese, 24, ETH, Debut, 62:00 Half Marathon Personal Best
20) Musa Kanda, 31, KEN, 2:10:40, 3rd 2007 Dubai Standard Chartered
Marathon
21) Sylvester Chebii, 27, KEN, 2:15:56, 1st 2007 Sevilla Marathon
22) John Birgen, 32, KEN, 2:09:08, 5th 2006 Lisboa Marathon, 1st 2003
Milano Marathon
23) Philip Tarus, 32, KEN, 2:08:33, 1st 1998 & 1999 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
(Course Record 1999)
PACEMAKERS
1) Laban Kipkemboi, 29, KEN, 2:08:39
2) John Yuda, 27, TAN, 60:02 Half Marathon Personal Best
3) Joseph Chirlee, KEN
ELITE ATHLETES - WOMEN
NAME, AGE, COUNTRY, BEST, HIGHLIGHT
1) Worknesh Tola, 29, ETH, 2:25:42, 4th 2005 Dong-A Marathon
2) Nuta Olaru, 36, ROM, 2:24:33, 4th 2007 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon – San
Jose, Calif, 7th 2007 Osaka Marathon
3) Mulu Seboka, 23, ETH, 2:30:41, 4th 2007 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll
Arizona Marathon, 9th 2005 Flora London Marathon
4) Hellen Kimutai, 29, KEN, 2:25:52, 2nd 2007 Rome Marathon, 2nd 2006 Rock
'n' Roll Marathon
5) Anna Pichrtova, 34, CZE, 2:32:39, 4th 2004 & 6th 2005 Los Angeles
Marathon
6) Svetlana Pretot, 35, FRA, 2:38:29, 2nd 2007 Country Music Marathon
7) Margaret Toroitich, 31, 2:30:34, N/A
8) Olga Glok, 24, RUS, 2:34:10, 1st 2006 Dresden Marathon, 3rd 2004 Russian
National Champion Marathon
9) Heather Kileen-Frisone, 34, USA/CA, 2:47:36, 1st 2006 Huntington Beach
10 Miles
10) Zinaida Semanova, 44, RUS, 2:26:52, 8th 2006 Hamburg Marathon, 1st 2005
Dublin Marathon
11) Rimma Dubovik, 43, UKR, 2:33:54, 2nd 2007 ING Miami Marathon, 1st 2006
Baltimore Marathon
12) Lilian Chelimo, 30, KEN, 2:35:37, 3rd 2006 Mazatlan Marathon
13) Danuta Marczyk-Teschner, 35, POL/USA, 2:41:14, 6th 2007 P.F. Chang's
Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon
14) Sisay Meiso, 23, ETH, 2:38:12, 3rd 2007 Traverso Marathon (Debut)
2007 PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PRIZE SCHEDULE
Men and Women
1 - 20,000, plus Vehicle
2 - $20,000
3 - $10,000
4 - $7,500
5 - $5,000
6 - $2,000
7 - $1,300
8 - $1,200
9 - $1,100
10 - $1,000
EVENT RECORD BONUS
First male and female to break the event records are awarded an additional
$5,000
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon event records:
Men - 2:08:33, Philip Tarus, 1999
Women - 2:25:05, Margaret Okayo, 2001
MASTERS (40 & Over) Men and Women
First Man and First Woman - $1,000
WHEELCHAIR (not geared handcycles) Men and Women
1st man under 2:15:00 $500 - 1st woman under 2:45:00 $500
2nd man under 2:15:00 $300 - 2nd woman under 2:45:00 $300
3rd man under 2:15:00 $200 - 3rd woman under 2:45:00 $200
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