One day: Three races

Three trail runs were available during the Amasa race held Saturday, April 13.

Grass Roots Events, which hosts trail runs throughout the year, added a 15.5-mile course to the 6.5-mile and 9.5-mile courses in the Amasa area each April. The Amasa race was limited to 200 contestants between all three races.

Contestants from all three races began at 8 a.m. at the Kane Creek Trailhead parking lot. The 15.5-mile race veered left from the 6.5-mile racers to descend 600 feet off the Amasa Plateau down Jacob’s Ladder to run a four-mile loop around Jackson’s Butte only to ascend Jacob’s Ladder to gain 600 feet in a quarter mile.

Scott Vig, 38, Fruita, Colo., placed first place in the 15.5-mile race with a time of 2:23:21.86. He was followed by Danelle Ballengee, 41, Moab, with a time of 2:37:30.

Brian Jones, 43, Mapleton, placed third with a time of 2:41:44.30; Leah Nicholson, 25, Leadville, Colo., placed fourth with a time of 3:10:33; and Barb Nolan, 56, Buena Vista, Colo., placed fifth by 3:10:37.24.

The 9.5-mile course continued on Amasa Back to Rock Stacker for a single-track run that had views of Dead Horse Point and the Colorado River.

Matthew Dorton, 29, Lehi, placed first in the 9.5-mile race with a time of 1:14:13. J Cantrell, 27, Leadville, Colo., placed second with a time of 1:16:43; Dan Nielsen, 51, Avon, Colo., placed third with a time of 1:23:19; Michael Neustedter, 27, Crested Butte, Colo., placed fourth with a time of 1:23:59; and Nate Blouin, 23, Cottonwood Heights, placed fifth with a time of 1:24:16.

In the 6.5-mile race Doug Mackay, 48, Salt Lake, placed first with a time of 55:51. He was followed by Red Wolfe, 58, Moab, with a time of 1:02:20. Gretchen Schwinn, 31, Durango, Colo., placed third with a time of 1:04:05; Heather Hopper, 38, Carbondale, Colo., placed fourth with at time of 1:08:07; and Tim Anderson, 55, Aspen, Colo., placed fifth with a time of 1:12:19.

Grass Roots next trail race is the Moab’s Alpine to Slickrock 50 (MAS50) to be held Saturday, Sept. 14. Registration for the 50-mile race is now open. The course is limited to 150 runners.

Author: Moab Sun News Staff Report

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