So Much For Taking The Spring Easy!
Despite record high temperatures, XC Oregon athletes tore up the course at Central Oregon’s 2008 edition of largest sporting event east of the Cascades — the Pole Pedal Paddle — on May 17. Involving alpine sking, nordic skiing, road cycling, running, and paddling, the PPP attracts a field of close to 3,000 participants and an estimated 10,000+ spectators/supporters.
Marshall Greene and Sarah Max won the men’s and women’s elite races to give XC Oregon it’s first ever title sweep. Marshall powered to his third consecutive PPP win (4th men’s title in a row for XC Oregon athletes) ahead of 2nd place Zach Violett with Brayton Osgood, Josh Smullin, and Colin Mahood taking 4-5-6th men’s places. Sarah won her first PPP in five tries (Sarah was 2nd the past two years) with Taylor Leach coming in third in her first-ever PPP.
Over a dozen other roster athletes, sponsors, and Friends took part in the PPP with many other outstanding finishes. The team would love to help other Friends take part in future editions of the PPP. Do not hesitate to ask for help if a future PPP is going to be in your plans!
See pre/post media coverage at the following links.
Bend Bulletin: http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Profile=1081&ExpNodes=1013&Category=PPP
NBC Sports: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/24548450/
New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/11/sports/othersports/11pole.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin
ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/apphoto/photo?sportId=0&photoId=1932306
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The weekend prior to the PPP festivities, XC Oregon’s Evelyn Dong decided to take a run in the forest. The 50km Mcdonald Forest Trail Run that is just above Corvallis, Oregon.
But hopping in a 31 mile trail run with 6400 feet of elevation gain wasn’t enough for our Evelyn. Nope, she decided to go ahead and shatter the women’s course record on her way to finishing 9th overall in 4:38:34.
Oh yeah….and Evelyn also did a co-ed pair the next weekend at the PPP.
