Fast times and a tie in the men’s 6K highlighted the HealthAmerica XC Challenge on November 11 at Frick Park, and the host Western Pennsylvania Track Club dominated the team competition.

Finishers numbered 155 to rank as the second highest in the meet’s eight-year history: 99 in 1999, 78 in 2000, 97 in 2001, 90 in 2002, 157 in 2003, 96 in 2004, and 132 in 2005.

Runners ranged in age from 7-year-olds Kristina Garand of West Penn and Dave Provenzo of the Greensburg YMCA to 73-year-old John Harwick of West Penn.

Two West Penn families own a pair of records: Steve (40-44) and daughter Kristina Garand (6-7), and twins Dave and Mary Humphrey (5-and-under).

No Challenge records remain from the meet’s first four years (1999-2002). Twins Dave and Mary Humphrey own the oldest records with their 5-and-under marks in 2003. Three of the meet’s high school runners competed in the Foot Locker Northeast Regional Championships on November 25 in New York City: Kyle Gibson of Canon-MacMillan, Andy Lucarini of Fort Cherry, and Malcolm Muhammad of Penn Hills.

Ken and Lyn Krynski did their usual excellent job of staging the club’s annual Picnic-in-the-Park.

Fort Cherry sophomore Andy Lucarini–one week after his second straight appearance in the PIAAs–led West Penn to the 12-15 Challenge team title.

Baldwin High’s four-time PIAA champion Dan Mazzocco won the 1999-2000 16-19 Challenge titles. More recently the Penn State ace won NCAA Division I All-American XC honors for the second straight year.

Pacers (18) and St. Edmund’s (19) staged the meet’s closest team competition in the 2K women’s race.

Mark Schwartz, long-time USATF National Official, served as the meet referee.

In 2005 Carly Seymour won the PIAAs and the Challenge. In 2006 the Central Cambria High junior took the PIAA silver and then took third in the Foot Locker Northeast Regional.

Ami Steinmetz–wearing the Healthy Hound garb–started the races. She ranks as the meet’s first woman starter.

Brian Wenger of Chick-fil-A distributed 150 chicken sandwiches.

West Penn’s 50-plus men posted a lower team score than the club’s 40-49 men (96-110).

THE PHARAOH HOUNDS WOMEN AND THE WEST PENN MEN COLLECT TITLES IN THE FEATURED 6K. KNEELING (FROM LEFT): MAUREEN COPELAND, MELISSA COLE, ERIN GEMMILL, SARAH FETTERMAND, JULIE HUFNAGEL, AND KRISTEN MICSKY. STANDING (FROM LEFT): BRIAN ANDERSON, ERIC WILLIAMS, DAVE WILT, TIM CONVERSE, KEVIN HEJNA, AND MIKE WURZER. MISSING: NATE AARON AND MALCOLM MUHAMMAD. DICK FIRSCHING PHOTO

DOG TRACKS USE HUMANS TO START THE GREYHOUNDS, BUT THE HEALTHAMERICA XC CHALLENGE USES THE HEALTHY HOUND TO START THE HUMANS. DICK FIRSCHING PHOTO

MELISSA COLE OF THE PHARAOH HOUNDS WINS THE 6K IN A CONVINCING 22:35. DICK FIRSCHING PHOTO

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