2011 Falmouth Road Race Prize Purse to Exceed $116K

FALMOUTH, Mass. – (July 13, 2011) – The New Balance Falmouth Road Race, to be held on Sunday, Aug. 14, will celebrate its 39th running with a professional athlete guaranteed prize purse of $116,400, an increase of $14,900 from 2010, and one of the largest purses for a non-marathon road race.

The U.S. prize purse – $44,700 overall – is one of the largest outside a national championship. This total will equal the Open male and female prize purse with double-dipping allowed. If an American is the overall race champion, he or she will take home the $10,000 first-place award and the $10,000 first American award for a $20,000 payday.

“We are pleased to be able to offer this prize money opportunity to our American athletes. It follows Falmouth’s tradition of being the first race, in 1996, to guarantee American prize money awards and coincides with the first year of the ten-year title sponsorship of New Balance,” said President, Board of Directors, Christine Frazier.

In addition, the New Balance Falmouth Road Race Wheelchair prize purse has been increased to $4250 each from $2500 per gender.

Frazier also noted, “The increase in our Wheelchair prize purse is due in part to our continued partnership with our Wheelchair Division sponsor, Rockland Trust. Our race was one of the first events to support wheelchair competition.”

The first male wheelchair athlete pioneer, Bob Hall, completed the course in 1977, the first of six straight wins. He was soon followed by the first female, Natalie Bacon, in 1979, who outdid him with an eight-race winning streak.

The Falmouth Mile, to be held at the Falmouth High School Kalperis Track on Saturday, Aug. 13, will feature a total prize purse of $7500. In addition, there are incentives of $1000 if the men’s winner breaks 4-minutes and the women’s winner cracks 4:33.

The 7-mile summertime Cape Cod classic will begin in Woods Hole and wind its way to the finish along the beach in Falmouth Heights. The wheelchair division will start at 9:40am and the Open 10:00am. Past male winners include Gebre Gebremariam (2010) and Tilahun Regassa (2009), from Ethiopia, and the female winners include Wude Ayalew (2010) and Mamitu Daska (2009), also both from Ethiopia. The recent male wheelchair winners include Craig Blanchette (2010) and Krige Schabort (2009), while Jessica Galli (2009-10) has dominated the female wheelchair field.

The New Balance Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year the race draws an international field of Olympians, pro athletes and recreational runners out to enjoy the scenic 7-mile seaside course. The non-profit Falmouth Road Race organization is dedicated to promoting health and fitness for all in its community. Proceeds from the race each year support youth athletic programs in the town of Falmouth and other nonprofit community groups.

2011 New Balance Falmouth Road Race Prize Money Purse

OPEN – Top 10 Male & Female ($44,700)

10,000, $5000, $2000, $1500, $1000, $800, $650, $600, $450 and $350

Course Record Bonus: $2500

Current Male Record: 31:08 (Gilbert Okari (KEN), 2004)

Current Female Record: 35:02 (Lornah Kiplagat (KEN), 2000)

AMERICAN – Top 10 Male & Female ($44,700)

$10,000, $5000, $2000, $1500, $1000, $800, $650, $600, $450 and $350

MASTERS (40 and older) – Top 5 Male & Female ($10,000)

$2500, $1000, $750, $500 and $250

OVER 50 – Male & Female ($1000)

$500

WHEELCHAIR – Top 4 Male & Female ($8500)

$2000, $1000, $750 and $500

MILE – Top 4 Male & Female

$2000, $1000, $500 and $250 ($7500)

Incentive: $1000

Male winner under: 4:00.00 and female winner under: 4:33.00

Incentive: $500

Male finishers under: 4:00.00 and female finishers under: 4:33.00