Team USA Set For 2009 International Chiba Ekiden

Source: USATF

INDIANAPOLIS – The Team USA squad has been finalized for the 2009 International Chiba Ekiden, USA Track & Field announced on Monday. The 21st annual event will be held Monday, November 23 in Chiba, Japan.  In addition to Team USA, the marathon relay will feature teams from nine nations including, Australia, Canada, China, Ethiopia, Great Britain, Romania, Russia and Sweden.

2006 Chiba veteran Andrew Carlson (Flagstaff, Ariz.), who finished 20th at the recent World Half Marathon Championships, will team with Flagstaff training mates Jordan Horn and Ian Burrell, who finished fourth and fifth respectively at this year’s USA 5 km Championships as the men’s members of the squad. Carrie Messner Vickers (Vail, Colo.), a three-time Chiba team member, will team with Meghan Armstrong (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Lindsay Allen (Flagstaff, Ariz.) to round out the women’s roster.

Bobby Curtis (Ardmore, Pa.) and Jennifer Donovan (Boston, Mass.) are the respective men’s and women’s alternates.

The race features mixed teams of men and women running six alternating legs totaling 42.195 km as follows: 1st leg, Men 5 km; 2nd leg, Women 5 km; 3rd leg, Men 10 km; 4th leg, Women 5 km; 5th leg, Men 10 km; 6th leg, Women 7.195 km.Team USA finished eighth in the event last year.

For more information on the 2009 Chiba International Ekiden visit www.usatf.org.