Charlotte edges Asheville in Blue Ridge Relay

ASHEVILLE The 2016 Blue Ridge Relay had the closest finish in its 12-year history, with Ashevile’s hometown super team, the 12-member Asheville Running Collective, missing out on the win by only 10 seconds.

Here is the race report from ARC member Mark Driscoll:

“After nearly 20 hours of racing over 206 miles, the Charlotte Running Club crossed the finish line just 10 seconds ahead of the Asheville Running Collective to take the win in 19:48:47. Both teams averaged 5:46 per mile.

The race saw four lead changes in the second half and the final pass from Charlotte came in the final mile. Early on CRC held a lead of 5:48 over Asheville, but some big late night performances allowed ARC to fight back even and eventually gain a lead of their own of nearly 4 minutes.

Heading into the final exchange, Asheville held a lead of 1:49, but Charlotte’s closing speed was too much. The final seconds were tense as both team’s runners were in sight of the finish line as they sprinted down College Street.

Charlotte Running Club’s victory was their second overall and another chapter in a great rivalry with the Asheville Running Collective. The ARC was formed in 2011 from members of both Jus’ Running and Foot Rx’s relay squads. This unified Asheville team has gone on to win four of the last six Blue Ridge Relays. CRC and ARC have extended their rivalry from the BRR to now compete in a winter XC meet and spring road race.”

The third place men’s team finisher was Stache & Dash, of Fort Mill, S.C. in 23:46:05.

The top three women’s 12-member teams were Desperate Housewives of Charlotte in 32 hours, 1 minute and 40 seconds; Red Hot Mamas, of Salisbury, in 32:18:05; and Wonder Women, of Winston-Salem, in 32:24:36.

The 12th annual Blue Ridge Relay, had the biggest race field ever, with 190 teams of anywhere from four to 12 members, for a total of some 1,900 runners, said race director Ken Sevensky.

The route was slightly modified this year, and is the shortest it has ever been, at 206.35 miles, Sevensky said. The course has 20,100 feet of elevation gain and loss of 22,800 feet of loss.

The race started at 6 a.m. Sept. 9 in Grayson Highlands, Virginia, swept over the Blue Ridge Mountains, including a stint on the Blue Ridge Parkway, finishing Saturday morning in downtown Asheville.

The race is grueling, requiring runners to keep taking turns, then trying to catch sleep in a team van carrying supplies, and must run overnight with headlamps.

For more information and full results, visit www.blueridgerelay.com.

The Asheville Running Collective team roster, and leg order, was:

1. Javan Lapp

2. Pat Woodford

3. Alex Griggs

4. Brent Schouler

5. Mark Driscoll

6. Chass Armstrong

7. Phil Latter

8. Frankie Adkins

9. Caleb Masland

10. Stuart Moran

11. Shiloh Mielke

12. Matthew Hammersmith