FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dave Dunham dave.dunham@comcast.net 978-684-9211
Paul Kirsch pkirsch2@gmail.com 603-398-1852
Northeast Delta Dental
Mount Washington Road Race
Mt. Washington Auto Road
June 18, 2016 – 9 a.m.
&
7th Annual Mount Washington
Road Race Hall of Fame Inauguration
Saturday, June 18 -- 1 p.m.
·
Race’s
Hall of Fame honors Francis Darrah, George Etzweiler, and Cathy Hodgdon
May 6, 2016 -- Pinkham Notch, NH
Formed
in 2010 to recognize outstanding performers in and contributors to this
footrace to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern United States,
the Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame this year will pay tribute to the achievements
of three great runners in a ceremony at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto
Road on Saturday, June 18. The ceremony
will take place after the 2016 Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road
Race, which starts at 9 a.m. The race
attracts 1300 runners who will make their way up the 155-year-old Auto Road.
The 2016 Mount Washington Hall of
Fame inductees:
Francis Darrah – won the race in two of the first
three years it was held (1936 & 1938).
He broke his own course record in 1938 running a 1:15:28. He is one of
only nine people who have ever held the course record at Mt Washington. He is also one of the three men in the
history of the race to set the course record multiple times, the others being Hall
of Fame members Bob Hodge and Gary Crossan.
George Etzweiler - is the oldest finisher (at age 95 in 2015), and has finished eight times between the age of 85 and 95. All of his times rank between 7th and 34th for runners 80 years old or older. He is the only runner over age 88 to finish the race. He currently owns eight single-age records (85,86,87,89,91,92,93,95). He also holds the 85-89 Age Group Record (AGR) (2:33:20), 90-94 AGR (2:48:25) and 95+ (3:28:41) AGR.
Cathy Hodgdon – had three consecutive wins from
1980-1982. Her three times averaged
1:24:07. Cathy holds the single age
record for age 22 with her 1:22:57 in 1981.
That record is the second oldest women’s record in existence. In 1980
she set the 20-24 AGR (1:26:24) which she lowered in 1981 (1:22:57) and lowered
again in 1982 (1:22:10).
The Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of
Fame recognizes
athletic performance at the MWRR or efforts to assist the Race or promote
it. Consideration is given to athletes,
advocates, race staff members or volunteers.
Inductees are chosen
by a vote of the Hall of Fame committee from a longer list of nominees compiled
by December 31 of the preceding year.
The Saturday afternoon Hall of Fame
induction will precede the race’s award ceremony. The induction ceremony will start at 1 p.m.
in the large tent at the base of the Auto Road, on Route 16 just north of
Pinkham Notch.
The public is invited.
Regularly updated information about the Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame is available any time on the website at: http://mwrrhalloffame.com/
Other HOF sites include: Facebook (facebook.com/mwrrhof), Twitter (twitter.com/mwrrrecords) and the Records/Hall of Fame blog (mtwashingtonrecords.blogspot.com ). For other information about the race, visit www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com.
