Bloomsday winner Korir poised to capture PRRO Triple Crown of Road Racing

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

For Immediate Release
Contact: Elizabeth Unislawski, 404-231-9064 x11 or unislaw@atlantatrackclub.org

May 25, 2005—Kenyan road race star John Korir can capture the Professional Road Racing Organization’s Triple Crown with a win at the Peachtree Road Race 10k in Atlanta, GA on July 4^th. Should he win Peachtree, he would become the first runner ever to claim the PRRO Triple Crown and would earn a $15,000 bonus. Korir notched victories in the first two legs of the Triple Crown at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC on April 3 in a time of 46:55, and at the Lilac Bloomsday 12k in Spokane, WA on May 1st in a time of 34:26.

Korir stands to amass a total of $43,000 – having already claimed $6,000 for his win at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom and $7,000 for being first at the Lilac Bloomsday 12k. If he captures Peachtree, he’ll earn $15,000 for the win, plus $15,000 for the PRRO Triple Crown of Road Racing bonus.

“John Korir is a magnificent runner who obviously has the talent to win the bonus,” said PRRO President Julia Emmons, who also serves as race director of Peachtree. “If he wins, he will go where no runner – male or female – has ever gone before. However, it won’t be easy as Peachtree always features one of the toughest international fields anywhere.”

Interestingly, Korir has won all three races already, but never in the same year as is required to earn the bonus. He has won the Credit Union Cherry Blossom three times – in 2001, 2003, and 2005; Lilac Bloomsday twice – in 2003 and 2005; and Peachtree once – in 2001. He was poised to win the PRRO Triple Crown of Road Racing in 2003 after winning Cherry Blossom and Bloomsday, but did not start at Peachtree. In 2001, he captured Cherry Blossom and Peachtree, but finished 6th at Bloomsday.

The PRRO Triple Crown bonus was initiated in 2000. Every year that no runner wins the bonus, an additional $3,000 is added to the pot.

Korir has been the dominant road racer on the U.S. road circuit at distances shorter than the marathon (he has yet to run a marathon) since 1998 when he broke onto the scene with wins at the Quad City Time Bix 7 Mile and the Crim 10 miler. His 1999 season included wins at the Utica Boilermaker 15k, Bix 7 mile, SBLI Falmouth Road Race 7 mile, and the Crim 10 mile. In 2001 he captured the Cherry Blossom 10 mile, Crescent City Classic 10k, Boilermaker 15k, Bix 7 mile and Falmouth 7 mile. Victories in 2002 included Peachtree and the Beach to Beacon 10k. His 2003 titles included Cherry Blossom, Bloomsday, Boilermaker and Crim. After this campaign, he was named “2003 Male Road Runner of the Year” byRunning Times Magazine. In 2004 he repeated at the Boilermaker and at Bix.

He is closing in on the PRRO Triple Crown of Road Racing with an unblemished 2005 record in major U.S. races with a win at the World’s Best 10k to go along with his Cherry Blossom and Bloomsday titles.

The only other runner to win the first two legs of the PRRO Triple Crown was South African Elana Meyer in 2001. After winning Cherry Blossom and Bloomsday, she finished third at Peachtree in 31:52 behind Lornah Kiplagat (30:58) and Esther Kiplagat (31:43).

The Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) is an alliance of race directors and athletes who together organize and promote the PRRO Circuit, a nationwide series of premier road racing events. The Circuit's open competition policy (athletes from all countries are eligible) results in the most competitive and high-profile elite fields in the sport at each event. The PRRO Circuit includes the World’s Best 10k in Puerto Rico (Feb.), the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC (April), the Lilac Bloomsday 12k in Spokane, WA (May), the Utica Boilermaker 15k in Utica, NY (July), and the Peachtree Road Race 10k in Atlanta, GA (July 4th) which serves as the PRRO Championship.

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