The 3rd annual Rock2Rock 10k Trail Run saw beautiful weather, a grueling course and national caliber competition as it was the kick-off race for the 2009 La Sportiva Mountain Cup, a top-flight series of 10 events across the United States. 2008 winners and Asheville locals (and brother/sister) Shiloh Mielke and Meadow Tarves were clear favorites, but they would be challenged by top runners from around the country ... the La Sportiva Mountain Cup and it's $25,000 in overall prize money brought some of the big guns from out of state.

The men got to it quickly, with Philidelphia, PA’s Matt Byrne, a US Mountain Running team member, and Mielke (Vasque) leading Jason Bryant (LaSportiva) and Aaron Saft (Inov8) up the 1800+ foot climb to the first of two spectacular rock face views. At the summit, it was Mielke and Byrne only seconds apart starting the decent. The rhododendron tunnels, blow downs and scree covered trails would decide the race as Mielke showed his knowledge of the course and downhill skill by pulling away on the highly technical terrain for a 2 minute course record win in 43:48! Byrne followed in 45:02 with Bryant collapsing at the finish, also under the old course record, in 45:32.

Race Director Jay Curwen proudly states, "You can't run the whole thing!" Since his course is only 10 km long, that means it's tough! Aaron Saft knows this; he went over the top just behind Jason in 4th place but took a bad fall on the blazing descent, limping in to finish nonetheless.

"I ran 2 minutes faster this year", Jason said after the event. "But Shiloh ran 2 minutes faster too. It was the best I could do."

There was no drama in the women’s race, as Silverton CO’s Megan Kimmel (LaSportiva) took control at the start and ripped 4 minutes from Meadow Tarves’ (Inov8) course record from last year with a stunning 52:17 for tenth overall! Tarves also bested her 2008 time with 56:10, as the top 3 were rounded out by Keri Nelson (LaSportiva) with a 56:57.

"Megan went off like she was shot out of a cannon", says Jason. "She really went for it; she was ahead of me the first half mile."

Megan and Keri both came out from Colorado for this race, which means they were able to handle the technical course, and also that the gauntlet has been thrown down for the Mountain Cup Overall! Matt also came down expressly to gain Mountain Cup points, and will be at the third stop on the Cup, the fabled Mount Washington Road Race, where he was an outstanding 6th last year, and is the type of course where he will be strongly favored to reverse his finish with Shiloh. Keri gets a jump on her competition for Overall Champion, by making a trip to the Mt Diablo race in California, the next Cup event.

Stay tuned.

See the results here.