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  Dobson & Flanagan Beat Manchester Cold and Rain

By David Monti
(c) 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

Running in the kind of adverse conditions they faced many times in their NCAA cross country careers, Ian Dobson and Shalane Flanagan notched their first victories at the 70th edition of the Manchester Road Race in Manchester, Conn., today.

Dobson, 24, a former stand-out at Stanford University, and Flanagan, 25, a former star at the University of North Carolina, were fastest over the hilly 4.748 mile course, dogged not only by their rivals but by temperatures just above the freezing mark and strong wind and rain. Dobson, who was timed in 21:39, was just fast enough to beat two-time NCAA cross country champion, Simon Bairu of Canada, by one second. Alistair Cragg, the Irish Olympian who starred at the University of Arkansas, was third in 21:42. Flanagan was clocked in 24:30, three seconds up on Irishwoman Mary Cullen, another former NCAA athlete who ran for Providence College. Five-time Manchester Road Race champion Amy Rudolph was third in 24:43.

Dobson became the first U.S. man to win this event since steeplechaser John Gregorek earned the title in 1993. Moreover, 1993 was the last time that Americans won both the men's and women's divisions at Manchester in the same year; Mary Slaney was 1993 women's champion.

Journalist Amby Burfoot, who won the Manchester Road Race a record nine times, finished for the 44th time.

Top Results:
MEN - 
1. Ian Dobson, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 21:39 
2. Simon Bairu, Madison, WI (CAN), 21:40
3. Alistair Cragg, Fayetteville, AR (IRL), 21:42
4. Linus Maiyo, KEN, 21:49
5. Daniel Huling, Oxford, OH, 21:59
6. Emmanuel Chamer, KEN, 22:00
7. Ryan Hayden, CAN, 22:01
8. Reid Coolsaet, CAN, 22:05
9. Brian Olinger, Fresno, CA, 22:17 Brian Olinger
10. Grant Robison, East Lansing, MI, 22:27
11. Ryan Bak, Gunnison, CO, 22:30
12. Mark Carroll, Providence, RI (IRL), 22:33

WOMEN - 
1. Shalene Flangan, Portland, OR, 24:30
2. Mary Cullen, Providence, RI (IRL), 24:33
3. Amy Rudolph, Providence, RI, 24:43
4. Asmae Leghzaoui, MAR, 25:03
5. Kate O'Neill, Milton, MA, 25:16
6. Desiraye Osburn, Witchita, KS, 25:18
7. Christine Bolf, Superior, CO, 25:21
8. Amy Mortimer, Pawtucket, RI, 25:45
9. Claudia Camargo, Danbury, CT (ARG), 25:50
10. Marie Davenport, Guilford, CT (IRL), 26:05

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