Brandy Erholtz blazed to glory at the July 20 Chupinaya-North American Central American Caribbean (NACAC) Mountain Championship, capturing first place in the women’s field with a new record time as she led Team USA to gold medal standing.
The gritty runner from Evergreen, Colorado sailed across the finish line with a time of one hour, 39 minutes and one second, slicing eight minutes off the record set by teammate Maria Dalzot in the 2011 Chupinaya-NACAC contest.
Dalzot ran second this year, with Christine Lundy following close on her heels. Team Mexico’s Carmen Trinidad Ramiro Allende and Susana Bautista Villegas took the fourth and fifth place medals respectively.
All five of the leading ladies clocked in below the record time. Amber Reece-Young, the fourth member of the USA’s female team, placed sixth in the harrowing 13.8 kilometer up and down keyhole circuit.
Mexican runners competing in the Men’s Open category for ages 16-39 swept top spots in this year’s Chupinaya, with Mexico Team A contender Mario Alberto Ramiro Allende finishing first with a time of 1:21:20. With that, USA’s Joe Gray maintains the 1:16:44 record he set at the 2011 run.
Tlachichilco native Enrique Camarena Camberos, running for Mexico Team B, placed second. Jesús Rodríguez Rodríguez, representing the Salvajes Ajijic, came third, followed by Angel Orlando Qunitero Ramírez from Team A, and José Luis González Valenzuela, for Salvajes Ajijic. Camarena qualified for the last slot to run for Team Mexico at the World Mountain Running Championships to be held September 14 in Casette di Massa, Italy.
Other local athletes qualifying to stand on the winners’ podium included Alfredo López Váquez, earning a gold medal and a new record in the veteran’s age 50-59 category; Alejandro Gonzalez Hernández, coming first in the Minors category; José Manuel Mora Velazquez, taking silver in Veteran’s Plus age 60 and over; and Gerardo López Castellanos landing bronze in Veteran’s 50-59.
Eric Blake marked the best time for Team USA, placing seventh at 1:27:39. Teammates Ryan Woods, Jordan Chavez, and Danny Martinez trailed in for the ninth, thirteenth and thirty-second place slots.
Canada’s team was absent this year after bowing out of the competition four days before the race took place.
The U.S. runners rate La Chupinaya as one of the most challenging courses on the international mountain race circuit, labeling it as “brutal and “a monster.”
Erholtz said she enjoyed picking her way up 3,800 foot climb, while the descent was a more daunting technical task. “I’ve never been so glad to see cobblestones!” she cracked in reference to reaching the final stretch along village streets.
“The downhill was relentless,” Woods remarked. “I was putting the brakes on all the way, while the Mexicans were flying by...those guys were so impressive.”
The Americans also commented favorably on the slick organization of the event and the warm hospitality of their Mexican and expat hosts.
Local runners shine in short race
Salvajes Ajijic nailed the top standings in the parallel 6.5 kilometer recreational race with Jose Luis Martinez Valenzuela leading the men with a 31:56 finish and Aurora Renteria Corona coming in first among women at 42:20. Other lakeside runners listed among the medal winners were Eudaldo Robledo Ramos, who earned gold in the Master’s age 40-49 category; Karina Aguayo Paz, awarded silver in the women’s open category; Carlos Amador Hernandez Ruelas, bronze in men’s youth category and René Javier Márquez Mora, bronze in men’s minor category. A total of 741 runners and six dogs competed in the races.
