Rebecca Rusch and Alban Lakata Win 2012 Leadville Trail 100 MTB
Four-time women’s champion Rusch breaks own course record by three minutes; Lakata wins most competitive race in recent men’s history
LEADVILLE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rebecca Rusch and Alban Lakata conquered more than 100 miles of challenging Colorado Rockies terrain and elevations as high as 12,424 feet to be crowned champions at this year’s Leadville Trail 100 MTB. Nearly 2,000 riders from 50 states and 35 countries descended upon Leadville, Colorado, to take on the country’s most prestigious ultra-distance mountain bike race.
Rebecca Rusch (Ketchum, Idaho) won the women’s division at 7:28:06, shattering the previous women’s record she set last year by more than three minutes. She’s the only woman in Leadville Trail 100 MTB to win four times. Among the women’s division, Sally Bigham (Poole, England) finished second at 7:34:35 and Pua Mata (Anaheim Hills, California) finished third at 7:38:04.
Competing against a stellar field of some of the country’s best mountain bikers on the 103-mile course, Alban Lakata (Lienz, Austria) won the men’s division at 6:32:24. Lakata held off Christoph Sauser (Sigriswil, Switzerland), who finished second at 6:34:51, and Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Virginia), who finished third at 6:41:58.
The renowned Leadville Trail 100 MTB is the original ultra-distance mountain bike event, beginning and ending in the heart of Leadville located west of Denver. Since 1994, the Leadville Trail 100 has been attracting thousands of racers to the Colorado community.
The weekend also tested the fortitude of the 84 athletes competing for the title of Leadman and Leadwoman. Since June, each Leadman and Leadwoman athlete has competed in the Leadville Trail Marathon, Leadville Silver Rush 50-Mile Mountain Bike Race or Silver Rush 50-Mile Trail Run Race, Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race, and Leadville 10K Run.
For all Leadville race results and more information, visit www.leadvilleraceseries.com. Leadville Trail 100 MTB action can also be followed by liking the Leadville Race Series Facebook page.
About the Leadville Race Series
Started with only 45 runners as the Leadville Trail 100 in 1983, the Leadville Race Series now consists of seven running events and four mountain biking events, plus six events in the Leadville Qualifying Series. The Race Series stretches across three months, and hosts thousands of racers on foot and on mountain bike in some of the world’s most iconic events. Endurance athletes worldwide now make the pilgrimage to Leadville, Colo., with the single goal of competing in “The Race Across the Sky.” Visit www.leadvilleraceseries.com for more information.
About Life Time Fitness, Inc.
As The Healthy Way of Life Company, Life Time Fitness (NYSE:LTM) helps organizations, communities and individuals achieve their total health objectives, athletic aspirations and fitness goals by engaging in their areas of interest – or discovering new passions – both inside and outside of Life Time’s distinctive and large sports, professional fitness, family recreation and spa destinations, most of which operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Company’s Healthy Way of Life approach enables customers to achieve this by providing the best programs, people and places of uncompromising quality and value. As of August 11, 2012, the Company operated 105 centers under the LIFE TIME FITNESS® and LIFE TIME ATHLETIC(SM) brands in the United States and Canada. Additional information about Life Time centers, programs and services is available at lifetimefitness.com.
Life Time Fitness, Inc.
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Source: Life Time Fitness, Inc.
Released August 11, 2012