Overall Circuit event prize money totals more than $350,000, including $66,900 U.S.-only money available; PRRO showcases world-class competition at 5 classic races; PRRO Championship 2017 to be hosted by EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - (August 24, 2016) - The EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler on Sunday, November 6 opens the PRRO Circuit 2016-17, showcasing world-class competition at 5 prestigious road race events shorter than the marathon distance and featuring more than $350,000 in prize money overall, with $66,900 available for U.S. athletes. The annual fall Steel City road race will also the host the PRRO Championship race in October 2017.
"We're pleased to open our 2016-17 season with the EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler. The event has quickly become one of the top road races in the country, and it will be a great venue to host the PRRO Championship in 2017," said Don Kardong, PRRO Circuit President.
PRRO CIRCUIT SCHEDULE 2016-17
EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler, Nov. 6, 2016, Pittsburgh, PA
$26,200 in prize money ($5200 U.S. prize money). Elite athlete contact: Ryan Hogan, (412) 586-7785, ryan.hogan@p3r.org
2015 Men's winner: Tyler Pennel, USA, 46:50, course record
2015 Women's winner: Buze Diriba, Ethiopia, 52:55, course record
World's Best 10K, Feb. 26, 2017, San Juan, Puerto Rico
More than $100,000 in prize money and bonuses. Elite athlete contact: Rafael Acosta, (787) 767-2000, rafael.acosta@wb10k
2016 Men's winner: Bedan Karoki, Kenya, 27:42
2016 Women's winner: Mary Wacera, Kenya, 31:49
45th Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, April 2, 2017, Washington, DC
$65,000 in prize money ($25,000 U.S. prize money) plus bonuses. Elite athlete contact: Bill Orr, (863) 533-0654, borr@cherryblossom.org
2016 Men's winner: Sam Chelanga, USA, 48:26
2016 Women's winner: Veronica Nyaruai Wanjiru, Kenya, 53:12
Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, May 7, 2017, Spokane, WA
$81,000 in prize money ($25,000 U.S. prize money). Elite athlete contact: Jon Neill, (509) 747-0101, jhneill@eahjlaw.com
2016 Men's winner: Philip Langat, Kenya, 34:26
2016 Women's winner: Cynthia Limo, Kenya, 38:03, course record
40th Boilermaker 15K, July 9, 2017, Utica, NY
$58,000 in prize money ($6500 U.S. prize money). Elite athlete contact: Dick Mattia, (315) 732-1949, dick@boilermaker.com
2016 Men's winner: Teshome Mekonen, Ethiopia, 43:58
2016 Women's winner: Cynthia Limo, Kenya, 48:50
Also the 2015-16 PRRO Champions
: The PRRO Championship, Oct. 29, 2017, Pittsburgh, PA
$26,200 in prize money (tentative). Elite athlete contact: Ryan Hogan, (412) 586-7785, ryan.hogan@p3r.org
At the PRRO Championship, the eligible athletes compete for the PRRO Super Bonus ($10,000 for current PRRO Circuit event champion(s) who also win the PRRO Championship crown, split if an eligible male and female win the PRRO titles) as well as the PRRO Event Champion's Bonus ($1500 cumulative for current series event champions who win Open prize money at the PRRO Championship).
If the male and female winners of the PRRO Championship have not won any of the events on the current circuit, they will win $2500 as the PRRO Circuit champions in addition to the prize money offered by the PRRO Championship host event.
To-date, PRRO Circuit events have produced 18 world and 17 U.S. road records, awarded more than $6.9 million in prize money and seen more than 2.3 million runners cross their finish lines. In addition, since 1996, the PRRO Championship race has paid out more than $1.7 million, including $121,500 in PRRO Championship bonus money.
The PRRO Circuit, a long-time pioneer and champion of a clean sport, has funded drug testing at its events since 2006. During the 2014-15 season, USADA conducted more than 50 in-competition tests and an undisclosed number of pre-competition tests.
Don Kardong, 1976 Olympic marathoner and Lilac Bloomsday race director, is the current PRRO Circuit President.
PRRO Championship and Circuit Year
The PRRO Circuit rotates among the five PRRO Circuit races with the Circuit Year starting and finishing at the same event. The opening Circuit event will serve as a PRRO Championship qualifier the first time it is held and will also host the PRRO Championship the second time it is contested as the final Circuit event.
Visit PRRO.org for more information, including its history as well as how to join the PRRO Circuit.
The 21st PRRO Championship was hosted by the 39th Boilermaker Road Race on Sunday, July 10. Under overcast skies, Teshome Mekonen of Ethiopia and Cynthia Limo of Kenya were the men's and women's 2015-16 PRRO Champions, covering the 9.3 mile course in 43 minutes, 58 seconds and 48:50, respectively, and each pocketed $7000 as race winners. Overall, Boilermaker awarded $57,100 in Open, American and Masters (40 & older) prize money.
Limo, 26, runner-up last year at Boilermaker, also earned the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus because she won one of the five Circuit events (Lilac Bloomsday 12K), while Mekonen, 20, took home the $2500 PRRO Champion bonus because he did not win any 2015-16 PRRO Circuit event.
The PRRO Circuit also paid out $9000 in PRRO Event Champion's Bonus money for PRRO Circuit 2015-16 event winners who also placed in the top 10 at Boilermaker 2016.
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