Events, news & notes 10/22

Published online on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

Last Valley Runner series race of year Saturday
The 23rd annual Valley Runner of the Year Series ends Saturday at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

The 11th annual Komen is held at Fresno State. It features a 5-kilometer (part of the ROY) and a 1-mile. For registration details, go to www.komencentralvalley.org/.

Only one of the six ROY division championships is still undecided heading into the final race, which is worth 10 points to win. In the senior men's division (ages 50-up), David Ruvalcaba of Madera holds a 165-159 lead over Dale Campbell of Fresno. Ruvalcaba (six wins) and Campbell (five) have dominated the first 14 races of the season.

Only one runner successfully defended a championship -- Alyson Berg of Fresno, a three-time winner whose consistency helped her to a 142-130 lead over six-time winner Anna Vanderstelt of Bakersfield in the open women's division.

Danny Vulich of Fresno clinched the open men's title with four wins and a 148-112 lead over 2007 champion Sean Marzolf.

In the masters (ages 40-49) division, Joe Amendt of Clovis has won eight times for a 170-144 lead over three-time winner Danny Santellano, and three-time winner Kathryn Bilello of Fresno leads Lacee O'Brien of Clovis 154-126. Pam Boyles of Bakersfield (five wins) and Molly Friel of Fresno (four) are the big winners in the masters women's division.

Sherrie Flynn of Fresno has won nine times to stake a 180-135 lead over Valerie Zacharchuk of Fresno in the senior women's division.

Search-and-rescue operations common

A new study says national parks launch 11 search-and-rescue operations on an average day.

The study analyzed search-and-rescue reports from 1992 to 2007, when there were more than 65,000 operations in national parks with costs exceeding $58 million.

Those most commonly in need of help? Day hikers, young men and boaters.