Press release from USA Track & Field.
ORLANDO — USATF Mountain, Ultra & Trail (MUT) Chairwoman and U.S. Women’s Mountain Running Team founder Nancy Hobbs was awarded the 2016 Robert Giegengack Award for her years of dedication to the sport, particularly her pioneering efforts to promote women’s mountain running.
Hobbs received the award on Saturday at the 2016 Jesse Owens Awards Ceremony as part of USATF’s Annual Meeting.
Throughout her nearly 20 years in the sport, Hobbs has overseen the growth of both MUT international teams and national championships. Team USA won 15 total team and individual medals in 2016, including three golds in both categories, between World Mountain Running Championships, IAU 50 km, NACAC Mountain Running Championships and IAU 100 km.
Increased attention to MUT teams and funding has attracted high quality athletes who have won individual & team gold medals on an almost yearly basis. With support from her council members, Hobbs has attracted funding for additional teams going to the IAU Trail Championships, IAU 50K Road Championship and WMRA Long Distance Running Championships.
Outside of the MUT Council, Nancy is the Executive Director of the American Trail Running Association (ATRA) – a non-profit she founded 20 years ago. ATRA has raised funds for American athletes representing USATF and the U.S. at IAU and WMRA World Championships.
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Under Nancy’s leadership, the MUT Council has also grown its national championship series to include mountain, half marathon trail, 50K trail, 50 mile trail, 50K road, 50 mile road, 100K road and 24 hour events. Taking place in 10 different states, all of these championships offer prize money to USATF members.
The Robert Giegengack Award was established in 1982 in recognition of the late Yale University track & field coach’s “superior and outstanding contributions to the sport and to the organization as an official, coach, and administrator.” It is awarded by the Board of Directors to a person who excels in contributing to the excellence and high standards of the sport of Athletics. The Robert Giegengack Award is USATF’s highest accolade for contributions to Athletics in any category of volunteer work.
A complete list of previous recipients may be found here.
