Team announcement written by USATF MUT Council members Jason Bryant and Richard Bolt. Editors Note: on October 7, Soren Knudson withdrew from the team due to injury and was replaced by Eric Blake.
USA Track & Field’s Mountain, Ultra, Trail (MUT) Executive Committee is proud to announce members of Team USATF scheduled to compete at the 16th NACAC Mountain Running Championships on Sunday, October 20, in Tepatitlan, Guadalajara, Mexico.
The women’s Team USATF is comprised of mountain and trail team veterans Maria Dalzot and Dani Moreno who will be joined by new team members Sam Lewis and Kristen Findley. Maria won the 2011 NACAC Mountain Running Championships held in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico and returned to the team in 2012 and 2014. Dani is the 2019 USATF 50 km Trail Champion and top U.S. finisher at the 2019 Trail World Championships. She also represented the United States at the 2017 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Premana, Italy. Sam won the 2019 USATF Half Marathon Trail Championships at Montage Mountain, PA. Kristen finished 4th at the 2018 USATF Trail Marathon Championships in her home state of Utah.
The men’s Team USATF has veterans Andy Wacker, Eric Blake and David Fuentes joined by Travis Fuller. Andy finished second at the 2015 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships, helped the U.S. men win the team gold medal at the 2016 World Mountain Running Championships and been a member of many mountain and trail running teams. David Fuentes was also on the gold medal winning U.S. men’s team at the 2016 World Mountain Running Championships and represented Team USATF at the 2017 NACAC Mountain Running Championships in Golden, BC, Canada. Eric was on the first ever medal winning US men’s team at the 2008 World Mountain Running Championships in Switzerland. Travis finished fifth at the 2018 USATF 50 Mile Trail Championships and third at the 2018 USATF Trail Marathon Championships.
Let’s meet the Team:
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Andy Wacker, 30, Boulder, CO. “It’s a special honor to represent the USA in Mexico, as my wife, Karley, will be representing Canada. These championships are a great way to build unity throughout our continent.” Andy is sponsored by Nike Trail, Suunto and Honey Stinger. You can follow him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/wackera/
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David Fuentes, 32, Austin, TX. “I’m excited to represent for the United States, Texas, and to be on another mountain running team!” David is sponsored by Hoka One One. You can follow him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/davidfuent/
Eric Blake, 40, West Hartford, CT. “It is an honor to represent USA. I look forward to returning to Mexico for the NACAC Championships. Mexico is always a great host!” Eric is sponsored by Woodbridge Running Company and UCAN. You can follow Eric on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/EricMBlake
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Travis Fuller, 30, Salt Lake City, UT. Travis ran for BYU where he was coached by Ed Eyestone and was teammates with Olympic marathoner Jared Ward. In addition to being an accomplished trail runner, Travis is also quick on the roads having won the 2018 Salt Lake City Marathon in his home state of Utah. Travis is sponsored by NanoHydr8, Jaybird, Ultraspire and Rapid Reboot. You can follow him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/fullertrav/
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Sam Lewis, 24, Moscow, ID. “I am so honored to have the opportunity to represent the USA on my first international team and cannot wait to play in the mountains of Tepatitlan!” You can follow her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/samkeliiahonui/
Maria Dalzot (#16) at the 2012 NACAC Mountain Running Championships.
Maria Dalzot, 31, Bellingham, WA. “I made my first U.S. Senior Women’s team back 2011 when NACAC was held in Mexico. Unexpectedly, I won the race, and Mexico has held a special place in my heart ever since. Having the opportunity to return to Mexico to represent the U.S. with my teammates is an honor and the highest privilege for an athlete.” Maria is sponsored by La Sportiva NA, Ultimate Direction, Native Eyewear, Trail Butter and Lily Trotter’s Compression. You can follow her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/mariadalzot/
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Dani Moreno, 27, Santa Barbara, CA. “I am very excited to be competing for Team USA at the NACAC Mountain Running Championships in Mexico. We have a solid squad and I can’t wait to see what we can do!” Dani is sponsored by Hoka One One and rabbit. You can follow her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/dan_yell_a/
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Kristen Rose Findley, 28, Cottonwood Heights, UT. “Switching to mountains after training for an Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier on the road has been such a breath of fresh air (literally). So grateful for the unbeatable from-the-door training runs and races I have access to here in Utah. I am totally ready to channel my inner mountain lion for the US of A!!” You can follow Kristen on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/kfinstotheleft/
U.S. Long Distance Mountain Running Team staff members will be Jason Bryant (Team Leader) and Nancy Hobbs (Assistant Team Leader). Jason is an old mountain runner who ran on the U.S. NACAC Mountain Running Team at this same location in Mexico in 2008. Jason also wrote this press release while a chipmunk ran back and forth across the laptop. Nancy Hobbs is the USATF Mountain, Ultra, Trail Council Chairperson and founded the women’s US Mountain Running Team in the 1990s. Jason and Nancy will be posting team updates from Mexico on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/usmrt
Nancy Hobbs with junior athletes at the 2018 World Mountain Running Championships.
The championships will be hosted in the town of Tepatitlan, Mexico in the province of Guadalajara for the second time. The mountain course is 12 kilometers, evenly split with 6 kilometers up and 6 kilometers back down.
The USATF Mountain Running Championships will take place on September 29, in Waterville Valley, NH. The top four men and top four women will be automatically be selected to Team USATF Mountain Team competing in Argentina in November.
