Fantastic Finish for 2012 XTERRA Georgia Series

Tetley, Gormley win season finale XTERRA Deep South Trail Run

A new runner and a new name took top honors at the XTERRA Deep South Trail Run on Saturday, June 2.

Dustin Tetley, competing in his first XTERRA Trail Run, was the first overall finisher, completing the 15-kilometer course in 56 minutes, 10 seconds. In the women's division, XTERRA Trail Run veteran Tara Gormley, formerly Tara Mooney, placed first with a time of 1:06:41.

More than 300 runners participated in the event, which was held at Dauset Trails in Jackson, Georgia.

"The course was great - well-marked and the trails were in good shape," said Tetley, who is 24 and resides in Atlanta. "We got lucky with the weather since it was a cool morning."

Tetley, a former member of the University of Georgia's track and cross country teams, took the lead early in the course and stayed there the rest of the way.

"With so many cutbacks in the trails, it was tough to tell how far back the others were, but since I hadn't seen any others by the eighth mile I figured I had a comfortable lead," he said. "I tripped on a rock about 3.5 miles in and scraped up my knee and leg pretty bad. Fortunately no one passed me when I went down."

Reilly Friedman, who just completed his freshman year at The Galloway School, placed an impressive second overall with a time of 57:59. Eric Heintz, 31, was third in 58:09.

The women's winner got married on May 12, so this was her first XTERRA Trail Run as Tara Gormley. The result, however, was nothing new. Over the past four years, Gormley has now won 15 XTERRA Trail Run events.

(Tara Gormley file photo, courtesy www.greatactionportraits.com)

"The series keeps me coming back because I love the trails and the people!" said Gormley, 28. "There is a whole family of trail racers that go to every race every year so it is great to see familiar faces out there. It is also a challenge for me to try to better my course times from each year."

She completed the 15K course this year with a time of 1:06:41. Michelle McKenzie, 36, placed second at 1:07:46, and 37-year-old Kara Scroggs was third at 1:13:50.

"From the start, Michelle McKenzie took the lead, and I know she is a tough competitor from racing against her in the (previous XTERRA races)," Gormley said. "I kept her in sight and slowly worked my way up to her. With about three miles to go I made my move and was able to pull away and finish with a one minute lead on her."

CLICK HERE for complete results.

The Deep South Trail Run was the sixth, and final, event of the 2011-12 season for the XTERRA Georgia Trail Run Series. Every age-group winner from the overall series standings received a free entry to represent Georgia at the 2012 XTERRA Trail Run National Championship at Ogden, Utah, in September.

Gormley won the female 25-29 age division for the fourth consecutive year in the XTERRA Georgia Series.

Special recognition should also go to Suzanne Broussard of Woodstock, Georgia, who went undefeated for the season in the female 45-49 age division, winning all six races in the XTERRA Georgia Series.

The 2012-13 schedule for the XTERRA Georgia Trail Run Series is already set. To enter any of the races or to learn more about the series, please visit www.dirtyspokes.com:

2012-2013 XTERRA Georgia Trail Races

September 22, 2012 - "Harbins Park" - 6.2 Mile Trail Run
(Gwinnett County Park, Dacula, GA))
October 13, 2012 - "Fall Fitness" - 5 K Trail Run
(Gwinnett Environmental & Hertiage Center Trails, Buford, GA)
November 3, 2012 - "Battle At Big Creek" - 5.5 ? 10.0 Mile Trail Run
(Big Creek Trails, Roswell, GA)
November 17, 2012 - "Little Mulberry Park" - 5.0 ? 10.0 K Trail Run
(Little Mulberry Park, Dacula, GA)
December 1, 2012 - "Victoria Bryant" - 5 K ? 10 K Trail Run
(Victoria State Park, Royston, GA)
February 23, 2013 - "Thrill In The Hill" - Half ? Full Marathon Trail Run
(Fort Yargo State Park, Winder, GA)
June 1, 2013 - "Deep South" - 15 K ? 5 K Trail Run
(Dauset Trails, Jackson, GA)

And here is the list of 2012 Georgia Series Champions:

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