Teva makes a run to Austria with U.S. Mountain Running Team

AUSTRIA — Forty nations came together Sept. 14 and 15 in Innsbruck, Austria, for the 18th annual World Mountain Running Trophy and the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team was there to compete with its adult and first-ever junior team. Teva signed a three-year agreement as the title sponsor and official footwear of the U.S. Mountain Running Team at the beginning of 2002. Re-named the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team, the 20-member team will receive reimbursement for some expenses and Teva product. Because of Teva’s involvement as the title sponsor, the United States was able to send a junior team to the competition for the first time. “Teva was getting into the category (of trail running), and it wanted to convey to the trail running community that it was serious about being part of the category. Sponsoring the team was one way to do it,” John Gillis, a Teva spokesman, told SNEWS®. “Taking the juniors for the first time bodes well for the future of the sport.” The highest-ranking adult women’s U.S. team member was Anita Ortiz, a 39-year-old kindergarten teacher, who placed 11th in the 9.2 km women’s race. The highest-ranking adult men’s U.S. team member was Paul Low, a 28-year-old graduate student, placing 32nd in the 11.7 km men’s race.