May Begins with a Four-Pack of Podium Finishes for Team Vasque

Red Wing, MN – May 3, 2010 – Vasque athletes Shiloh Mielke, Deb Livingston, Brian Rusiecki and Krissy Moehl posted stellar, coast to coast race finishes this past weekend.

Shiloh Mielke took his first Xterra win of the season at Xterra Uwharrie in the beautiful Uwharrie forest, near Troy, NC. Mielke completed a 1000M swim in the chilly waters of Badin Lake, a super-technical 16 mile mountain bike ride and a beautiful 10K run along the lake shore and through the forest in 2:22:13

“When I made it to the run with a two minute lead I knew I had a chance to win,” said Mielke. “My legs felt pretty dead on the first part of the run, but it was a flat course so my recovery was quick and I was able to keep up my winning pace.”

Deb Livingston took second place among the women finishers and Brian Rusiecki placed second overall at the Seven Sisters Trail Race in Amherst, MA. This was Livingston’s 10th consecutive year running the Seven Sisters Trail Race, which takes place on the rocky, hilly, out-and-back course along the Mt. Holyoke Range ridgeline, and climbs 3700 feet over 13 miles.

“There isn’t really a flat part on the course,” says Livingston. “You’re either going uphill or descending in this race and its super tough, but I love it!”

At the beginning of the race it was already 65 degrees and humid. Temperatures eventually reached the mid 80’s, so Rusiecki was careful to monitor his effort and finish racing before the heat became oppressive.

“As I headed back over the first mountain I kept the pace up and was feeling pretty good. Once the overcast sky cleared, I could feel the heat and intensity of the race starting to wear on me,” says Rusiecki.

He reeled in three other runners, but the leader stayed just out of Rusiecki’s grasp and he crossed the line in 1:49:57, for second place. Rusiecki wore Vasque Mindbenders on the run and was pleased with how they protected his feet from the sharp basalt rocks and ‘crazy ups and downs’ of the course.

Krissy Moehl took third place among the women finishers, with a time of 9:57:32 at the 15th annual MiWok 100K. Moehl’s consistent training, extensive race experience and pacer support carried her for the day.

“It was exciting to run in such a solid and deep field and know that everyone was pushing each other to better performances,” says Moehl.

The MiWok 100K takes place just west of Sausalito, CA, on an extremely hilly course. There is approximately 10,000 feet of elevation gain on the out and back route which are made up of fire roads and single-track. Runners are rewarded with amazing views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Mt. Tamalpais and Point Reyes National Seashore.

“I pulled from my experience at Mont Blanc to help me run solid for the last 20 miles and move from 6th to 3rd female,” says Moehl. “That pack of women ran tough and we were all within minutes of each other at the finish line.”

For more information about Vasque, please visit www.vasque.com.

About Vasque
For over 40 years, Vasque has crafted high-quality, performance-driven footwear for the outdoor market with a line that includes specialized footwear for trail running, multi-sport, hiking, backpacking, and kids. With an unyielding commitment to innovation, Vasque focuses on fit and world-class performance as the core pillars in every product they produce. Company product-testing takes place through a team of exceptional athletes who report directly from trails all over the world, resulting in product that withstands the test of time and the hardest conditions and wear. To illustrate the “Vasque Fit” story, the company has brought on the Master of Fit™ to narrate, in a series of videos, exactly what it takes to become an award-winning footwear manufacturer.