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December 2009
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Portuguese Club claims top prize in Istanbul |
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02.02.2009 |
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The winner of men's individual title Spaniard
Alemayehu Bezabeh(centre) from Club Bikila
is accompanied on the podium by Mustafa Mohamed
of Halle IF and Italian Andrea Lalli from GA Fiamme
Gialle who finished second and third respectively.
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Men from Maratona Clube de Portugal cantered home with the team title at the
European Champion Clubs Cup Cross Country 2009 held in Istanbul on Sunday.
However the women from the Portuguese club had to contend with the second place
after the local women from Uskudar Belediyesi Spor Kulubu dished out an
inspired performance to win in front of their home crowd.
Turkish club Fenerbahce Spor Kulubu also won the junior men category, while Russian
SC Luch was declared the best in junior women's race.
The newly designed course with its combination of muddy and hilly stretched
presented a daunting challenge to an assembly of top cross country talent in Europe. The fluctuating weather conditions did not help
their cause either; however it offered perfect platform for a riveting contest.
In men senior race, the ever improving Spaniard Alemayehu Bezabeh once again
imposed his class with a clinical finish to win the individual title for his
Club Bikila. Sweden's Mustafa Mohamed (32.06), a bronze medallist at 2008 SPAR
European Cross country Championships, used all his experience to see-off
Italian U-23 European Cross Country champion Andrea Lalli (32.10).
But it was the team effort of Mortana Clube de Portugal that help them
dislodge more fancied contenders. The best runner for the winning team was Rui
Pedro Silva who finished in 8th, while his team-mates finished in 12,
14 and 21 respectively, garnering a total of 55 points ahead of locals Kocaeli
(62), Toledo from Spain (63), another Portugal team Conforlimpa (65) and
Italian Fiamme Gialle (75).
Although the Portugal
teams dominated the event in the nineties, but the win in Istanbul is their first win since the year 2000.
The senior women's race was no less dramatic. Almitu Bekele who turns out for
Turkey registered a dramatic win over World junior champion Linet Masai of
Kenya in the last up-hill section before the final line (20:21 - 20:29, 6 km).
The two were running for the home team Uskudar. Bahar Dogan finished fourth
(21:10) and while Turkan Erismis in sixth (21:44) giving the home team a nearly
perfect 13 points score.
Fancied Maratona Clube de Portugal garnered 45 points to finish ahead of SC
Moscow (47) and Italian club Esercito (60).
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The women from Uskudar Belediyesi Spor Kulubu after winning the
senior team title.
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Russian world steeple medalist Tatyana Petrova finished third in 21:02,
while 2008 SPAR European Cross Country bronze medalist Ines Monteiro of Portugal
finished fifth clocking 21:43.
It was first Turkish team win in the women category since inaugural edition
in 1982.
Serbian Nemanja Cerovac from AC Mladost Uzice won the individual junior men
6 km race in 20:24 ahead of local Yusuf Alici (20:26), while another team
member of Cerovac, Uzice Muamar Hasanovic claimed the third spot cantering home
in 20:26.
However it was the Turkish club Fenerbahce Sport Kulubu that captured the
title with 28 points ahead of Russian Olymp 32 and Serbian club Uzice.
The victory for Fenerbahce Sport Kulubu maintained Turkish domination in
junior boys' category. Daniela Cunha from Uniao Desportiva Varzea team from Portugal
won the junior girls 4 km contest in 15:12.
Cunha was followed by four athletes from Russian club SC Luch Flano with
Lyudmila Lebedeva in second place with a timing of 15:12. SC Luch finished with
14 points, way ahead of second place Varzea (39) and Turkish Fenerbahce (94).
In total 56 teams competed in four races of the European Champion Clubs Cup Cross
Country making it a highly successful meet yet again.
For more results:
 European Champion Clubs Cup Cross Country
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