2002
																																																					2001
																																								2000
																									1998								1999
																1997
									1996
																																																								2007
																																									2006
										2003								2004
																															2005
							40 Days Until Patch Sprint 2008!
						Women's Open, Clydesdale expected to be hotly contested
					WILLSBORO, Apr. 7-- With less than seven weeks remaining until Patch Sprint 2008, The field of racers and trekkers is beginning to take shape.  "We have nearly 50 pre-registered participants," said Race Director Sandra Rolfe, "and our projections are for double that by race weekend." (SEE LIST of REGISTRANTS).      Rolfe was quick to remind everyone that "the fee will go up on May 1, so get online and register prior to that."
	As far as racing goes, a major shift has recently taken place, with Ben Stanley moving from the Open Male division into the Clydesdale bracket.  "I put on 10 pounds of lean muscle and I am now a strapping 225," said Stanley (right), who has never finished lower than 4th place in six prior events.  "I look forward to establishing the Clydesdale Division as the premier division in the Patch Sprint, and a future in which the Clydesdale Division is changed to Open Men's and the current Open Men's is changed to the inferior Featherweight Division."      While Stanley's athletic ability is acknowledged, he will be facing off against the past two division champions:  Rob Mercado took the title easily in 2007, while Ken Ryba, the 2006 winner, has lost 303 pounds.  "He may be thinner," rebutted Stanley, "but he's lost all of his strength, not to mention the weight handicap he used to win the division in the first place."      Meantime, another division mainstay, Josh Bornt is keeping a low profile.  "I'm now the unquenstioned biggest guy in the division and that counts for something, though I'm not sure what."
																								In the Women's Open,  five have registered so far and, for them, the good news is that there is no clear cut favorite.  Stephanie Lylis (upper photo, left)  is the veteran of the field, but the rest of the racers all have prior Patch Sprint experience.      The bad news, at least for the early entrants is that the past four champions - Elizabeth Disney, Alexandra Disney, Deborah Nordyke and Sheila Mulherin - have yet to enter the race and, should they do so, any of them would be labeled as the front runner.       Add to the mix the fact that west coast standout, Martha Blackwell (lower photo), is currently in negotiations with her sponsors about making her Patch Sprint debut in 2008.  Blackwell, who races the half-marathon at a six-minute mile clip, recently captured her division in the rugged "Pier-to-Peak" race in the California mountains.  She called the victory, "a mere warmup for the Patch Sprint," adding that "if my agent sends me to the Adirondacks, I'm not just looking for a division crown, I'm in it to win it!"  No word on whether or not Blackwell is a Clinton supporter.
			The 2008 Patch Sprint:  What You Get      For your $25 fee ($35 after April 30) all racers and trekkers will receive:            - A race number            - A T-shirt            - Free Lodging and parking            - Free entrance into Friday's race expo and carbo-loading supper            - A continental breakfast on race day            - Aid station service along the race course            - A finishers prize (medals, ribbons and special awards)            - Free entrance into the post-race barbecue, banquet and slide show            - A weekend of friendship and fun in a spectacular setting   Additional award recognition will go to the top donors.  Registered volunteers receive all of the above for no charge.
																																														REGISTER for the 2008 Patch Sprint
																												See Breaking News Go To Patch Sprint Home Page