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Veteran racer Dennis Humphrey broke away from the lead pack early in today's Napa Valley Inline Marathon and rolled on to a commanding victory. Humphrey, 50, of Albany, New York, took the lead on the first big climb on the rolling Silverado Trail outside Calistoga, Calif., and skated the rest of the race alone. To maintain the lead, he stroked down the hills while the skaters behind him tucked and rested in fast-moving pack trains. He finished the race alone, 34 seconds in front of the chase pack. His time was 1 hour, 23 minutes and 35 seconds. Another over-50 skater, Scott Swaney broke away from the chase pack just after the final turnaround. The 56-year-old from Culver City, Calif., stayed in front of the pack for the next six miles. But on the long flat straightaway before the finish line, the chase pack caught up. And with 200 yards to go, Luigino's Chris Adams powered by him, trailed by several other skaters. Adams, 40, of Riverbank, Calif., won the field sprint for second. Hill Country Speed's Lawrence Wampler, 20, took third; Randy Zak, fourth. Fifteen-year-old Nastassia Hamor of Milpitas Speed finished right behind the men's pack to win the women's race. Her time was one hour, 24 minutes and 17 seconds. Lizzy Loeb of Santa Monica, Calif., was second; Sabine Corpuz of Venice, Calif., was third. San Francisco's Jack Fong became the first person to skate the hilly road course entirely backwards. He completed the half marathon in one hour and 37 minutes. Event organizer D. Miles Jr. said about 150 skaters participated in the full and half marathon. The weather was sunny and mild on the Napa Valley road course, which was lined with vineyards and sweet with the smell of fermented grapes. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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