We are so excited to introduce you to the 2019 Aravaipa Racing Team! As with the 2018 season, we will be partnering with rabbit Apparel to outfit our team in style on the trails!
In 2018 our racing team set multitudes of course records, swept the podium (Zane Grey 50 mile – women), earned a Golden Ticket, placed top American woman at OCC in the UTMB series (7th), placed top 10 at Western States (8th), earned a current spot on the USA 24 Hour team to represent at the World 24 Hour Championships, represented at the World 100KM championships, and more. We can’t wait to see what our 2019 racing team will accomplish this year!
You can keep tabs on these athletes throughout the year by checking the Aravaipa Racing Team Website for upcoming race plans, longer bios, and how to follow them on social media!
Without further ado here are the athletes representing Aravaipa Running’s Racing Team for 2019:
Amber Reimondo is new to the team after a fantastic 2018, winning the rugged Ute 100 in Utah, setting a new course record at Flagstaff Extreme Big Pine 54KM, and taking 3rd overall for the win at Flagstaff Sky Peaks 25KM!
Art DeGraw returns to the 2019 team after a year of prolific racing. Art mostly stuck with mid-distances at our Desert Runner Trail Series and Insomniac Night Trail Run Series, winning and setting a slew of course records along the way including: Sinister Night Runs 27K, Javelina Jangover Night Runs 15K, Pass Mountain 25K, and Dam Good Run 40K. However, Art also ran for 2nd at Crown King Scramble 50K (where he holds 3 of the top 10 performances in a race that has been run 27 times..), won Whiskey Basin 57KM (course record), and won McDowell Mountain Frenzy 50KM. This is in addition to road and other local trail events he ran throughout the year.
Brianna Grigsby is a new addition and we are pumped to have her race on the team this year! Brianna holds the course record at Colossal Vail 50 Mile, set in 2017. This past year she won the San Tan Scramble 50KM, took second to her new teammate, Amber Reimondo, at Flagstaff Extreme Big Pine 54KM, and won the Flagstaff Sky Peaks 50KM!
Catlow Shipek returns after a strong 2018 with a 2nd place finish behind teammate, Art Degraw, at Whiskey Basin 57KM, 2nd place at Millersylvania 50K in Olympia, WA and winning Cave Creek Thriller 50KM in course record time. Catlow will be racing next month at Rocky Racoon in Texas – a technical looped course that fits his 100 mile strengths (previous wins at Coldwater Rumble and Javelina Jundred – both technical terrain and in the loop format).
Charli McKee is our first Utah-based runner on the team! We opened applications to Utah and Colorado for the first time this year (since we host races in both of those states along with Arizona). Charli ran the 8th fastest 100KM for women in North America last year with her win at Javelina Jundred 100KM and took 4th at the competitive Speedgoat 25KM. Charli will be racing a few upcoming events but has her sights set on CCC (part of the UTMB series) after gaining elite entry.
Charlie Ware returns to the team after a phenomenal 2018 season, earning a Golden Ticket to Western States 100 at Sean O’Brien 100KM and then going on to a top 10 finish at Western States (receiving automatic entry into the 2019 edition of the event). Charlie also ran for the win and course record at Whiskey Basin 31KM and won the Zane Grey 50 Mile. Charlie will be headed to race Tarawara 100KM – part of the Ultra Trail World Series – in New Zealand this February.
We’re excited to welcome Colleen Lingley to the team! Colleen has a track and cross country background and raced her first ultra at Crown King Scramble in 2017, placing 2nd! Colleen started 2018 by winning the Dam Good Run 40K, she also won Arizona’s iconic Jerome Hill Climb in September before racing to the win and course record at Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Stagecoach 100 Mile in 17:56:00. Colleen also won and set the course record at McDowell Mountain Frenzy 50 Mile in December. She will toe the line this weekend at Coldwater Rumble 52KM!
Early last year Race Director, Noah Dougherty, told me to keep an eye on Deserae Clarke. He was not wrong. Deserae moved to Phoenix and took to the trails by storm setting course records at 4 of the Insomniac Night Trail Series Ultra Distance Races: Sinister Night Runs 54KM (overall win, course record), Adrenaline Night Runs 50K (2nd overall, course record), Hypnosis Night Runs 54KM (3rd overall, course record), & Vertigo Night Runs 52KM (2nd overall, course record). Deserae also raced to a 2nd place finish at the notoriously tough Mogollon Monster 100 in September. She will be racing at Black Canyon 100KM along with many of her teammates in February.
Another new face on the team, Drew Frehs ran his first ultra-marathon just over 12 months ago, placing 3rd at McDowell Mountain 50KM in 2017. Since then he has not shied away from the competition and has been pushing to see what he can do which includes winning Mogollon Monster 100KM bettering the course record, and a strong 8th place finish at Javelina Jundred 100 Mile 6 weeks later.
Emily Harrison Torrence returns to the 2019 Aravaipa Racing Team. Emily started 2018 by racing to the win and course record at Blood, Sweat and Beers 30KM in Boulder City before deciding to train for an Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier; however, during that training she got called up from her alternate spot on the USA 100KM team to race at worlds where she ran to 2nd American (16th place) in 8:03:11! Read more about that journey here.
We are excited to announce that Ian Torrence returns to race for Aravaipa Running in 2019! Ian is also the race director for the previously mentioned Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Stagecoach Line 100 Mile, 55K and Relays. Beyond his 53 (!!) ultra-marathon distance victories over the years, Ian raced to a win at 2 separate trail 1/2 marathons this past year: Blood, Sweat and Beers and AZT North Rim Ramble. Ian also placed 3rd at Silverton Alpine 50KM in July and 2nd at the Flagstaff Marathon in September. Make sure to checkout Sundog Running for Ian and Emily’s coaching services.
Kent Green is another new addition to the Araviapa Racing Team. Kent has a number of ultra-marathon podium finishes to his name including a win at Man Against Horse 50 Mile in 2017, 3rd at Crown King Scramble in 2017, and 4th there this past year. His consistency, hard-work, and love of the sport tells us he’s only just getting started! Look for Kent to race at Black Canyon Ultra 60KM and Crown King Scramble 50KM on his way to Western States 100 this year!
Kristina Pham is a returning, veteran member of the Aravaipa Racing Team. Kristina’s ability to race different styles of events and dominating trail performances are part of why we love having her on the team. In 2018 Kristina raced to a win and course record at Elephant Mountain 50KM and a win at Whiskey Basin 31KM. Kristina also holds 12 USATF Track Age Group Records set at Desert Solstice over the last few years. Watch for her at Black Canyon 100KM in February!
Lauren Coury had an outstanding 2018 and is a returning member of the Aravaipa Racing Team. Last year Lauren raced to 4th at Black Canyon 100KM, 2nd at Crown King Scramble 50KM, 1st at Zane Grey 50 Mile, 1st (2nd overall) at Tushars Mountain Runs Marathon, placed as the top American woman at OCC (part of the UTMB series) in 7th, and bettered her own – already stout – course record at McDowell Mountain 50K.
Nick Coury is returning to the 2019 team. Nick is also (similar to Art DeGraw) a prolific racer – able to bounce between shorter road events to mountain 100s and track 24 hour races with success. The most incredible performance (IMHO) was Nick’s textbook race at Desert Solstice 24 Hour – running almost perfect splits (not just for the half way mark.. but perfect splits for EVERY LAP) with the only negative split in the race. That performance currently qualifies Nick to represent the USA at the World 24 Hour Championships this year. He also ran the 8th fastest 50 Mile in North America last year with his win at Door County Fall in 6:00:50.
New in 2019 but a long-time member of the Aravaipa community, Peter Mortimer and his adventurous racing calendar, will be representing the Aravaipa Racing Team. Peter has previously won the Man Against Horse 50 Mile, McDowell Mountain 50 Mile, and placed 2nd at Bigfoot 200 Mile Endurance Run. Peter will be racing this upcoming weekend at the Phoenix Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon before heading back to the trails for Black Canyon 100KM in February. His 2019 racing plans also include: Whiskey Basin 88KM, Dragons Back 200 Mile (a grueling mountain race in Wales), Barkley Fall Classic, and Javelina Jundred 100 Mile… just to name a few!
Sion Lupowitz is another long-time member of the Aravaipa Racing Team who will join us again in 2019! Sion raced to an impressive 4th place at the highly competitive Black Canyon Ultras 100KM this past year, took 2nd at Whiskey Basin 88KM, and won the Adrenaline Night Runs 50K in May. He will be racing the Oracle Rumble 50 Mile on January 26th where he already holds the course record (from 2017).
Susan Kramer will return to the 2019 racing team and continues to defy age with her performances against women 10-20+ years her junior. Susan raced to a 2nd place finish at Zane Grey 50 this past year behind teammate, Lauren Coury. She also won the San Diego 100 Mile unsupported division (5th woman), and placed 10th at the Black Canyon 100KM. Susie will toe the line again at Black Canyon 100KM this February.
Tessa Chesser rounds out our 2019 racing team! Tessa is a new addition and earned her way onto the team with some impressive races in 2018. Tessa ran to the Open Women’s Divison win at Trans Rockies 6, placed 3rd in her first international race at Trail des Dents du Midi 57KM (Switzerland), and already this year won the San Tan Scramble 50KM. Tessa will join the already long list of Aravaipa Racing Team Members at Black Canyon 100KM in a few weeks time!
Michael Mcdermott