Running with the wind


***image1***Ramstein runners 1st Lt. Wendy Trimboli and Staff Sgt. Hannah Laras placed seventh and eighth, respectively, at the 2007 CC-Air Headquarters Ramstein Cross Country Championships, Nov. 28 to 30 in Koksijde, Belgium.

Trimboli ran the difficult 5.1 km-sandy Belgian course in a time of 21:53 ahead of Laras in 22:04.  The ladies champion, representing the Belgian Air Component, was Anja Smolders who registered a time of 19:31. In the 10.2 km men’s event Sembach runner Staff Sgt. Joshua Rapp was the highest U.S. Air Forces in Europe placed athlete finishing 22nd with a very respectable time of 37:01, with five other USAFE runners also breaking the 40-minute mark on this demanding terrain.

Polish runner Henryk Szost of the Polish Air Force ran a blistering 32:36 to claim the men’s title. 

In the team events the USAFE women and men finished fourth and fifth places, respectively, with the Royal Air Force ladies and Polish Air Force men capturing the team titles. The next CC-Air HQ Ramstein sports championship will be volleyball, hosted by the German Air Force, March 27 to 30. Volleyball players interested in representing USAFE at this event need to submit an AF form 303 to the USAFE sports office by close of business Feb. 8. For more information, visit www.usafefitness.org or call the sports office 496-7934.

 (Courtesy of the Ramstein Cross Country Team)