By BILL WELLS, masslive.com
SHELBURNE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS — For a day, Shelburne Falls was the running capital of New England. And for that day, three Ethiopians ruled that capital. In the largest field in the 30-year history of the always popular Bridge of Flowers 10K Classic, champion Genna Tufa and teammate Deniboba Derese ran together from nearly start to finish on the men’s side Saturday, while friend Buzhnesh Takekegl won the women’s division.
Tufa covered the challenging 6.2-mile course in 31 minutes, five seconds, crossing a chest ahead of Derese in a photo finish. Takekegl took the lead among the women in the second half, finishing in 35:59.
Under friendly, scattered white clouds, and in prime running conditions, runners from throughout New England and beyond congregated at cozy Shelburne Falls. Premier runners from elite New England running clubs donned their respective singlets for the race, which served as this year’s USA Track & Field New England 10K championship.
Combined with the Nathan Hale 2-Mile run, more than 1,000 runners made the trip along Interstate 91 and Route 2 to take to the starting line on the Iron Bridge. Kenya’s Shadrack Kiyni, who resides in Danbury, Conn., placed third in 31:43. William Christian of Newport, R.I., was fourth in 32 flat, followed by Jeff Freeman of New Hampton, N.H., in 32:06.
Eric Blake of New Britain, Conn., who won the 2008 Mount Washington Road Race, was seventh in 32:23. Former Agawam resident Nate Jenkins was eighth in 32:28.
Greenfield’s Avi Kramer was the first local finisher, placing No. 13 in 33:08.
Whitinsville’s Stephanie Reilly was the women’s runner-up in 36:32. Last year’s second-place finisher Heidi Westerling took third in 36:51. Belchertown’s Amy Nedeau, who led for part of the race, was the top local female, taking fourth in 37 flat. Leominster’s Janice Connor was fifth in 37:54.
After the leaders zig-zagged the opening 2-mile loop, a pack of nine runners tackled mighty Crittenden Hill at the same time. One kilometer later, at the peak of the most challenging part of the race, Tufa crossed under the balloon arch alone. His Westchester Running Club teammate followed, and Tufa encouraged him to catch up.
The rest of the pack was 22 seconds behind. The strongest group of elite runners in the history of the race had been reduced to two, and it stayed that way to the finish.
“I always like to let them go on the hill,” said Jenkins, now of Lowell, who was with the leaders at the base of Crittenden. “I think a lot of people attack that sucker, then usually you hope to come back on them in the second part of the race. But if you’re not 100 percent fit, that hill will find you out.”
Tufa and Derese respectfully ran stride for stride until the final 25 yards, when they both made a dash for the finish line, drawing loud applause from the rows of spectators. Tufa edged his friend at the finish line, but in reality, they were co-champions.
“We were going up together in a group, so I push us to go,” said Tufa, 24, the 2007 runner-up, referring to his move on Crittenden Hill. “That is why I push up the hill.”
“I run a good amount of hills for running,” the 25-year-old Derese said. “But this was too much. This was harder.”
On the women’s side, Nedeau held the lead at the crest of Crittenden Hill before Tarekegl, Reilly and Westerling surged on the backside.
“I won the cream to the top,” joked Nedeau, 33. “Around four (miles), those two went around me, and Heidi (Westerling). I hung on for as long as I could.”
Tarekegl gained the lead and maintained it the rest of the way.
“This (race) is very nice,” said Tarekegl, 28, who’s sponsored by Nike. “I like it. But it has a little bit of a hill. Had to be strong. But my training is good. I’m happy to win.”
“We tried to make a move (on Tarekegl), but we couldn’t close the gap,” Reilly said.
Bill Wells can be reached at wellsb6@charter