L’Observateur / July 15, 2000

NORCO – The Great Spillway Classic Trail Run, the “Largest Trail Run in the South,” will be held at the Bonnet Carre Spillway tomorrow beginning at 8 a.m.The three-mile run, sponsored by the New Orleans Track Club, has been held annually since 1988. A field of 1,500 participants is expected forthis year’s race. The race begins at the Bonnet Carre Spillway Boat Launchand proceeds north atop the levee for one and half miles.

The course then turns into the main trail which begins with the spillway’s famed “gauntlet.” After passing through the gauntlet the trail takes asharp left turn parallel to the spillway and winds for over one and half miles through a dense forest canopy back toward the boat launch pavilion.

Along the way the trail offers hard packed sandy surface, numerous watery troughs, plenty of quick turns, heavy forest canopy, mud, slime, grass, roots and a log jump. Weather conditions dictate the difficulty ofthe race.

Brendan Minihan Jr. and Isabelle Yanire were last year’s winners. Thecourse record of 15 minutes, 30 seconds was set by Shawn Nixon in 1996.

The women’s record of 18:37 was set by Santilla Victorian that same year.

Don Brinkman, Phil Gioia, John Johnson and Gerald Lyons have competed in all previous trail runs.

Custom commemorative Great Spillway Classic metal art awards designed and made by Mike Minturn will be presented to the first, second, third, fourth and fifth overall male and female, first Masters and first Grand Masters overall.

The first 500 finishers receive a commemorative “Top 500 Finisher” award. All race entrants receive the commemorative Great SpillwayClassic tank top T-shirt. A post-race party will be held on the grounds ofthe Spillway Boat Launch Pavilion.

The cost is $17. There is a $10 day of the race, no T-shirt entry available.For more information contact Chuck George at 482-6682.

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