August 4, 2003- Runners from all over New England and New York State, as well as from Kenya and Morocco, will return this Saturday to beautiful Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, to compete in the 25th running of the Bridge of Flowers 10K Classic footrace. Famous for its high-caliber field, a hyper-steep hill, assorted gala pre- and post-race festivities, and the hundreds of flowers blooming on the old railroad bridge adjacent to the start/finish line, the Bridge of Flowers race is likely to draw a field of 1200-1400 runners to its starting line on Saturday at 9 a.m.

Among the top contenders in this year's event are hometown favorite Mark Miller, a standout in track and cross country at Keene State; Mary Proulx, also of Keene State; Heather Gardiner, of East Hartford, Ct., former winner of the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington; Seana Carmean of Amherst, Massachusetts, currently training to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials; and Craig Fram, of Plaistow, N.H., who recently broke his own masters (over-40) course record in the Mt. Washington Road Race. Also in the field are Ukrainian-born Vladimir Krivoy, who has ranked high in masters competition throughout New England for several years, including several sub-2:30 performances in the Boston Marathon; and Jim Garcia, the former New England Runner of the Year, renowned for his ability to be a contender at distances from three miles to 100.

As it did on its 20th anniversary, this year again the Bridge of Flowers Classic serves as the USATF New England 10-kilometer Grand Prix Championship. Top finishers score points that add to their rankings for the overall New England Grand Prix. Furthermore, the race awards substantial cash prizes: $500 to the male and female overall winners, $250/$150/$100/$75 for the next four places, additional prizes of $100/$50/$25 for the top three male and female finishers in each age group by five-year increments, with bonuses for age-group course record times. Such a deep cash-prize structure is rare in any road race.

While this status adds to the appeal for elite runners, the race attracts large numbers of mid-pack runners for many other reasons. Most significant is the picturesque village of Shelburne Falls itself. Sitting on both sides of the Deerfield River (half the town is officially in Buckland, Mass., the other half in Shelburne), the village is home to numerous shops and restaurants, crafts and art studios, galleries, restored old buildings, and the largest glacial potholes in the world.

Another attraction is the challenge of Crittenden Hill, an in-your-face one-kilometer-long climb that greets runners in the second mile of the figure-eight course. One New England running magazine has dubbed this hill everestianic, and a Boston sports publication has listed this race as one of the eight toughest road races in New England. The event also features a large spaghetti festival from 6-7 p.m. on Friday evening, periwinkle-blue T-shirts designed by Shelburne Falls artist Margot Apple, balloon arches over the starting line and the summit of Crittenden Hill, and music by the Japanese Taiko drummers, a bagpiper, a brass quintet, a ragtime band and more. The post-race party is a carbohydrate-replacement feast of fruit, yogurt, cookies, high-tech drinks and nutrition bars, plus free massages.

The Bridge of Flowers 10-K Classic begins at 9 a.m. on the Iron Bridge adjacent to the Bridge of Flowers. Before the main event, the morning also features the Nathan Hale 2-Mile race, which starts at 8:20 a.m. Both courses offer excellent opportunities for spectators to view the race. Applications are being accepted up until 8 a.m. on race day.

Both events raise money for local schools and charities. Funds from the Bridge of Flower race recently played a large role in helping to build a new track at Mohawk Trail Regional High School in Buckland.

For more information, and to register on-line, visit the race Web Site

Press contacts: Mike McCusker, race director: 413-625-2548