Team Competition

The opportunities for team competition in this area are limited to a few races.

Over the years Checkers A.C. has proven itself the premier road racing club in these events.
Current road races that attract teams are: Turkey Trot 8K and Buffalo Marathon.
Checkers A. C. won the team title at Coles during the years 1978-79, 1982-90.

Checkers male, female and co-ed teams have always placed well in the Buffalo Marathon relays.
In 1993 Men's Relay team(Dave Hawes, Mark Andrews, Jim Dunlop and Dan Garrett) set a new course record of 2:14:14 taking nearly 7 minutes off the old record set by Checkers two years before.
The Men's Masters team, (Jim Hogan, Kerry Courtney, Bill McMullen and John Walsh), also set a course record of 2:33:16.
The Women's Relay team ( Jackie Kralisz, Beth Del Genio, Bev Hogan, Melanie Griffiss) won with a time of 2:57-46 and the All-Comers team (Kellie Brien, Karen Keller, Steve Bonvissuto Bob Walsh) won with a time of 2:54-05. To quote Tom Courtney 'it was one of the finest days in Checkers history, ranking up there with the retiring of the trophy at Coles'.

The 1994 Ford Buffalo Marathon also saw wins by the Checkers Men's Masters team with a time of 2:38 and the Women's team with a time of 3:11:57. Teams consisted of Curtis Richardson, Jim Hogan, John Walsh, Terry Lee, Karen Keller, Beth Del Genio, Melanie Griffiss and Linda Niedermeier.

The 1995 Ford Buffalo Marathon Mens Open was won by (Paul Hulme, Jim Dunlop, Steve English, Dan Garrett) and the Masters Women by (Pat Kunselman, Barbara Sauer, Wendy Mohrman, Kathy Melling).

In 1996 Checkers teams won the: Open Mens (Harvey Siepel, Pat Cauley, Rich Grimm, Paul Hulme), Mens Masters (Jim Hogan, John Walsh, Mike Rogers, Jim Kenney), Womens Masters (Pat Kunselman, Barbara Sauer, Beverly Hogan, Marcy Sheehan), All-Comers (Curtis Richardson, Joseph Silliman, Jerry Mangan, John Affleck).

At the 1997 Ford Buffalo Marathon Checkers teams placed: 1st Mens Open (Harvey Siepel, Jim Schaffstall, Don Seitz, Paul Hulme), 3rd Womens Open (Becky Heuer, Beth DelGenio, Diane Sardes, Jeanne Chiarmonte), 3rd Mens Masters (Jim Hogan, Hugh Arthur, Bob Carroll, Jim Kenny), 3rd All-Comers (John Walsh, Trey Gardner, Jerry Mangan, Dan Horan).

The 1998 Ford Marathon saw the Checkers Open Team (Mark Sardes, Rich Grimm, Glenn Palin, Bob Carroll) repeat again as the 1st overall team with a time of 2hr27:47. The Womens Open Team (Diane Sardes, Linda Niedermeier, Rebecca Heuer, Jeanne Chiarmonte) finished 1 st with a time of 2hr54:49.
Mens, Masters Team of (Jim Kenny, Stephen Seerey, Martin DeNysschen, Hugh Arthur) finished 2nd in 2hr57:54 and the Mens Masters Team of (Kenneth Gordon, Sibatu Khahaifa, Jerry Bergman, Bob Kolodziej) finished 3rd in 3hr16:24.
The Womens Masters Team of (Pat Kunselman, Wendy Mohrman, Kathy Melling, Karen Keller) finished 2nd in 3hr:33:30.

Checkers AC Teams have been participating in the Upstate Cross Country Series. For more information click here.
The GVH Upstate Cross Country Series was started by Peter Glavin who passed away in 2010.
As part of the series, Checkers AC organizes a race yearly in WNY. We had races in Akron, Elma and Grand Island.

In 2009 Checker's Mixed Masters Team won 1st place in the Reach the Beach Relay in New Hampshire.
In 2010 the same Team won 2nd place in the Hood to Coast Relay in Oregon.

In 2012 and 2013 there were several teams competing in the Seneca 77 relay race around Seneca Lake.

On a yearly basis Checkers Members also participate in the Seneca Festival of races.