What: The 4th annual Minnesota High School Runner of the Year award, created by GEAR Running Store and sponsored by Nike.
When: Thursday, June 24, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: All American Sports Bar, Mall of America
(park in the East Ramp, go to the 4th floor, the banquet room is attached to America's Original Sports Bar which is by Jillians)

Call GEAR toll-free at 1-866-937-4327 with any questions or to reserve tickets.

We at GEAR Running Store felt that there was not enough recognition of the top high school runners in our state and we decided to do something about it. We modeled our program after some of the awards in other sports, like a Mr. Basketball or Ms. Basketball.

Each year, a committee of some of the top high school coaches in the state turn in a vote. The coaches select 25 boys and 25 girls as semi-finalists for Runner of the Year. The semi-finalist runners are invited to the awards dinner, where the overall winner for boys and girls are announced.

Past Minnesota High School Runner of the Year Winners
2001 Nick Schneider (Benilde St. Margaret’s) and Shannon Bergstedt (Hopkins)
2002 Tom Schmidt (Faribault) and Vanessa Clarida (Bloomington Kennedy)
2003 Garett Heath (Winona) and Vanessa Clarida (Bloomington-Kennedy)

Congratulations to this year's semi-finalists!

Boys
Rupert Bannerman-Thompson, Roseville
Jon Boyd, Mankato East
Matt Damico, East Grand Forks
Chris Erichsen, Kingsland
Justin Grunewald, Brainerd
Paul Harris, Woodbury
Garrett Heath, Winona
Yahya Iman, Marshall
Chad Janezewski, Canby-Minneota
Evan Jurkovich, Edina
Ibrahim Kabia, Champlin Park
Sufian Kimo, St. Paul Arlington
Ben Klungtveldt, Moorhead
Mike Krisch, Hopkins
Mike Leither, St. Cloud Cathedral
Lawrence Lipsey, Bloomington Kennedy
Joe Moore, Stillwater
Renato Otten, Christ Household of Faith
Ben Puhl, Rochester Century
Kyle Schmidt, Hermantown
Hans Storvick, Mankato West
Seijen Takumura, Mankato West
Jay Thomas, Tartan
Jonathon Thompson, St. Louis Park
Jake Watson, Stillwater

Girls
Ladia Albertson, Stillwater
Katie Anderson, Blaine
Shannon Bergstedt, Hopkins
Marie Borner, Park of Cottage Grove
Nicole Calabrese, Kingsland
Vanessa Clarida, Bloomington Kennedy
Gina Dare, Apple Valley
Heather Dorniden, Rosemount
Kadeisha Fortune, Minneapolis Washburn
Hanna Grinaker, Detroit Lakes
Sandy Jorgenson, Woodbury
Alissa Kurke, Anoka
Molly Lehman, Minnetonka
Alex McCannel, Delano
Chichi Omeoga, Irondale
Erica Rhodes, Minneapolis Edison
Caitlin Roemhildt, Minnetonka
Nikki Swenson, Lac qui Parle/Dawson-Boyd
Beth Taci, St. Cloud Cathedral
Kim Troung, Apple Valley
Lisa Waanenen, Maple Grove
Andrea Wahlin, Rocori
Bria Wetsch, Holy Family
Annie Yetzer, Lakeville
Elizabeth Yetzer, Lakeville