Race Across America : Berkeley Woman, 29, Wins
A California woman who put off going to business school so she could train for the 3,107-mile Race Across America pedaled her bike across the Boardwalk finish line Wednesday to win the women’s division.
Elaine Mariolle, 29, of Berkeley set a record in the fifth annual race by completing the cross-country route in 10 days 2 hours 4 minutes, race official Pete Rosten said.
Pete Penseyres, 43, a nuclear engineer from Fallbrook, Calif., won the men’s division Monday night in 8 days 9 hours 47 minutes.
Race officials said 20 men and six women started the race July 6 in Huntington Beach. Mariolle was the fifth racer to finish.
Mariolle was accepted by the UCLA Graduate School of Business Administration several years ago but has deferred her admission to train for this race. She began cycling three years ago and puts 15,000 miles a year on her bike.
Penseyres and Mariolle each will receive $6,500.
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