GORHAM — American mountain running’s biggest race of the year takes the starter’s cannon Saturday morning at the Mount Washington Road Race as the country’s elite male uphill runners compete for a half dozen positions on the U.S. men’s National Mountain Running team.

The New Hampshire race is the sole selection race for the national team this year, and the first six male U.S. citizens to reach the summit will be named to the team that will compete in the world championships on Sept. 2, in the Italian Alps at Ponte de Legno.

The race features a field of nearly 1,200 runners in both men’s and women’s divisions.

In the 52-year history of the event, Mount Washington has never drawn a larger field of exceptional hill runners. In addition to the 20-or-so American men who are vying for positions on the U.S. team, Italian mountain-running standout and six-time winner of the World Mountain Trophy, Marco de Gasperi, will battle the Mount Washington Auto Road’s relentless 12 percent average grade over 7.6 miles to the 6,288-foot summit.

While de Gasperi and Jonathan Wyatt of New Zealand, the Mount Washington record holder who cannot compete because of injury, are considered the two best mountain runners in the world, the contingent of elite Americans guarantees the closest-ever finishing times among the race’s frontrunners.

Last year’s champion, Ricky Gates, of Woody Creek, Colo., leads the American men seeking a spot on the national team. Gates won the Mount Washington in 2009 in 59 minutes, 58 seconds, becoming only the fifth man to break the one-hour barrier. His winning time last year was 1:01:32.

Tommy Manning of Colorado Springs, Colo., returns after finishing just 10 seconds behind Gates in 2011. He led through six miles. Max King of Bend, Ore., took fifth here in 2010 and he won the men’s individual world championship in Tirana, Albania, last fall, the second American to do so.

The mountain’s most seasoned runner, three-time champion Simon Gutierrez of Alamosa, Colo., will contend for a national team position as will previous team members Joe Gray of Newcastle, Wash., and Matt Byrne of Scranton, Pa.

Marathoner Tim Chichester of Mount Morris, N.Y., is also entered. He was the second American finisher in April’s Boston Marathon and placed 11th overall.

Others with a viable chance to make the U.S. team include two-time race-winner Eric Blake of New Britain, Conn., Glenn Randall of Mesa, Colo., and Peter Maksimow of Manitou Springs, Colo., who finished fourth and sixth here respectively last year, and Jason Delaney of Golden, Colo., the winner of the 2011 Pike’s Peak Road Ascent.

There are also a number of Mount Washington newcomers whose credentials make them team candidates, too.

The women’s field is somewhat limited as the U.S. women’s national team selection race is scheduled for Loon Mountain on July 8. However, last year’s top three finishers, Kim Dobson of Denver, Brandy Erholtz of Evergreen, Colo., and Kasie Enman of Huntington, Vt., are slated to test their skills on the mountain again.

Last year, Erholtrz led through five miles before Dobson secured the lead. Enman, who settled for third, later became the first female gold medalist in the sport with her victory at the world championships in Albania.

Women’s course record-holder Shewarge Amare of Ethiopia is not scheduled to compete.

Former U.S. Olympic Nordic Ski Team members Justin Freeman of New Hampton and Kris Freeman of Tilton return for the second straight year after posting top-15 finishes in 2011. Justin ran eighth in 1:06:28 while Kris finished 14th with a time of 1:07:46.

North Conway’s Kevin Tilton, who has had a series of strong Mount Washington races including a 10th place 1:06:59 last year, also runs Saturday along with Madison’s Jim Johnson, Plaistow’s Craig Fram, Raymond’s Patrick Ard and Nottingham’s Brandon Newbould, who all garnered top-25 finishes a year ago.

On women’s side, Granite Staters Christin Doneski of Hopkinton, Amber Ferreira of Concord and Abbey Gosling of Laconia hope to better their 2011 finishes. Doneski was eighth (1:21:49), Ferreira was 10th (1:22:37) and Gosling was 21st (1:28:44).

Laura Haefeli of Del Notre, Colo., and Gutierrez are the likely masters favorites.



mlabore@unionleader.com