November 1, 2025, San Francisco, CA: A small but dedicated set of Shore AC harriers fires up before the start of their races. Left to right: Przemek Nowicki, Scott Linnell, Pam Ricker, Ken Ginsburg, Spider Rossiter and Chris Rinaldi.
Shore AC Results for the 2025 USATF Masters National 5K XC Championships in San Francisco, CA
Race date: November 1, 2025 Individual and team race results here from Record Timing.
Race web site here.
SHORE AC TEAM RESULTS:
50+ Men:
6. 153 Shore Athletic Club -A ( 24:14 2:01:10 9:44 )
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1 18 Ken Ginsburg 56 Maplewood, NJ 19:40 3404
2 30 Christopher Rinaldi 56 Berkeley Heights, NJ 23:07 3558
3 32 Scott Linnell 69 Colts Neck, NJ 24:16 3480
4 33 SPIDER ROSSITER 74 Washington, DC 24:43 3568
5 40 Przemyslaw Nowicki 81 Holmdel, NJ 29:24 3528
50+ Women:
x. xxx Shore Athletic Club -A ( xx:xx x:xx:xx x:xx )
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1 25 Pamela Ricker 61 Springfield, NJ 22:01 3556
--- incomplete team ---
Race web site here.
SHORE AC TEAM RESULTS:
50+ Men:
6. 153 Shore Athletic Club -A ( 24:14 2:01:10 9:44 )
=======================================================
1 18 Ken Ginsburg 56 Maplewood, NJ 19:40 3404
2 30 Christopher Rinaldi 56 Berkeley Heights, NJ 23:07 3558
3 32 Scott Linnell 69 Colts Neck, NJ 24:16 3480
4 33 SPIDER ROSSITER 74 Washington, DC 24:43 3568
5 40 Przemyslaw Nowicki 81 Holmdel, NJ 29:24 3528
50+ Women:
x. xxx Shore Athletic Club -A ( xx:xx x:xx:xx x:xx )
=======================================================
1 25 Pamela Ricker 61 Springfield, NJ 22:01 3556
--- incomplete team ---
November 1, 2025, San Francisco, CA. After having completed team check-in, the members of the Shore AC men's 50+ team look forward to giving it all that they've got in the USATF Masters National 5K Cross Country race -- heedless of their ages. Left to right: Przemek Nowicki (age 81), Scott Linnell (69), Ken Ginsburg (56), Spider Rossiter (74) and Chris Rinaldi (56).
Shore AC Men's 50+ Team Holds Rival Atlanta Team's Feet to Fire
Our mission was simple: grab the opportunity should it arise. More specifically, we needed to finish the race with a complete team just in case the Atlanta Track Club's age 50+ men's team didn't. If for whatever reason Atlanta couldn't put five men across the finish line, thereby having an incomplete team and failing to score points in the 5K Cross Country race in San Francisco, then our men's 50+ team would leapfrog them in the standings and win the 2025 USATF Masters National LDR Grand Prix.
To pursue our dream, we cobbled together a motley crew. Our core consisted of two solid runners in the 50-59 age range: Ken Ginsburg and Chris Rinaldi. Regrettably, we couldn't muster any more gentlemen of the same age range. So, to reach the minimum of five guys for a team, we scavenged our elder ranks. Long-time Shore AC track rat Spider Rossiter had long before registered for the race, expecting to be on a 70+ team; however, he readily agreed to help to 50+ team despite the inevitable decline that comes with 74 years of age. With Spider, we had 3. Shore AC LDR team captain Scott Linnell then climbed aboard, ready to row as hard as his 69-year-old frame could manage. That brought our headcount to 4. We were still one man short of the minimum of 5 runners for a men's 50+ team. Could we enlist one more lad? Prospects were dimming as the deadline to register for the race drew near. With mere hours remaining, 81-year-old Przemek Nowicki suddenly saved the day and gallantly agreed to join in. Given our geriatric line-up, we expected to finish at the bottom of the men's 50+ team heap. But, if that heap didn't include the Atlanta Track Club, then our gamble would pay off. We would earn somewhere around 50 points for, say, a 6th or 7th place finish. That would be enough to close the 25-point gap between us and Grand Prix front-runner Atlanta and then tack on more to deliver us first place in the Grand Prix!
Suspense electrified the atmosphere as we men gathered on the starting line for the race. It appeared that Atlanta had assembled the minimum of 5 guys for a 50+ team, but we couldn't be sure. We Shore AC harriers resolved to do our best and let the chips fall where they may. Ken Ginsburg played his chips first, rocketing through the rolling course in a magnificent time of 19:40. Chris Rinaldi placed our second bet, laying down a solid 23:07 to keep the team in the hunt. Scott Linnell dragged his feet to the roulette table next, plopping down what few chips he possessed in a flimsy 24:16 wager. The far more clever Spider Rossiter deftly positioned his assets with an impressive 24:43. When octogenarian Przemek Nowicki dashed into the parlor and slammed his stack down in 29:24, we had finished placing our bets. It was time to spin the wheel and put our trust in Lady Luck.
Alas, we lost. It turned out that Atlanta had a complete team as well, and that all of their athletes finished the race. Their team placed third. We ended up sixth. Hence, Atlanta maintained their edge in the M50+ category and won the 2025 Team Grand Prix. But, hey, we made them earn it!
We did manage to earn one feather for our team cap. Our geriatric crew actually beat one of the other six M50+ teams. It was a satisfactory consolation prize, making the long trip feel worthwhile. Well done, boys!
To pursue our dream, we cobbled together a motley crew. Our core consisted of two solid runners in the 50-59 age range: Ken Ginsburg and Chris Rinaldi. Regrettably, we couldn't muster any more gentlemen of the same age range. So, to reach the minimum of five guys for a team, we scavenged our elder ranks. Long-time Shore AC track rat Spider Rossiter had long before registered for the race, expecting to be on a 70+ team; however, he readily agreed to help to 50+ team despite the inevitable decline that comes with 74 years of age. With Spider, we had 3. Shore AC LDR team captain Scott Linnell then climbed aboard, ready to row as hard as his 69-year-old frame could manage. That brought our headcount to 4. We were still one man short of the minimum of 5 runners for a men's 50+ team. Could we enlist one more lad? Prospects were dimming as the deadline to register for the race drew near. With mere hours remaining, 81-year-old Przemek Nowicki suddenly saved the day and gallantly agreed to join in. Given our geriatric line-up, we expected to finish at the bottom of the men's 50+ team heap. But, if that heap didn't include the Atlanta Track Club, then our gamble would pay off. We would earn somewhere around 50 points for, say, a 6th or 7th place finish. That would be enough to close the 25-point gap between us and Grand Prix front-runner Atlanta and then tack on more to deliver us first place in the Grand Prix!
Suspense electrified the atmosphere as we men gathered on the starting line for the race. It appeared that Atlanta had assembled the minimum of 5 guys for a 50+ team, but we couldn't be sure. We Shore AC harriers resolved to do our best and let the chips fall where they may. Ken Ginsburg played his chips first, rocketing through the rolling course in a magnificent time of 19:40. Chris Rinaldi placed our second bet, laying down a solid 23:07 to keep the team in the hunt. Scott Linnell dragged his feet to the roulette table next, plopping down what few chips he possessed in a flimsy 24:16 wager. The far more clever Spider Rossiter deftly positioned his assets with an impressive 24:43. When octogenarian Przemek Nowicki dashed into the parlor and slammed his stack down in 29:24, we had finished placing our bets. It was time to spin the wheel and put our trust in Lady Luck.
Alas, we lost. It turned out that Atlanta had a complete team as well, and that all of their athletes finished the race. Their team placed third. We ended up sixth. Hence, Atlanta maintained their edge in the M50+ category and won the 2025 Team Grand Prix. But, hey, we made them earn it!
We did manage to earn one feather for our team cap. Our geriatric crew actually beat one of the other six M50+ teams. It was a satisfactory consolation prize, making the long trip feel worthwhile. Well done, boys!
Action Photographs of the masters men's race by Pam Ricker:
Ken Ginsburg (white singlet) hangs with a speedy pack.
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Chris Rinaldi (at right) duels with Brad Bryon of Tamalpa Runners.
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Scott Linnell (at right) keeps company with Jerry Learned Left) and Chris Peterson (middle).
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Spider Rossiter scurries by in a blur.
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Przemek Nowicki motors down the polo ground track.
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Before the men strutted their stuff on the course in Golden Gate Park, an outstanding collection of masters women christened the course in a 9:00 am clash. We had hoped to enter a women's 50+ team and collect enough points to leapfrog from fourth to second place in the 2025 Grand Prix. Regrettably we couldn't muster the minimum of three women. But we did have one Shore AC representative in the women's race: 61-year-old Pam Ricker. She shocked the crowd with a stupendous 22:01 performance. What was even more exciting: she landed on the podium in her 60-69 age group! Brava, Pam!!!
Pam Ricker blasts across the finish line in 22:01 to stun the running experts.
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Pam Ricker (at right) stands on the podium with fellow 60-64 superwomen Patricia Bellan (center) and Hronn Gudmundsdottir (left).
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Individual Accomplishments
Medals were hard to come by at this well-attended West Coast race. We did, however, have one athlete stand on the podium with a phenomenal top-3 age group performance.
We also landed a few Shore AC athletes on the top-10 list in their 5-year age groups.
Medals were hard to come by at this well-attended West Coast race. We did, however, have one athlete stand on the podium with a phenomenal top-3 age group performance.
- Pamela Ricker 3rd F60-64 22:01 85.01%
We also landed a few Shore AC athletes on the top-10 list in their 5-year age groups.
- Spider Rossiter 10th M70-74 24:43 74.58%
- Przemyslaw Nowicki 4th M80-84 29:24 72.34%
October 31, 2025, San Francisco: Athletes from the Shore Athletic Club strategize over dinner the night before the big race. Left to right: Scott Linnell, Todd Rossiter, Caleb (a.k.a. Spider) Rossiter, Ken Ginsburg, Chris Rinaldi, Pam Ricker and Przemek Nowicki. The good food that we enjoyed at Cioppino's on Fisherman's Wharf set us up for a successful day on the 5K XC course in Golden Gate Park!
