Local Women Team Up to Win Daylong Relay Race

Twelve area women, hailing from Southbury, Middlebury, Woodbury and Sandy Hook, covered nearly 180 miles from Plymouth, MA to Provincetown in just over 23 hours on May 11 and 12 to win the Women’s Open Division of the Ragnar Relay Cape Cod. 

The ‘Hard KORBELles’ team, sponsored by Korbel Champagne featured runners from age 28 to 52. The group not only was the first female team to cross the finish line, but together with three other local teams, all under the direction of Dana Roth of Newtown, helped raise more than $20,000 to support the Connecticut Chapter of the March of Dimes.

The ‘Hard KORBELles’ team was one of four local groups originally brought together by Roth to compete in the Ragnar Cape Cod. The other three teams are: team ‘Merrellicious’ who took third in Women's Submasters; team ‘RocketballZ’; and team ‘Pirate Booty’, both finishing well in Men's Submasters and Mixed Submasters respectively.

The Hard KORBELles team members included team captains Diane Frazzetta and Heather Roy, along with Karen Kennedy, Jennifer Labriola, Heidi Ball, Laura Legg, Courtney Northrop, Annie Haines, Susanne Navas, Pamela Wilcox, Amy Conto, Shana Miller, Cathy Solsaa and Melissa Young. Solsaa and Young both suffered injuries prior to the race and were unable to run, but made the trip to support the team.

“To place first overall among all female teams is a huge accomplishment, as is surviving in a pair of vans for 24-hours,” said Hard KORBELles team captain Diane Frazzetta. “But the friendships that are formed and cemented through an event like the Ragnar Relay are the real prize. We had an absolute blast and can’t wait to bring the team back together for another one.”

The 24-hour Ragnar Relay has been called a slumber party without sleep, as teams travel the course in support vans, switching runners throughout the day and night.  The Ragnar Cape Cod attracted more than 360 teams from across the country.  The Hard KORBELles placed 28th overall.