SACRAMENTO — Masters athletes are flocking to Sacramento for the second installment of the USATF Masters 10 Mile Championships hosted by the SACTOWN 10. Although it has been an unusually wet season in Northern California, the weather forecast is favorable -- cloudy skies with temperatures in the upper 40’s. National champions will be crowned in Overall, Age Division, Age Grading, and Team contests. Renee Metivier, a five-time competitor for Team USA at the World Cross Country Championships, headlines the Overall Women’s competition. She won the Masters race at the USATF Cross Country Championships in San Diego in January of 2022. Her chief competition comes from two newly-minted Masters runners, Katie Hynes and Jenny Kadavy. Kadavy and Hynes went one-two in the 35-39 division here last year, clocking 57:55 and 58:07. Jenny Hitchings Sacramento Racing Elite took third overall last year in 1:00:38; that time also broke her own W55 American Record at the distance. Although a win would be amazing, you can never count Hitchings out. Fernando Cabada’s open career included a win at the USATF 25km Championships hosted by the River Bank Run and sub 2:12 marathons at Berlin and Houston. Now a Masters runner, he surprised many with a 1:04:15 half marathon at Houston this January. He seems primed for a breakout win. The only runner entered at present who has a chance to stay with him is Malcolm Richards, who ran a 48:46 at this race last year, clocking the fastest time among all runners 35 and up. Top favorites for the overall age grade awards, which recognize the fastest runners for their age, include Hitchings, 59, and Stella Gibbs, 64, who went one-two last year. Fiona Bayly, 55, and Edie Stevenson, 73, who have been on multiple age grade podiums between them, will join the fray. Kris Clark, 60, who finished fourth at Atlanta in age grading may have to miss this event due to injury. For the men, Nat Larson, 60, and Gene Dykes, 74, who went one-two last year should contend again this year. If Cabada, 40, and/or Richards, 40, can come close to 49:00 or below, they could also factor in. Roger Sayre is always a threat for an age grade podium. American Record Watch: Hitchings is a threat to lower her W55 American Record set last year at 1:00:38. Larson, who broke the 5 km and 8 km records for M60 last November, is a definite threat for the American M60 10 Mile Record, currently held by Norm Green at 57:48. Age Division Championships will be contested as well. Cabada and Richards battle for 40-44 age division honors. The same is true for Metivier, Kadavy and Hynes in W40-44. Hitchings should be a lock for W55 but could get a strong challenge from Fiona Bayly. Larson should take M60 honors, although John Van Danacker will mount a strong challenge. Team Championships: The Impala Racing Team is going for a clean sweep of Women’s 40+ through Women’s 70+ and they may very well get it. The West Valley Track Club is the favorite in Men’s 40+, and in Men’s 50+; they need one more athlete to register. Otherwise, it appears to be a battle between Excelsior and the West Valley J & S. The Boulder Road Runners will battle the Atlanta Track Club for supremacy in Men’s 60+, and the Tamalpa Runners for supremacy in M70+. Submitted by Paul Carlin