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Smelko and Loper Win Rail Trail 10 Miler

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By Clay Shaw
Photos by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

8.23.25 Seven Valleys to York, PA—The York R0ad Runners Club has taken over stewardship of this mainstay event that started in 1999 when the same section of the Seven Valleys to York section officially opened.  ARC of York County, who directed and staged this event for many years, is still the beneficiary.

Your photographer, who rides the rail trail often did not expect a flat tire while photographing the race start.  No time to fix or to photograph the leaders in a few key spots along the way.  It was just ride any way to get back to our photo spot in the sun near York College.

Race winner Alexander Loper of Abingdon, MD was running fast and nearly caught me at Brillhart Station.  Loper, who won in 2023, had a huge winning margin, winning in 54:53.  Matt Wehrle of Halifax, PA was second in 58:21.  Luke Swomley of York was third in 58:41.  Eric Wolfgang of York was fourth and top master in 59:52. Jeff DeFrank of Mechanicsburg, also a master, was fifth in 1:00:16.

Jennifer Smelko of Wrightsville led the women in 1:11:04.  Laura Brenner of Mt. Wolf was second in 1:11:37. Hannah McCoy of York was third in 1:12:49.  Joanna Hayes of Dillsburg was fourth in 1:13:21.  Tara Borgna of Lancaster was fifth and top master in 1:14:52.

Billie Kay Melanson of York was the top seventy-year-old in 1:23:42; she was so fast that she beat all the 70-year-old men by 11 minutes.  With more runners, she was 17th this year with 1:23:42.  She ran nearly the same time in 2024 and was tenth.  The race grew by 44 finishers in 2025, from 215 to 259. 

Full Results

Top Women

  1.  1:11:04 Jennifer Smelko, 38, Wrightsville
  2. 1:11:37 Laura Brenner, 34, Mt Wolf
  3. 1:12:49 Hannah McCoy, 36, York
  4. 1:13:31 Joanna Hayes, 39, Dillsburg
  5. 1:14:52 Tara Borgna, 48, Lancaster
  6. 1:16:02 Raissa Moore, 40, Perryville, MD
  7. 1:16:05 Melinda Polk, 36, Bernville
  8. 1:16:07 Ashley Baechtle, 35, Dillsburg
  9. 1:16:07 Faith Zimmerman, 31, Conestoga
  10. 1:19″04 Emily Quan, 27, Lancaster

Top Men

  1.  54:53 Alexander Loper, 38, Abingdon, MD
  2. 58:21 Matt Wehrle, 26, Halifax
  3. 58:41 Luke Swomley, 32, York
  4. 59:52 Eric Wolfgang, 43, York
  5. 1:00:16 Jeff DeFrank, 40, Mechanicsburg
  6. 1:01:25 David Levy, 29, York
  7. 1:02:35 Xander Myers, 16, Dover
  8. 1:04:11 Adam Smelko, 39, Wrightsville
  9. 1:04:34 David Rizzuto, 59, York
  10. 1:04:46 Zak Kelly, 34, Willow Street
The start of the 2025 York Rail Trail 10 Miler taken from the bridge over 214 in Seven Valleys.
Alexander Loper of Abingdon, MD on his way to his second win at the York Rail Trail 10 Miler. Loper also won in 2023. In 2025 he won by over three minutes in 54:53.
Jennifer Smelko of Wrightsville was the women’s champion in 1:11:04.
Hannah McCoy #137 of York was third in 1:12:49. Joanna Hayes of Dillsburg was fourth in 1:13:31
Eric Wolfgang of York was fourth overall and top master in 59:52.
Tara Borgna of Lancaster was fifth overall and top master in 1:14:52.
David Levy of York was sixth in 1:01:25.
Adam Smelko of Wrightsville was eighth in 1:04:11.
Ned Einsig of New Cumberland ran 1:17:01. Melinda Polk of Bernville, PA was seventh woman, running 1:16:05.
Monea Abdul-Majeed of York was eleventh in 1:19:55.
Della Krodel of York has energy to jump on the final stretch of the York Rail Trail 10 Miler. Ann Jeric of White Hall, MD smiles with approval.
Billie Kay Melanson of York rocked the 10 miler in 1:23:42 and won her age group by so much, she beat all the men by eleven minutes. She went back after finishing, to run in with Jeffrey Bellomo of York, as he clocked in at 1:47:19.
Valley Elliehausen of Milwaukee, WI was 22nd in 1:25:29, as the race drew runners from many states including Wisconsin and Hawaii.
Gina Dodd of York ran 1:35:39.
Todd Rose of York is a 50Sub4 member (50 marathons with finish time less than for hours), with 39 states done and 11 to go.
Dan Reeves of Mechanicsburg is moving to Saratoga Springs, UT. He is one of the good guys often running with his ASA friends, pacing, and entering most every local race. Dan is a 50Sub4 finisher and a 7-continent marathoner.
Jennifer Fisler of Dillsburg ran 1:32:51.
ASA group cheerfully pushes the final mile of the York Rail Trail 10 Miler.
Chrystal Young of York says hey on her way to 1:33:13.
Kelli Linker of Spring Grove enjoys the York Rail Trail 10 Miler, finishing in 1:36:24.
Dave Hyson of York and Cortnie Amelotte of York are in the final mile of the York Rail Trail 10 Miler.
Mike Ball of York, another 50 state marathon finisher, runs 1:36:48 in prep for the Berlin Marathon.

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