San Diego Hosting US Cross for First Time Since Frank Shorter in 1971 Press Release
SAN DIEGO, California, Feb. 5, 2008 San Diego will get a preview of
the 2008 Beijing Olympics as it hosts its first USA Cross Country
Championships since 1971, when the top long distance runners in America
square off at Mission Bay Park on February 16.
Past and future Olympians will be on the starting line, marking the
first time San Diego has hosted the national championship since Frank
Shorter tuned up for a run into Olympic Marathon history at the 1972
Munich Olympics by winning his third consecutive national cross country
title here in 1971.
The 2008 USA Cross Country Championships are scheduled on a grassy,
spectator-friendly, two-kilometer loop at Mission Bay Park. A series of
seven races is planned, culminating with the 8K Open Womens
Championship, followed by the 12K Open Mens Championship.
"We are very much looking forward to hosting the 2008 USA Cross Country
Championships, said sub-four-minute miler Paul Greer, who, along with
former American indoor high school mile record holder, and 1977 IAAF
world junior cross country champion Thom Hunt, is the co-meet director.
This meet also serves as the trials for the IAAF World Cross Country
Championships scheduled to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland on March
30th, said Greer. San Diego is used to hosting big events, including
the Carlsbad 5000 and Rock n Roll Marathon, but we do understand this
meet carries greater magnitude and importance for every athlete, coach
and spectator who plan on attending in 2008. Hosting these
Championships is truly an honor and privilege."
Athletes who qualify in the Junior Womens, Junior Mens, Senior
Womens and Senior Mens races at San Diego are eligible to compete at
the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Scotland on March 30.
That alone would attract a top-flight field to San Diego. However, the
chance to win a national title in an Olympic year is helping attract a
stellar field, said Hunt.
We will be releasing names of our committed runners in the coming
weeks, said Hunt. For now, were thrilled to have what is shaping up
as the cream of Americas promising womens and mens distance running
corps coming to Mission Bay.
Included in the field may well be some of the top high school runners
in the country, many of whom competed in San Diego in Decembers Foot
Locker National Cross Country Championship. They will run in the 6K
Junior Womens and 8K Junior Mens races.
The day of racing will begin with the Road Runner Sports Community 4K
at 9 a.m., which is open to the public. The rest of the schedule is:
9:45 a.m. Masters Women's 8 km
10:45 Masters Men's 8 km
11:45 Junior Women's 6 km
12:30 p.m. Junior Men's 8 km
1:15 Open Women's 8 km
2:00 Open Men's 12 km