For Release: 10 February 2003 Contact: Paul Merca, Championships Media Relations Consultant 206/499-4329, telephone 206/725-3662, fax e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Connie Nordyke, Houston LOC, 713.807.9002 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tom Surber, USA Track & Field, 317/261-0500, extension 317 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] FACT SHEET 2003 USA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS WHEN: 15-16 February 2003. This is the fifth time that the national championships have been contested in February, as opposed to the previous traditional dates in late November/early December, in order to align with the international schedule (in most parts of the world, cross country is a late fall/winter sport). WHERE: Buffalo Bayou Park near downtown Houston HOSTED BY: Houston Harriers, and the Gulf Association/USA Track & Field SPONSORS: Southwest Bank of Texas and Academy Sports & Outdoors. THE TIME SCHEDULE: The schedule of events are as follows: SATURDAY 9:30 AM: 4k Community Race 10:30 AM: Masters Womens 6k Race 11:30 AM: Masters Men 6 km 12:15 PM: Jr. Women 6 km Championship 12:45 PM: Open Men 4 km Championship 1:15 PM: Sr. Womens 8k Championship 5:00 PM: Awards Presentation (@ Doubletree) SUNDAY 10 AM: Jr. Mens 8k Championship 10:45 AM: Sr. Womens 4k Championship 11:15 AM: Sr.Mens 12k championship 12:30 PM: Awards Ceremony WHO'S EXPECTED TO COMPETE: Many of Americaís top distance runners, including three of the six defending national champions (Deena Drossin, Meb Keflezighi, and junior champion Timothy Moore). As team titles are also at stake, many of the countryís top clubs are expected to send teams, led by last year's menís and women's national team champions adidas (m 4 & 12 k) and Nike (w 4 & 12 k). In addition, many of the country's top masters runners are vying for national titles at the USA Masters Cross Country Championships, competing over a six-kilometer course. Defending womenís champion Carmen Ayala-Troncoso from Austin, TX., is entered in this year's event. As of the early entry deadline of February 7th, close to 325 athletes have submitted entries for the championship races, and the community runs. Entries are being accepted for the championship races, with a $50 late entry fee up to 6 PM on Friday February 14th. Most of the team entries and rosters will be determined by 6 PM on Friday. WHAT'S AT STAKE: The top six finishers in each of the six races contested (senior menís 12 k, senior womenís 8 k, junior menís 8 k, junior womenís 6 k, senior menís short cross 4 k, senior womenís short cross 4 k) will earn berths on the United States national team that will compete at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships March 29-30th in Lausanne, Switzerland. Additionally, prize money will be awarded to the top finishers in each of the four senior-level races. MEET HISTORY: The USA National Cross Country Championships have been contested since 1890. The women began contesting for the national championships in 1964. Among the illustrious list of national champions include 1972 Olympic marathon gold medallist Frank Shorter; former American marathon record holder Alberto Salazar; Sports Illustrated writer Kenny Moore; eight-time winner Pat Porter; nine-time USA national champion, three time world cross country champion, & 1992 Olympic Games bronze medallist (10000 meters) Lynn Jennings; and, Doris Brown Heritage, who is the coach of this year's senior women's team. MEET HEADQUARTERS: The official hotel for the USA Cross Country Championships is the Doubletree Allen Center, 400 Dallas Street, in downtown Houston. The phone number is : 713-759-0202. Here are the directions from George Bush Intercontinental Airport: 1: Start out going West on TERMINAL RD N toward TERMINAL A BAGGAGE CLAIM. 0.12 miles 2: Turn LEFT onto AIRPORT EXIT. 0.09 miles 3: Turn LEFT onto TERMINAL RD S. 0.47 miles 4: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto JOHN F KENNEDY BLVD. 2.52 miles 5: Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto GREENS RD. 2.47 miles 6: Turn RIGHT onto EASTEX FRWY/US-59. 0.58 miles 7: Merge onto US-59 S via the ramp- on the left. 12.42 miles 8: Merge onto I-10 W/US-90 W toward SAN ANTONIO. 1.47 miles 9: Merge onto I-45 S/US-75 S via exit number 768B- on the left. 0.88 miles 10: Take the MC KINNEY ST exit- exit number 47C- on the left. 0.24 miles 11: Stay straight to go onto MCKINNEY ST. 0.03 miles 12: Turn RIGHT onto BAGBY ST. 0.12 miles 13: Turn LEFT onto DALLAS ST.
From Houston Intercontinental Airport:
1: Start out going East on GREENS RD toward RANKIN RD. 3.18 miles 2: Turn RIGHT onto EASTEX FRWY/US-59. 0.58 miles 3: Merge onto US-59 S via the ramp- on the left. 12.42 miles 4: Merge onto I-10 W/US-90 W toward SAN ANTONIO. 1.47 miles 5: Merge onto I-45 S/US-75 S via exit number 768B- on the left. 0.88 miles 6: Take the MC KINNEY ST exit- exit number 47C- on the left. 0.24 miles 7: Stay straight to go onto MCKINNEY ST. 0.03 miles 8: Turn RIGHT onto BAGBY ST. 0.12 miles 9: Turn LEFT onto DALLAS ST. THE BUFFALO BAYOU COURSE: All races will be contested at the legendary Buffalo Bayou course, an all-grass, European-style, 2-km loop course, styled similarly to the conditions that the athletes will face at the World Championships in Lausanne. THE LAST TIME HOUSTON HOSTED THE NATIONALS: Houston hosted the 1997 USA Women's Cross Country Team Trials on February 15, 1997 on the same Buffalo Bayou course. Nnnena Lynch won the senior women's trials, covering the 6-kilometer course in a time of 20:17, while Shannon Smith of Boston College won the junior women's 4-kilometer trials in 14:20. ADMISSION: Free GETTING TO BUFFALO BAYOU COURSE
From Hobby Airport, follow signs to Interstate 45 and
proceed north on I-45 toward downtown Houston. From Bush Intercontinental Airport, follow signs to Interstate 45 and proceed south on I-45 towards downtown Houston. The exit for Allen Parkway off of I-45 is adjacent to the west side of downtown. Proceed west on Allen Parkway for 1.5 miles. The course is along Buffalo Bayou near the intersection of Allen Parkway and Montrose.
From the Doubletree Allen Center (the host hotel), go
west on Lamar Street, which is one block north of the hotel. Lamar Street becomes Allen Parkway. Follow Allen Parkway for 1.5 miles. The course is along Buffalo Bayou near the intersection of Allen Parkway and Montrose. Directions courtesy mapquest.com. 2002 RESULTS (@ Vancouver, WA 9-10 February): Men (12 k): 1--Meb Keflezighi, Nike, 35:45; 2--Abdi Abdirahman, Nike 35:45; 3--Alan Culpepper, adidas, 35:51. Teams: adidas, 34; Nike Farm Team, 36; Hanson's Running Shop, 41. Women (8 k): 1--Deena Drossin, Asics, 26:31; 2--Colleen de Reuck, Nike, 26:46; 3--Elva Dryer, Nike, 26:51. Teams: Nike, 22; adidas, 25; Asics, 32 Men (4k) 1-Tim Broe, adidas, 11:26; 2-Jorge Torres, Univ. of Colorado, 11:27; 3-Tony Cosey, adidas, 11:28. Teams: adidas, 13; Nike, 30; Hanson's Running Shop, 61. Women (4k) 1-Regina Jacobs, Nike, 12:55; 2--Carrie Tollefson, adidas, 13:01; 3-Suzy Favor-Hamilton, Nike, 13:11. Teams: Nike, 10; Team Oregon, 34 Junior Men (8k) 1-Tim Moore, Novi HS (MI), 24:48; 2-Rod Kaborsi, Georgetown Univ., 24:55; 3-Billy Nelson, Taft Union HS (CA), 25:04. Teams-Willamette University, 19; Wings of America, 19. (Willamette wins on a tie-breaker) Junior Women (6k) 1-Maria Cicero, Boston College, 21:05; 2-Erika Odlaug, Deerfield HS (IL), 21:19; 3-Sara Bei, Stanford, 21:26. Teams-Wings of America, 10 KEY PERSONNEL & E-MAIL ADDRESSES: Championships Meet Director: Jon Warren, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Championships Media Relations Director: Connie Nordyke, [EMAIL PROTECTED] USA Track & Field President: Bill Roe [EMAIL PROTECTED] USA Track & Field Media Relations: Tom Surber (on site coordinator) [EMAIL PROTECTED] USA Track & Field Cross Country Council Chair: Anne Timmons [EMAIL PROTECTED] USA Track & Field Cross Country Council Championships Coordinator: Mike Scott [EMAIL PROTECTED] USA Cross Country Championships Media Relations Consultant: Paul Merca, [EMAIL PROTECTED] PHONE NUMBERS: Jon Warren: 713-348-6021 Connie Nordyke: 713.807.9002 Mike Scott: 401-848-5121 Paul Merca: 206-499-4329 USA Track & Field: 317-261-0500 Bill Roe: 360-734-8892 Anne Timmons: 406-542-0606 x105 WEB SITE: http://www.usatf.org/events/2003/USAXCChampionships/
