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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
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