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For Immediate
Release
Tuesday September 6,
2007
Contact: Dave Watt (301-913-9517, ext. 13)
dave@americanrunning.org
XC BORDER WAR 2:
Team Maryland set to defend unique high school
cross country battle
Bethesda, MD— The battle
cry, “This is cross country heaven” was heard loud and clear by the
organizers of last fall’s inaugural Battle of the Potomac Cross Country
(XC) Championship. Thanks to the generous support of Nike, the
American Running Association is reprising the XC meet that brought more
than bragging rights to one state, in this case Maryland. The
5K cross country races was a new form of both competition and camaraderie
for in-season foes and cross state rivals. The new regional
post-season cross country meet coined a tag line that has stuck: XC
BORDER WAR. High School runners referred to MD vs. VA “Border War”,
so the descriptor fit. The Battle of the Potomac “Border War” meet
brought together in-season rivals on a new state team. It was
Team Virginia and Team Maryland fighting it out on the cross country
battlefield. Smokey Glen Farm and its rolling hills and groomed
landscape were an ideal site.
Last year’s male and
female winners were undergraduates and are both back on their respective
cross country teams: Nick Bax of St Albans (DC but resides in
Maryland) and Kristen Malloy of Hereford HS in Baltimore County
MD. In last year’s competition for the Battle of the Potomac
Cup, Team Maryland prevailed. Depth and speed was on their
side that November sunny day.
New in 2007 is a
2.5K race for the middle school runners. It will be an “open”
race for both boys and girls from Maryland and Virginia. The
XC BORDER WAR staff will score the race for individuals. Because
Virginia and Maryland public schools do not have uniform middle school
programs, if at all, team scoring will not take place. “Adding
a race for middle schoolers fits perfectly with our organization’s
mission, commented Dave Watt, Executive Director of the Bethesda, MD -
based American Running Association (ARA). “We see the Battle
of the Potomac XC Championship Meet as a perfect event to entice more kids
into running.
Here are the tentative criteria* for
selection and invitation to run on either boys or girls elite Team
Maryland or Team Virginia (applies for both boys and girls). The
Battle of the Potomac staff will invite top runners who fit these criteria
and desire to
compete:
· Top 15-20
finishers in AAA (VA) State meet; Top 10-15 finishers 4A IMD),
· Top 10 finishers in
AA (VA) State meet; Top 10 finishers in 3A
(MD),
· Top 5 finishers
in A (VA) State meet; Top 5 in A and AA State meet
(MD)
· Top private
school state finishers (1-10 depending on in-season head-to-head
matchups
*Remaining slots to achieve 45 runners per gender per state will come
from:
>Top 3 teams in state meets;
>Runners who did not qualify out of Regional meets but had outstanding
regular
season
performances
>Nominated runners
*The ARA and Battle XC staff reserves
the right to issue invitations to runners who have had outstanding fall
cross country seasons but may not meet final race selection
criteria.
The elite races will pit the top or best 45 boys and girls from each state
or commonwealth in the double loop 5K course. In addition to
the two elite races, the XC BORDER WAR 2: MD vs. VA will host two
OPEN 5K races for other varsity and JV runners. Any runner can
sign up or register. If a boy or girl is selected for the Elite
race, the Battle XC staff will reimburse that runner his or her
registration fee. OPEN Races will have a fee of $20 per runner or $120 for
a team of 7 runners (discount of one runner for free).
The XC BORDER WAR 2 amenities make this one
special cross country battle. Each elite runner will receive a
Nike singlet in team colors, a free post-race barbecue chicken
dinner. Open race participants will receive a team shirt and the
barbecue chicken dinner all for the $20 entry fee. High school
teams can save by signing up as a team. Check the event
website, www.battlexc.com for registration information.
Race
details: Champion Chip timing for all runners. The course is a
double loop 5K. There is one significant hills and the terrain
is mostly cut grass. Runners may wear spikes. All
registered runners must wear the Battle of the Potomac singlet for each
team.
Nike is the proud presenting sponsor for
the XC BORDER WAR 2: Battle of the Potomac. “Running is
at the core of Nike and their support for high school running is
unparallel in the running shoe and apparel industry”, said Watt. Go
to www.nikerunning.oom for more information on their national running
programs for high school boys and girls. ARA is proud to team
with Nike and will be serving as a final tune-up for XC teams that will
attempt to qualify at the Nike Team Nationals Regional meets one week
after the XC BORDER WAR 2 meet.
Online registration will be
available at the Battle of the Potomac website: www.battlexc.com
The American Running Association is a nonprofit organization founded in
1968 to promote healthy living and active lifestyles among all Americans.
It is dedicated to supporting runners through education and specialized
programs, as well as encouraging all individuals from youths to adults to
run and be fit. For more information about the ARA or to learn more
about the Walk and Run programs, visit www.americanrunning.org.
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