Southeast’s Top High School Runners in Richmond for McDonald’s X-country Festival at Maymont
Posted Tuesday, 23 September, 2008
Richmond, VA – With the largest and most competitive high school field in its six-year history, the McDonald’s X-country Festival at Maymont, set for September 26-27, will once again be rated as the top meet in the Southeast.
“We have the highest level of competition in the Southeast region,” says event director Dan Ward.
Ward points out that the McDonald’s X-country Festival at Maymont, which has signed up over 386 teams from 128 schools, for a total of 3,099 runners, an all-time record, will have more Nike ranked and Nike-vote-receiving teams at the national, regional and state level than any other meet in the Southeast.
In the girls’ invitational division, three of the teams are currently ranked in the top 17 in the country. They include Collins Hill, GA (#10); Tatnall, DE (#14) and Midlothian, VA (#17). “Whoever wins the girls invitational division at the McDonald’s X-country Festival at Maymont I have no doubt they’ll be ranked in the top 10 in the U.S. off that performance,” adds Ward.
The list of ranked girls’ teams from the Southeast region is also impressive – Collins Hill #1, Tatnall #3, Midlothian #4, Oak Ridge, TN #6 and Blacksburg, VA #9 for five of the top 10.
The boys’ invitational division features two teams ranked in the top 25 in the country -- last year’s invitational division team winner Medina, OH (#13) and Green Hope, NC (#25).
The strong Southeast region boys’ field is reflected by the presence of Green Hope #3, Broughton NC #4, Jamestown, VA #5 and Atlee, VA #9 for four of the top 10.
Most of the top ranked teams and individual runners will compete in the invitational division. The girls’ invitational division race will start at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, September 27th, followed by the boys’ invitational division race at 11:00 a.m.
Entries for the open events at the McDonald’s X-country Festival at Maymont that precede the high school events are also strong, reflecting their growing popularity in Richmond’s running community. The open 5k, which takes place on Friday evening, offers citizens a chance to don their cross country spikes and race the same course as Saturday’s high schoolers. Friday evening is also when the elementary school kids’ one mile runs are held. Saturday morning starts off with the open half marathon, a 13.1-mile half road, half trail adventure that incorporates much of the city’s best running tracks and trails. That is followed soon after by the open middle school kids’ 3k runs.
Walk-up registration will take place on Friday, September 26th from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Maymont. There is no walk-up registration on Saturday, September 27th.
In addition to the spectacle of so many high school cross country races, the McDonald’s X-country Festival at Maymont features at festival atmosphere of music, food, vendor exhibits and an appearance by Ronald McDonald. “This event is growing because the whole festival is so good,” says Ward. “We want spectators and everyone to have a good time. All points of the course are accessible for spectators and they make the most of it.”
For more information go to www.sportsbackers.org
Facebook 
Twitter
i