Orlando set to host NACAC Cross Country Championships

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By Jim Estes, USATF
Posted Friday, 29 February, 2008

ORLANDO - A field of more than 100 athletes representing six national federations will compete this Saturday, March 1, at the fourth annual North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Cross Country Championships at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, Fla.

The NACAC Championships will contest races for the open men's 8 km, open women's 6 km, junior men's 6 km and junior women's 4 km.

Consisting of many of the country's top emerging-elite athletes, the Team USA squads feature four athletes who will be competing at the 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships to be held in Edinburgh, UK, on March 30.

Leading Team USA in the junior women's 4 km will be Emily Reese (Dunwoody, Ga.), third at the recent USA Cross Country Championships in San Diego and member of the Team USA squad for Edinburgh. Joining Reese will be Jacqueline Taylor (Petaluma, Calif.), Katja Goldring (Beverly Hills, Calif.) and Emilie Amaro (Cooper City, Fla.).

The men's junior team will be led by USA Junior Cross Country runner-up Ryan Sheridan (Melville, N.Y.), Kevin Williams (Lakewood, Colo.), Benjamin Johnson (Albuquerque, N.M.) who will also represent the U.S. at Edinburgh. Brendan Gregg (Davis, Calif.) will round out the junior men's team for NACAC.

The men's team for the open 8 km event includes Thomas Morgan (Blowing Rock, N.C.), Josh Simpson (Morgantown, W.V.), Benjamin Bruce (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) and Travis Laird (Valley Center, Calif.)

The open women's 6 km squad will be Kathleen Trotter (Palo Alto, Calif.), Tera Moody (Boulder, Colo.), Serena Burla (Columbia, Mo.), and Erin Dromgoole (Brighton, Mass.)

In addition to the American hosts, teams from Canada, the Jamaica, Mexico, and Puerto Rico will be competing for team titles at the 2008 NACAC Championships.
Event Time Schedule-Saturday, March 1, 2008

The NACAC Cross Country Championships begin at 8:30 a.m. with the Junior Women's 4 km race, followed by the Junior Men's 6 km at 9:00 a.m., the Senior Women's 6 km race at 9:45 a.m. and concluding with the Senior Men's 8 km at 10:30 a.m.

For more information on the NACAC Cross Country Championships visit www.usatf.org.

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