RVR inagural USATF XC Club Championships

This past weekend, Rogue Valley Runners fielded it's first open women's team for the 2011 USATF Club XC Championships.

The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships featured top clubs from across the United States, More than 100 clubs and 1,100 competitors vied for honor and bragging rights at Jefferson Park Golf Course in the Emerald City, Seattle. 

Mercy and Bree Ray, Tara Crempley, Maggie Donovan, Victoria Mayfield and Jenn Shelton ran the 6km grass course finishing just outside the leaders but closer to the port o potties.  In all seriousness, the team traveled some 500 miles to compete in one of the most competitive open fields in the country and represented the valley proper.  

Mercy hangs tough with a, perennial favorite, Club Northwest runner

Tara Crempley placed second for the team with a fast 23:08

A few gentlemen also represented Southern Oregon, Bob Julian Jr and Matt Thomas ran for prestigious, Bowerman Athletic Club in the Master's Men category and in Matt's words,

"My club, Bowerman Athletic Club, ran A and B teams. Our A team finished fourth, missing 3rd by 1 point. Had they tied for 3rd they would have won the tie breaker. In fact if you scored six deep or seven deep or eight deep BAC would have finished 2nd place. Our B team, for which I ran in the fourth position, finished 10th overall out of 21 teams which shows the depth of the BAC mend 40+ team."

Matt charges to a 36:43 on the 10k course!

The Coach in action.

Full results can be found here.