Photo by John Herzog
By Mike McCormick
With one of the strongest high school cross country fields in the Southeast region year in and year out, the McDonald’s X-country Festival at Maymont will once again deliver a top-notch event to its top-notch competitors this weekend in Richmond.
“I would say it was stronger than last year,” says event director Dan Ward. “And last year it was one of the top meets in the Southeast. We have schools from 10 states and the District of Columbia. They’re coming from as far south as Georgia, as far north as New York and as far west as Colorado.”
Ward points out that the McDonald’s X-country Festival at Maymont, which has signed up 125 teams with over 2,865 runners, an all-time record, will have more Nike ranked and bubble 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.
Regionally for the Southeast, the girls rankings are also impressive – Collins Hill #1, Tatnall #3, Midlothian #4, Oak Ridge, TN #6 and Blacksburg, VA #9
Cardinal Gibbons High School cross country coach Benny Morgan will have high hopes as he packs his kids up for the four-hour ride from Raleigh, North Carolina. “It’s going to be more competitive than Great American,” said Morgan, referring to the Great American X-country Festival which will be run in Hoover, Alabama in October. “I think it will be one of the better meets in the Southeast region.”
Photo by John Herzog
The boys’ invitational division features two teams ranked in the top 25 in the country -- last year’s invitational division winner Medina, OH (#13) and Green Hope, NC (#25).
The strong regional boys’ field is reflected by the presence of -- Green Hope #3, Broughton NC #4, Jamestown, VA #5 and Atlee, VA #9.
“There are a lot of good teams,” said Louisa High (VA) coach Jerry Cutright. “And it’s a great place to get that competition level. The McDonald’s X-country Festival at Maymont proves to be one of the best of the year.”
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.
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 Maymont course are accessible for spectators and they make the most of it.”
