by Rick Hill, Meet Director

The second running of the Great American Cross Country Festival will be held from Thursday, September 21 through Saturday, September 23, 2000, in Charlotte, North Carolina. A total of 15 races are conducted over the historic McAlpine Greenway course, ranging from an Elementary School 1 mile mud run, to collegiate and Open Adult races. The highlight of the Festival is the nation's premiere high school team race, the Race of Champions.

Leading running experts referred to the 1999 event as "magical, a momentous day for running, and the most significant day in high school cross-country history."

The 2000 festival will feature teams from every region of the country, with the majority of the top 25 nationally ranked teams in attendance. In total, 340 teams, from 35 states, representing close to 3000 runners, will compete in this year's festival.

Special events include a free community run on Thursday evening, a pasta dinner in the park on Friday evening, marching bands, a DJ, a Southern sunrise celebration on Saturday morning, coaching clinics, the athletes' congress of the 21st century, autograph sessions with former world class runners, a dinner dance on Saturday evening, and the mud run. 

New to 2000 will be night races under the lights, College and University Divisions and a made for TV mud run.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

E-mail to [email protected]

GREAT AMERICAN CROSS-COUNTRY FESTIVAL