Steve Taylor, USATF to Host National Cross Country Championships at Pole Green Park
01/05/2023 | Cross Country
Richmond, Va. – The 2023 USA Track & Field National Cross Country Championships will be held at Pole Green Park Saturday, Jan. 21. The nation's top distance runners will travel to the Richmond area to chase a spot on team USA for the World Athletics Championships held a few weeks later in Bathurst, Australia. Director of Championships/President/Co-Founder of the Collegiate Running Association and Richmond Spiders Head Men's Cross Country Coach Steve Taylor has been pivotal in the organizing of the event.
"We couldn't be more excited to see a concept to bring the U.S. Cross Country Championships to the Richmond region and the state of Virginia for the first time in history, turn into reality," said Taylor. "The commonwealth is a hub for top high school cross country and track and field and we're thrilled our nation's best and brightest distance running stars and Olympians will be coming to the Richmond region for the 2023 U.S. Championships."
The 2023 USA Track & Field Cross Country Championships will take place on Jan. 21 at Pole Green Park. Organized by USA Track & Field Virginia in conjunction with Taylor and the Collegiate Running Association, each championship race will feature athletes who will be competing for national titles, world championship qualifications and $45,000 in prize money.
The Richmond Cross Country Festival will feature six USA Track & Field national championship events, including: the U20 Women's 6K Championship Race (under 20 years of age), U20 Men's 8K Championship Race (under 20 years of age), Senior Women's 10K Championship Race (open runners 20-39 years of age), Senior Men's 10K Championship Race (open runners 20-39 years of age), Master's Women's 8K Championship Race (runners 40+ years of age) and Master's Men's 8K Championship Race (runners 40+ years of age). The top six U20 and senior men and women finishers will automatically qualify for team USA.
Runners will be competing for a spot on the U.S. team for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships to be held in Bathurst, Australia on February 18, 2023. The top six men and women in their respective races (Senior or U20) will earn a spot on team USA.
The events will also include the U.S. Armed Forces National Championships, as well as a citizen's race that will be open to the community.
"The Virginia Association of USATF is very proud to have been awarded the U.S. Cross Country Championships for 2023 and 2024," said Ray Funkhouser, USA Track & Field Virginia Association President.
"This will bring the very best cross country runners in the United States to Virginia, as they look to earn a spot on the Team that will represent the United States in the World Championships. This is a wonderful opportunity for Virginians and especially young runners to come out and see the very best in the country compete on a course that is very spectator friendly. This event will be an excellent time for many businesses to become involved with this national event and join with us and our partners."
Richmond Region Tourism, the USATF Virginia Association, Collegiate Running Association and Hanover County all worked hard to bring the event to the region.
"The Pole Green Park cross country course is one of the best in the eastern U.S.; it's a remarkable facility and a great location. There's simply no better place for these championships to be held. We'll incorporate many of the things we learned from other championships events and add our own ideas in order to provide the best experience for runners, fans and Central Virginians alike. This shows the Richmond region has become a destination for endurance events," said Taylor.
Richmond's home course, Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville is the site of the annual Spider Alumni Open and has hosted six Atlantic 10 Championships including the most recent this past October.
Previous U.S. Cross Country Championships have been held San Diego, Calif. Tallahassee, Fla. Bend, Ore. and Boulder, Colo.
"We're honored and thrilled to welcome the USA Track & Field Cross Country National Championships to the region," said Jerrine Lee, Vice President of Sales at Richmond Region Tourism. "This will be a dynamic and historic event for our community as the country's best cross country athletes race throughout the 232-acre Pole Green Park."
The Richmond Cross Country Festival will also host the 2024 USATF National Cross Country Championships next January. In 2024 athletes will be competing for a spot on the U.S. team for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships to be held in Medulin and Pula in Croatia in February, 2024.
"We are tremendously excited to be the host site of the USA Track & Field Cross Country National Championships in 2023 and 2024," John A. Budesky, Hanover County Administrator. "Pole Green Park will be the ideal location for these events and all of our guests will find that Hanover County is a wonderfully accommodating location with our many dining, entertainment and historic attractions. We will look forward to welcoming them."
For more information about the USA Track & Field Cross Country National Championships, visit https://www.usatf.org and https://www.virginia.usatf.org/RichmondXCFestival.