Gonzaga and Washington check out the Nuttycombe course before Friday's big showdown...
MADISON, Wisconsin--The number 23 ranked Gonzaga Bulldog men's team (Paul Merca photo), along with both University of Washington cross country squads were on the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in advance of Friday's Nuttycombe Invitational, hosted by the University of Wisconsin.
In anticipation of tomorrow's weather forecast, which includes the potential for heavy rainfall with winds from the east at 15 to 25 miles per hour, many of the teams ran strides on the flat part of the course with slightly longer spikes.
Both races have an even split of ranked teams: 22 in the Women’s 6k Championship at 11 am local time (9:00 am Pacific); 22 in the Men’s 8k Championship at 11:40 am local time (9:40 am Pacific)
Please note that race times for both the championship events were flipped with their open counterparts due to weather concerns.
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| Sophie O'Sullivan (R) & UW women's team on the course (Paul Merca photo) |
In addition to Washington and Gonzaga, both NCAA steeplechase champions Kenneth Rooks of Walla Walla and BYU, along with Olivia Markezich of Woodinville and Notre Dame, are here along with their teams.
The BYU men come into the Nuttycombe ranked number 3 in the country, while Notre Dame is currently ranked number 4 going into the weekend.
Short of the actual NCAA championship meet next month in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Nuttycombe Invitational is as close to the intensity that athletes will feel when they toe the line with a national championship on the line.
With the Pac-12 championships looming in two weeks at Chambers Creek, the Huskies will see Stanford, Colorado, and Oregon State. Gonzaga will see from the West Coast Conference the University of Portland.
Media partner RunnerSpace.com ($) will have live streaming of the Nuttycombe Invitational.
NOTE: The USTFCCCA and the University of Wisconsin contributed to this report.
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