Nike Cross Nationals canceled due to COVID-19
The U.S. high school championship will be replaced by nine regional finals this year
Each year, the Nike Cross Nationals is the highlight of the U.S. high school cross country season, but for the second year in a row, it is being called off due to COVID-19. Unlike last year, when there was little to no racing for high school athletes, this year’s event is being replaced by a series of regional finals held n various locations across the country.
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The nine regional meets will be held in Boise, Idaho; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Terre Haute, Indiana; Tempe, Arizona; The Woodlands, Texas; Cary, North Carolina; two meets in Wappingers Falls, New York and, new to this year, there will be a meet held in California.
While student-athletes will no doubt miss the excitement of the NXN finals in Portland, this is a far better scenario than last year, when competitions were almost non-existent for high school students, and coaches resorted to hosting track meets in underground parking garages. According to the NXN website, all regional meets will follow the latest CDC and local government COVID-19 guidelines, and updates will be made as the situation in each region changes.