World XC Champs 2013... so much snow.

How long until all the Americans drop out as a result?

Is this on the same course as the europeans? No hills.

I predict Cam Levins wins easily due to the snow. He is from Canada after all...

The East Africans are vulnerable now. Running in snow is difficult for 12k!!

Chris Derrick is very well versed in cold snowy races coming from the midwest. Upset?!?!

Ritz would have killed it.

Where would a non African winner of the world xc rank on a list of greatest upsets ever?

Ignoring the fact that 99.9% of the world wouldn't give a shit. We're talking the Cavs beating the Heat tonight x1000.

Buster Douglas levels of upsettyness.

Carlos Lopez, Portugeuse, 1985. Last non African.

Canada for the team win...

down go the africans! wrote:

The East Africans are vulnerable now. Running in snow is difficult for 12k!!

Chris Derrick is very well versed in cold snowy races coming from the midwest. Upset?!?!

CD trained in So Cal his entire collegiate career, a place where you rarely see snow. Same with Heath. This will get interesting.

////????//// wrote:

down go the africans! wrote:

The East Africans are vulnerable now. Running in snow is difficult for 12k!!

Chris Derrick is very well versed in cold snowy races coming from the midwest. Upset?!?!

CD trained in So Cal his entire collegiate career, a place where you rarely see snow. Same with Heath. This will get interesting.

That's quite a commute to Palo Alto.

Rand McNally wrote:

////????//// wrote:

CD trained in So Cal his entire collegiate career, a place where you rarely see snow. Same with Heath. This will get interesting.

That's quite a commute to Palo Alto.

Was thinking that, too. :)

If anyone noticed, most of Team USA is from northern states... I don't think that will be a problem.

Senior Men:

Chris Derrick - grew up in Illinois.

Elliot Heath - grew up in Minnesota

Ben True - grew up in Maine, trains in New Hampshire

Ryan Vail - Oregon (doesn't snow much in Portland, though)

Bobby Mack - North Carolina (see above)

James Strang - Went to college at and now lives in Colorado

4/6 well versed in cold and snow. They'll be fine.

Senior Women:

Kim Conley - Californian... might not be ready for this weather

Deena Kastor - Californian... see above

Emily Infield - grew up in Ohio, went to Georgetown...

Neeley Spence - from Pennsylvania, trains in Michigan...

Delilah DiCrescenzo - grew up in Illinois, trains in New York

Mattie Suver - don't remember where she's from, but she is currently based in Colorado and has coached in Washington...

Not as northern-heavy as the Men, but still plenty of folks used to cold weather.

Junior Women:

Emily Stites - grew up in Ohio, college in Virginia...

Erin Finn - high schooler from Michigan

Carrie Verdon - grew up in California, but goes to college in Colorado...

Katie Knight - high schooler from (Spokane) Washington

Samantha Nadel - grew up in New York

Sydney Scott - grew up in Colorado

Junior Men:

Craig Nowak - grew up in Texas, college in Oklahoma...

Malachy Schrobilgen - grew up in Illinois, goes to Wisconsin...

Matt McClintock - grew up in Maine, goes to Purdue

Darren Fahy - grew up in SoCal, goes to Georgetown...

Thomas Graham - grew up in North Carolina, goes to Stanford...

Andrew Gardner - high schooler from (Spokane) Washington

Junior Women have much more of a cold-weather pedigree, but half of the men are from northern states so they'll still be ok.

This weather isn't bad for team US, it's (mostly) good!

eldorad0 wrote:

Is this on the same course as the europeans? No hills.

There is one very steep, but short (about 100m) hill on the course.

The girlie Americans either didn't run cross at all (cough...Rupp) or dropped for the $$$ (cough...Ritz). I think everyone that got on the plane will run, snow or no snow. Except maybe Deliliah. She seems soft.

Neely says bring it on:

http://www.runnersworld.com/sites/default/files/rt/images/2-NeelySpence_XCchamp.jpg

Ben's going to get his skis out before the race:

http://a.images.blip.tv/RunningTimes-BenTrueOnMixingRunningAndCrossCountrySkiing394.jpg

Neely should be ready for the cold and snow that is for sure

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/249744-Workout-Wednesday-Season-7/video/701239-WOW-Neely-Spence-preps-for-World-XC-Champs

Ben True will be up there with Derrick. He is so talented. He trains alone. Think about how good he could be if he was in the Schumacher group as well.

i fight ?

down go the africans! wrote:

The East Africans are vulnerable now. Running in snow is difficult for 12k!!

Obviously, as evidenced by the way they got creamed running in the snow in Boston in '92.

Ryan Vail should also be used to the snow. It's snowed/iced quite a bit in Stillwater the last 5 years.

How high up could Derrick place? Top 10? Top 5??? Or is that crazy? I mean, he beat Ritz who just took a close third at NYC Half.