When you say "inaugural" Kinney Champs, are you talking about the 1979 race? Or the first race on the current course which was 1983?
I meant the 1979 one.
Any chance you have a map of the 1979 course?
I know the 1979 race wasn't at Morley Field where it's been since 1983. The 1979 race apparently was somewhere over on the western side of the park, but I've never seen of map of where it was.
old guy here ... I remember back in the day when hot shots Reuben Reina ('85) and Marc Davis ('86) won - each with smokin times that would rival today's top dawgs:
It was actually the first time a national champion in any sport was crowned and deserved. They were the best of the best and no other sport could claim that at that time. Until Nike added their meet, Footlocker was the only show in town! The best athletes went to Footlocker or better known as Kinney!
Great example. So exciting to see three former champions face each other, especially after they were the top 3 the year before!
Jordan Hasay and Kathy Kroeger are part of a select group of runners who qualified all four years of high school. After winning as a freshman, Hasay finished 10th, then 3rd, and then won a second time. Kroeger finished 16th as a freshman, then 1st, 2nd, and 6th.
Other four-year qualifiers I can think of:
Marie (Mel) Lawrence - 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 5th
Jorge Torres - 13th, 5th, 2nd, 1st
Any others?
Did Katelyn Kaltenbach qualify four years? I can’t remember if she did her freshman year but I feel like did.
Mel Lawrence is iconic tho. Didn’t she get second all four years? Yes I’m aware I can google I’m just lazy right now lol.
Did Katelyn Kaltenbach qualify four years? I can’t remember if she did her freshman year but I feel like did.
Mel Lawrence is iconic tho. Didn’t she get second all four years? Yes I’m aware I can google I’m just lazy right now lol.
Good guess on Katelyn Kaltenbach, but I don't see her name in the results for what would have been her freshman year. There were, however, five consecutive years in which a Kaltenbach sister qualified. Megan made it three years in a row from 2000 to 2002, and Katelyn made it from 2002 to 2004.
Lawrence finished 2nd her first three years, but then finished 5th as a senior behind Kathy Kroeger, Aurora Scott, Emily Sisson, and Kaitie Vanatta.
Speaking of Aurora Scott, she's another runner who qualified all four years. She finished 26th as a freshman, then 9th, 2nd, and 7th.
Looking at those early 2000s results, I was reminded of another four-year qualifier: Nicole Blood from Saratoga HS. She finished 9th as a freshman, then 7th, 21st, and 28th.
Updated list of four-year qualifiers:
Girls - Nicole Blood, Jordan Hasay, Kathy Kroeger, Marie/Mel Lawrence, Aurora Scott
Good guess on Katelyn Kaltenbach, but I don't see her name in the results for what would have been her freshman year. There were, however, five consecutive years in which a Kaltenbach sister qualified. Megan made it three years in a row from 2000 to 2002, and Katelyn made it from 2002 to 2004.
Lawrence finished 2nd her first three years, but then finished 5th as a senior behind Kathy Kroeger, Aurora Scott, Emily Sisson, and Kaitie Vanatta.
Speaking of Aurora Scott, she's another runner who qualified all four years. She finished 26th as a freshman, then 9th, 2nd, and 7th.
Looking at those early 2000s results, I was reminded of another four-year qualifier: Nicole Blood from Saratoga HS. She finished 9th as a freshman, then 7th, 21st, and 28th.
Updated list of four-year qualifiers:
Girls - Nicole Blood, Jordan Hasay, Kathy Kroeger, Marie/Mel Lawrence, Aurora Scott
Boys - Jorge Torres, ???
Oh how could I forget about Nicole blood! Good call out. Those were some seriously good years of Foot Locker!
Hasay running down brasovan in 2008 to bookend her career with footlocker titles in a race that featured the previous 3 champs
Great example. So exciting to see three former champions face each other, especially after they were the top 3 the year before!
Jordan Hasay and Kathy Kroeger are part of a select group of runners who qualified all four years of high school. After winning as a freshman, Hasay finished 10th, then 3rd, and then won a second time. Kroeger finished 16th as a freshman, then 1st, 2nd, and 6th.
Other four-year qualifiers I can think of:
Marie (Mel) Lawrence - 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 5th
Jorge Torres - 13th, 5th, 2nd, 1st
Any others?
Doesn't hit quite the same since the field was starting to get watered down by NXN already but Graydon Morris qualified 4x between 2016-19. 34th, 2nd, 3rd, 4th
Doesn't hit quite the same since the field was starting to get watered down by NXN already but Graydon Morris qualified 4x between 2016-19. 34th, 2nd, 3rd, 4th
Thank you! I think it's still worthy of recognition. I just glanced at the results for those years. Morris finished behind and ahead of some big names.
2016: The field included Reed Brown (winner), Dylan Jacobs, and Luis Grijalva. Morris beat Charles Hicks
2017: Race won by Dylan Jacobs; Morris beat Drew Bosley and Devin Hart
2018: Race won by Cole Hocker; Morris beat Bosley and Hart again, also finished ahead of Liam Murphy and Josh Methner
2019: Race won by Methner; Morris beat Murphy again plus Bob Liking and 11th grade versions of Parker Wolfe and Ethan Strand
First experience w baby fat Bob Kennedy. To this day never seen someone glide on xc with body that looked built to relief pitch.
Kennedy spikes that came out in Colorado and Michigan colors when ritz and Webb when there respectively…….niiiiiiice work by Swoosh
I attended/worked the meet from 84-94.
I don't remember Bob Kennedy being heavy. I spoke with him probably 2 minutes after the finish in both 86 and 87 while the top finishers were still in the corral afterwards. What I do remember is him being the nicest most humble runner I ever met at Foot Locker. My ex-coach (who ran professionally, been on National championship teams, and trained with Olympians) remarked about the same thing at the time.
Lots of people have talent, Bob had his head on straight at 16-17. I was never surprised he had the career he did. Great guy.