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Nike Press Release - Nike BorderClash 3Published by
The Top 40 Boys and 40 Girls from Each State Battle November 11th at Beaverton, Oregon - November 2, 2001 - In it's third year in the running, the Nike BorderClash takes place Sunday, November 11th at Nike's World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Last year Washington took home the title to tie Oregon at one BorderClash victory apiece. This year, the winner breaks the tie and has Northwest bragging rights. A scholastic cross-country showdown, the event features the elite high school runners from Oregon and Washington in a dual meet format. Forty girls and forty boys from each state, who were fierce competitors during the race season, have been selected to rally as one team under their respective state's flag. The runners will race along a 4.2KM course, through Nike's Campus, to determine which state truly rules the border. "Nike knows that the future of distance running is dependant on the young runners. We support cross-country events all season and have gotten to know these athletes. They've really enjoyed this event for the past two years," The selection process for the teams was based on the student athletes' finishes at their respective State Cross Country Championship meets on November 3rd. The top finishers from each athletic class (the number of runners varies for each class) are invited to participate in this unique event. Boys favorites include: The Nike BorderClash will feature two separate races, one for the girls and one for the boys. The girls and boys will then combine their scores to determine which state is crowned the "Champion of the Border." "This event is about supporting the sport at all levels," said Josh Rowe, a Nike Running Manager and co-director of the event. " We want to inspire and excite kids in both states about running. One of the greatest things about the BorderClash is that we are creating an exciting post-season, inter-state event in a sport that is not typically in the spotlight." Along with an overall grand trophy to the champion State, trophies will be awarded to the All-Bowerman Team, the top 10 finishers in each gender. The championship trophy will reside in either the Niketown Portland or Niketown In addition to the incentive to win BorderClash for the race participants, the runners' high school classmates will be competing for a visit from Olympic superstar Marion Jones later this year. The high school with the most student spectators at the race will win a personal visit from the only female track star to ever win 5 medals in a single Olympics. Students simply register with their student ID at BorderClash. All registered spectators from the winning school will receive an autographed picture of Marion Jones, in addition to the school visit. BorderClash III will be televised on Action Sports Cable Network as part of their "Prep Zone" series. ASCN is a regional sports network owned and operated by the Portland Trail Blazers. In addition to broadcasting 29 Blazer cable games, ASCN also airs Seahawks preseason and Portland Fire games. ASCN is affiliated with ESPN and ESPNews. Nike, Inc., headquartered in Beaverton, OR, is the world's leading sports and fitness company. Founded in 1972 as a running company, Nike has remained committed to helping all runners achieve their personal best through More news |