National High School Trail Champs A Go

The 2020 edition of the National High School Trail Championships (NHSTC) looks to be a go - for now!

Race director Kenny Wilcox has been working closely with Chaffee County Public Health and Salida Recreation to insure the safety of the event, which is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, at 7:20 a.m.

Currently, staggered starts are planned in order to spread competitors out.

Last year the event had 126 competitors in one of the deepest fields in the race's history. Additionally, there were two course records. Tyman Smart claimed the boy's race in 32:50, while Joslin Blair downed a stacked girl's field in 38:53.

Fun Facts

    - Of the combined 79 competitors in the boys and girls championship races, 86% had or went on to run in at least one state championship in track or cross country.

      - In September 2019, the U20 selections for the Junior Mountain Running Team were announced. Five of the eight selections competed in the NHSTC.

        - Similarly, in the U18 category, four out of the six selections that represented team USA at the International Mountain Running Cup in Italy, August 2019, had also competed at the NHSTC.

          - The citizens' race was also very intriguing in 2019 and included several current and former collegiate athletes. Taylor Stackthe overall champion, finished third in the DII XC Championships. Taryn Ceglowski, won the womens' section of the citizen's race and was less than a second behind Joslin Blair, the girl's championship winner.