2022 Collegiate Snowshoe National Championships Announced
Colorado Cup Snowshoe Race will host the 2022 Collegiate Snowshoe National Championship and the Youth Snowshoe National Championship
December 23, 2021 – Richmond, Va. – The Collegiate Running Association (CRA) is pleased to build upon existing partnerships with the United States Snowshoe Association (USSSA) and the American Trail Running Association (ATRA) to endorse the 2nd Collegiate Snowshoe National Championship. With an interruption by COVID in 2021 this will mark the second year for the Collegiate Snowshoe National Championships.
The 2022 Colorado Cup Snowshoe Race at Colorado Mountain College (Leadville, Colorado) will host the Collegiate Snowshoe National Championship and the National Youth Snowshoe Racing Championship on January 29th. Racers from across the nation will ascend to Colorado Mountain College Leadville to compete in a 5km championship or open 10km event. Competitors that are in high school or college are eligible to compete for individual and team championships in the 5km distance. The annual Colorado Cup Snowshoe 10km race will also take place concurrently.
“The Collegiate Running Association is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles to college students through running,” said Steve Taylor, Collegiate Running Association Co-Founder. “The expansion of the U.S. Snowshoe Championships to include a collegiate championship in 2020 provided an opportunity for students to compete for a national snowshoe championship for the first time in history. We are excited to be back in 2022 and about the growth as we continue our ardent support of all running events. This competition opens trails during the winter months to a broader group - in some cases, college students who have never participated in a snowshoe event. There are locations across the nation where snowshoes are required if you want to enjoy trails during the winter months and it makes perfect sense to offer a snowshoe championship for those who want to enjoy the trails when covered in heavy snow. It’s exciting to watch this discipline grow.”
The race course will feature spectacular trails for novice and experienced snowshoe racers alike. Fly through the woods all while racing in the shadows of Colorado’s highest peaks, and follow in the footsteps of past championship racers from the storied snowshoe racing venue of Colorado Mountain College Leadville.
“The American Trail Running Association has been a long-time supporter of the CRA’s mission to bring more mountain and trail running opportunities to collegiate runners,” said Richard Bolt, ATRA Managing Director. “With so much crossover between the trail and snowshoe communities, it’s only natural for ATRA to help promote the CRA’s newest championship. We can’t wait to see all the snowshoe racing action in Leadville next month.”
The event is open to the public and will offer events for everyone, of all ages and abilities. Collegiate male and female athletes will compete in a 5km snowshoe race. The Collegiate Snowshoe National Championships will feature a national collegiate division in the 5km with individual and team awards presented within the collegiate division. The top collegiate finisher in the men’s and women’s 5km will be declared the 2022 Collegiate Snowshoe National Champions and the top 5 will earn All-America honors.
This event will not only crown national champions in the collegiate and youth divisions, the top 5 overall U20 finishers will comprise the USSSA Junior National Team earning berths on the 2022 U.S. Junior (U20) National Snowshoe Teams making those athletes eligible to represent the USA in international snowshoe competition over the upcoming year.
The United States Snowshoe Association (USSSA) is excited to be kicking off a new chapter with new leadership following legendary USSSA Sports Director, Mark Elmore’s retirement and an important partnership with the American Trail Running Association (ATRA). With ATRA’s support, USSSA will continue building upon the success of the Collegiate and Junior (U20) National Championships. The future of snowshoe racing is bright!
"The USSSA is excited to host the second collegiate snowshoe championships and partner with the Collegiate Running Association," said Jackie Hering, USSSA Sports Director. “The USSSA is very pleased for this opportunity to continue introducing our sport to a new community of athletes.”
Questions regarding this exciting event? Contact the Race Director: Darren Brungardt – dbrungardt@coloradomtn.edu. Informational websites are located here: Registration, snowshoeracing.com and LeadvilleTwinLakes.com.
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