Team USA set for first Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country Team Challenge

INDIANAPOLIS - Team USA travels to Scotland for the first Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country Team Challenge this Saturday at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh.

2011 is the introduction of the International Team Challenge, which will see Great Britain & Northern Ireland Senior Men and Great Britain & Northern Ireland U23 and U20 Men take on the United States and a European Select team over 8 km.

Each country competing in the International Team Challenge will consist of nine athletes per team and the first six athletes to complete the course will receive a score based on their position. The team with the lowest overall score wins.

Galen Rupp (Portland, Ore.) will be joined by fellow Team USA harriers Ed Moran (Williamsburg, Va.), Scott Bauhs (Mammoth, Calif.), Bobby Mack (Raleigh, N.C.), Stephen Furst (Raleigh, N.C.), Matt Gabrielson (Minneapolis, Minn.), David Jankowski (Blowing Rock, N.C.) and Nick Arciniaga (Flagstaff, Ariz.). Dathan Ritzenhein (Portland, Ore.) was forced to withdraw from the race due to a slight injury suffered during training last week.

Team USA will face a strong European Select team that includes Sergey Lebid of Ukraine. Lebid is the nine-time European Cross Country Champion and former World Cross Country Championships silver medalist.

2010 European 5,000 and 10,000 meter champion Mo Farah will lead the host team from Great Britain & Northern Ireland.

For more information on the 2011 Great Edinburgh International Cross Country Team Challenge visit www.usatf.org.