Team USA Looks to Start 2015 Off Strong

By Scott Bush

The Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country Meet is set to take place Saturday in Edinburgh, Scotland. The annual early season cross country contest pits teams from the United States, Europe and Great Britain against one another, as the men square off over an 8k course and the women a 6k layout. 

Chris Derrick leads the U.S. squad. He has proven himself time and again to be one of the very best cross country runners in U.S. history. Not only does the Bowerman Track Club standout claim the past two USA Cross Country Championship victories as his own, but a top ten finish at the 2013 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and numerous top ten finishes at the NCAA Cross Country Championships while at Stanford shows he can never be discounted, no matter the field. 

On Saturday, Derrick eyes another title, this time seeking a repeat of last year’s winning performance at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country. While Derrick brought home the top prize, his U.S. squad placed second in a tight battle with Team Europe, losing 53-55. As Derrick goes after another victory, his squad looks to back him up a bit better this time around, with a strong squad capable of numerous top ten finishes. 

Along with Derrick, Bobby Mack and Bobby Curtis are the two most notable veterans on the squad. Curtis enters Saturday’s contest off a terrific 2014 season, where he ran a US#2 mark in the 10k with a 27:46.30 effort. He continues to push himself over challenging races off the track and the 8k distance should be a nice way to show a big year lies ahead for the Hansons-Brooks runner. 

For Mack, he looks to get a jump on this 2015 campaign. Mack won the Bupa Great Edinburgh race in 2013, while finishing fourth last year. He was on the medal winning 2013 IAAF World Cross Country Championships U.S. squad, having placed 19th in Poland. While 2014 was a quiet year for the former N.C. State standout, he’s proven himself well in Scotland. 

Mack’s fellow NC State alum, Andrew Colley, looks to build off his recent victory at the NYRR Midnight Run. He finished fifth at the USA Club Cross Country Championships and has proven himself in fine shape over the past few months. 

Colley is joined by a handful of other top eight finishers from the USA Club Cross Country Championships. Reigning USA Marathon Champion Tyler Pennel looks to build on his tremendous 2014 campaign. He finished eighth at Club Cross, but should be in better shape Saturday. Team USA Minnesota's Jonathan Grey finished seventh, while Craig Forys and Reed Connor finished fourth and sixth respectively. 

Derrick’s former Stanford teammate and Curtis’ current Hansons-Brooks teammate Jacob Riley enters running extremely well, having finished second at Club Cross, just off champion Ryan Hill. Needless to say, this U.S. men’s team is strong from top to bottom and should challenge for the overall team victory.

Erdmann, Bates Lead the American Women

While the men narrowly lost to Team Europe last year, the American women finished a disappointing third in 2014, finishing well behind Great Britain’s winning total of 35 points, as the Americans tallied 89 points (six athletes score for each squad). Great Britain’s Gemma Steel looks to defend her overall title, while the top four returnees from Great Britain’s victorious squad look to hoist the winners trophy once again. 

While the American women have their hands full, this year’s squad is as deep as ever. USA Club Cross Country Championship runner-up Tara Erdmann and NCAA third place finisher Emma Bates lead the way for the U.S. squad. Erdmann continues to impress after a fairly quiet 2014 campaign, while Bates seeks to gain some international experience as she starts to ready herself to defend her NCAA 10,000 title on the rubber oval. 

Erdmann and Bates are backed by the third, fourth and fifth place finishers at Club Cross. Brooks Beasts’ Angela Bizzarri finished in the third spot in Pennsylvania a few weeks ago, as the former NCAA champion continues to build towards her past top form. Colorado-based athletes Alisha Williams and Brianne Nelson finished 4-5, as bot look to Edinburgh as a stepping stone to the beginning of their respective seasons. 

Rochelle Kanuho finished 24th last year at this event and looks to improve dramatically upon that performance. She finished seventh at Club Cross and seems ready to run with the pack of Williams and Nelson, supporting the Team USA contingent. She’s joined by Frances Koons and Rogue AC teammates Mia Behm and Kristen Findley. 

The U.S. women’s squad is hopeful they can challenge Great Britain for the team title, but they’ll have their work cut out for them Saturday.