Ritzenhein Wins Cross Country Championship

SAN DIEGO, California (Ticker) -- Dathan Ritzenhein won the men's United States Cross Country Championships on Saturday to add a trip to the world championships in Edinburgh to a 2008 travel itinerary that already included Beijing.

Ritzenhein, 25, booked his ticket to the Olympics in November when he finished second in the USA men's marathon trials in New York. The Eugene, Oregon, runner followed that up in style on Saturday around Mission Bay Park as he won the national open men's title, completing the 12-kilometer course in 35 minutes, 3 seconds. That made Ritzenhein the first member of the USA squad for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Scotland next month with the next eight places completing the American men's squad.

Former NCAA cross country champions Jorge Torres (Boulder, Colorado) and Josh Rohatinsky (Portland, Oregon) were second and third, respectively, in 35:29 and 35:41 with Ed Moran of Williamsburg, Virginia, fourth in 35:42. Ritzenhein will also be joined in Edinburgh by marathon trials winner Ryan Hall, the Mammoth Lakes, California, runner who clocked 35:50 for fifth, while USA half marathon champion James Carney (Boulder), Max King, Ryan Bak (both of Eugene), and Torres' twin brother Edwardo round out the U.S. squad.

The women's team will be led by Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, North Carolina), who justified her pre-race favoritism with a victory in the 8K race in 25:26 to add to her two USA cross country titles at 4K. Flanagan finished 70 seconds ahead of runner-up Renee Metivier (26:36) of Boulder, with Emily Brown of Minneapolis a close third in 26:37 and 2006 USA 10K road champion Katie McGregor (Minneapolis), qualifying for her sixth USA cross country team in fourth a further second back. The women's team will be rounded out by Molly Huddle (Elmira, New York), Blake Russell (Marina, California), Katherine Newberry (Williamsburg, Virginia), Amy Hastings (Flagstaff, Arizona) and Julia Lucas (Mammoth Lakes, California).

Jordan Hasay of Arroyo Grande, California, successfully defended her junior women's 6K title, winning in 20:32 but the junior men's 8K championship saw a new winner as German Fernandez of Riverbank, California added a national title to his 2007 state championship. Defending champion Elliot Heath of Winona, Minnesota, finished well down the field in 27th place. The top nine finishers in both junior races will also represent the USA at the world championships.