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One hundred teams from across the Missouri are making the trip to Columbia tomorrow for the second annual Gans Creek Classic. This meet gives teams the opportunity to compete on the same course they will be running on at the state championships in November, while also competing against the state's very best teams and athletes. Below you can also find the link to the live stream for the event, brought to you by our partners at PT Timing. It will go live later tonight, and the stream will start with the first races in the morning.
WATCH LIVE: 2020 Gans Creek Classic
Athletes to Watch
On the boys side, all the top athletes to watch will be competing in the gold division. State leader Brock Wooderson (Blue Springs) comes into the race with a season best of 15:23 to lead six boys into the race who have already broken 16:00 this season. He'll face off with Nick Cimmarusti (Francis Howell) who has ran 15:45 and has yet to lose a race this season in three tries. Matthew Hauser (Rock Bridge) is the only man to have beaten Wooderson this year with his win at Tim Nixon. He holds a PR of 15:24 from this very course last season at state, and he'll look to dip below the 16:00 barrier for the first time this season tomorrow. Other top athletes to watch include Trevor Peimann (Timberland) at 15:46, Ian Schram (Festus) 15:56, Cullen Krieg (Festus) 15:56, and Bennett Boatman (Ft Zumwalt West) at 15:58.
The top girls athletes will be split across several divisions on Saturday, but we should still some fast times and good competition regardless. State leader Riley Arnold (Blue Eye) comes into the race with a season best of 18:21, which will make her a heavy favorite to win the Green Division tomorrow. Defending Class 4 state champion Carolyn Ford (Rock Bridge) is the course record holder at Gans Creek with the 18:08 she ran here last year, and will look to improve upon her current season best of 18:49. She'll be up against fellow sophomore Sutton Richardson (Liberty) in the Gold Division who has a season best of 18:59 here in the young season. Other top athletes include Olivia Littleton (Smithville) at 19:01, Makayla Clark (Lee's Summit West) at 19:07, and Ally Kruger (Liberty - Wentzville) at 19:18.