2003 USATF
National Cross Country Champions Midget Girls
Southern California Roadrunners, San Diego
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On December 13th, at the USATF National Junior Olympic Youth Cross Country
Championships held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, San Diego’s Southern California
Roadrunners won the Midget Girls (born in 1991 – 1992) National Championship.
What’s remarkable about this accomplishment is two of the top girls on the
team succumbed to the mile-high altitude with breathing problems. The team,
however, was deep enough to overcome this deficit and win over Los Gatos Athletics
(California) by a score of 79 to 103. The third place team was Wasatch Athletics
out of Provo Utah with 107 points. Three Roadrunners were named All-Americans
by finishing in the top 25 out of the 300 plus field. Erin Gillingham placed
2nd over the 3k course in 11:33.7 followed by Haidee Ortiz (8th in 12:19.7)
and Dede Spinler (17th in 12:25.7). The remaining team members’ order of finish
were Vanessa Zucker, Tiffany Duffy, Shanna StLaurent, Bridget Nicolai and
Sallie Privett. Out of all races, seven individual Roadrunners qualified as
All-Americans. In the Bantam division (born in 1993 – 1994.) Darren Fahy placed
3rd in the boys’ race and Maegan Garritson 19th in the girls’ event. In the
Midget Boys’ race Parker Stinson made the cut in 21st place. In the Youth
Boys’ division (born in 1989 – 1990) Travis Kuhlman placed 18th. Out of all
10 divisions (5 girls and 5 boys), and over 2,500 runners the SCRR’s midget
girls were one of only two California teams to win a National Championship
and the only youth team in San Diego dedicated to distance and cross country
running.