Leon County hosts NCAA Cross Country Championships at Apalachee Regional Park

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Leon County hosted the NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships at Apalachee Regional Park on Saturday, Nov. 20.

About 1,000 athletes competed in the event.

Ryan Zornes is the Senior Director of Sales and Sports for the Leon County Division of Tourism, also known as Visit Tallahassee.

Zornes says 10,000 people were expected to be in Tallahassee for the event.

“It brings people from all over the country. A lot of people are coming to Tallahassee for the first time,” Zornes said. “That gives us a $2.5 million direct spend for the whole economy.”

The Women’s 6K Race started at 10:20 a.m.

The Men’s 10K Race began at 11:10 a.m.

However, gates opened at 8 a.m., with special fan experiences available.

“We’re going to open the gates early so fans can get in and experience the whole course. We’re going to have a fan fest set up for our fans, where we’re going to have vendors, and food and drinks and coffee. We’re going to have axe throwing, and we’re going to have a flyover tomorrow before the races,” Zornes said.

Saturday’s races were historic; it was the first time the event was held in Florida in its 83-year history.

FSU women’s and men’s teams competed in the event.

The event was televised on ESPNU, bringing national exposure to Leon County as a sports tourism destination.

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