COLFAX - The UW-Eau Claire men's and women's cross country teams will host their biggest home event of the season today when the Blugold Open takes place at the Whitetail Golf Course.

The women kick off the meet at 4:00 p.m. with their 6,000-meter race and the men will run the 8,000-meter race an hour later. All the action will occur at Whitetail Golf Course in Colfax.

There will be 17 institutions represented in the women's race and 16 schools in the men's race. The women's participants include Augsburg College, Bethel College, Crown College, Franklin University, Martin Luther College, the University of Minnesota, UM-Duluth, North Central College, St. Catherine's, St. Olaf, St. Thomas, Winona State, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-River Falls and UW-Stout. The men's teams Augsburg, Bethel, Crown, Franklin, Martin Luther, Duluth, North Central, St. John's, St. Olaf, St. Thomas, Winona, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Oshkosh, River Falls and Stout.

Last year the Eau Claire women took second at the Blugold Open. Molly Warner (Jr.-Mosinee) was the fastest Blugold with a 23:25 time which placed her fourth. The first place time was Kristen Painter's 22:42 from the winning UW-La Crosse team. Painter looks to repeat as she is now a senior on the Eagle squad.

The men's team had its best non-dual meet finish at last season's Blugold Open. The Blugolds claimed sixth with Adam Wolfe (Jr.-Marshfield) and his 19th place leading the charge. He ran the race in 27:05 with the overall winner, Luther College's (IA) Adam Bohach, covering the course in 25:29. Bohach, now a senior, also looks to defend. The team that topped Luther College for team honors was the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a 43 score.

The action begins at 4:00 p.m. Friday in Colfax. Results will be on www.pttiming.com as well as the Eau Claire website.

Blugold Open Web page

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