OCC has formed a Masters Racing team division to enable competitive masters men and women from Oregon (age 40 and up) to unite and compete together at the USATF National Masters Club Cross Country (10K) Championships in West Chester, Ohio on December 8, 2007.

The goal of the OCC Masters Racing division is to enable athletes from various clubs throughout to the state of Oregon to join forces at the National XC Championships to stengthen their competitive presence and experience a bond of comaraderie among fellow Oregonians at the National meet. This approach is based on a model used successfully by Oregon's youth athletes (ages 8-16) during the past three years and is intended to occur without interfering with the athletes' loyalties to their local clubs or their participation in localized training or coaching programs.

STATUS UPDATE 8/17/07:
We have received sufficient committment from athletes that we are now moving forward with the OCC masters racing team (see list in right margin).

If you would like to be added to our team list, please email Dave Clingan at xroads@xro.com with the following information:
1) Your name
2) Your data of birth
3) Your current club affiliation (if any)
4) Your email address
5) Your phone number

The following considerations/groundrules were discussed at the OCC Masters planning session:

1) All masters athletes must be registered with USATF as members of OCC no later than Sept 9, 2007. Anyone who is already a member of USATF, but registered as a member of another club, must change their affilation by that date (using the club change request form.) Athletes who do not have USATF memberships will need to join USATF using the on-line membership application and specify OCC (club number 37-0930) as their club of choice.

2) Masters athletes who join OCC may remain active members in other local clubs within the following guidelines:

(a) During the cross country season between the dates of 9/9/07 and 12/8/07 OCC athletes who participate in any USATF sanctioned cross country meets must represent OCC in those meets. However, during that period, athletes may reperesent other clubs in unsanctioned competitions and road races in general which do not involve team scoring. This exemption is understood to include the 2007 Fitright NW/Puma Cross Country Series, because it is not a USATF sanctioned program.

(b) Wearing a club singlet constitutes "representation" of a club, therefore the OCC singlet must be worn in USATF sanctioned cross country events during the above mentioned time period.

(c) Any OCC athletes who competes at the following USATF sanctioned events must wear their OCC singlets during these races: 2007 USATF-Oregon Assocation Open & Masters Cross Championships, the 2007 NW Region USATF Cross Country Championships, and any USATF National Cross Country Championship competitions.

3) OCC Masters Racing Team athletes will required to pay a non-refundable $30 fee to OCC by Nov 10, 2007. This fee will cover the team singlet as well as $10 toward the $30 entry fee at the 2007 USATF National Club Championships. The $30 team membership fee can be paid on-line at: TBD. The remaining $20 entry fee for Nationals must be paid by November 18, 2007.

4) Dave Clingan will function as OCC Team Manager, and handle all administrative aspects of OCC, including registering the club with USATF, maintaining the club web site and membership communication, registering the team for Club Nationals, ordering and supplying OCC team singlets, and processing dues and entry fees.

5) In each age group, the number of runners that can be declared on a team can not exceed 8. If OCC has more than 8 runners on its roster in any age group, multiple teams will be formed. The determination of who competes on the "A" or "B" team will occur as follows: A qualifying race will be held on November 17 (FitRight XC Series 8K at Pier Park). The top 6 finishers will automatically make the A team. The remaining two open slots on the A team will be filled by the Team Manager. Remaining athletes will be on the B team.

6) If this program is adopted and OCC fields one or more Masters Racing Teams for the 2007 National Club XC Championships, an evaluation will occur to measure the success of this program. No athlete is obligated to continue their represenation of OCC after the National Championships and the program will be extended for future championships only if it is considered beneficial and worthwhile to those who participated.

Questions or comments? Please contact Dave Clingan at:
xroads@xro.com
or 503-231-0530