UW Invitational: Six Events to Watch

Jan 28, 2015 by Taylor Dutch

WEEKEND'S RACE PREVIEWS:
UW Invite | PSU National | Armory Invite | Camel City Elite | Razorback Invite

This year's Washington Invitational is full of 2015 season debuts from the pro athletes stationed in the Northwest area. The Oregon TC, Bowerman TC and top schools in the state of Washington are ready to roll as February is right around the corner. Flotrack will be LIVE both days bringing the action right to your living room!

Men's 60m, Saturday 2:55pm CT

We will see the return of new training partners Joe Morris and Ryan Bailey who clocked an impressive double at the UW Preview weeks ago that included a facility record from Morris in the 60m 6.55 and a 400m mark of 48.16. After being injured in 2014 and moving to Eugene to train with Bailey, Morris is looking to return to full form in 2015. Bailey crossed the finish line of the preliminaries at the UW Preview with a mark of 6.69 in the 60m, but had a false start in the final round. He also returned to run his first 400m in seven years for a time of 48.76. The 2012 Olympian is returning from a runner-up finish in the 100m at the 2014 USATF Outdoor Championships.

Women's Mile, Saturday 5:00pm CT

A much anticipated women’s mile is in store at the Dempsey on Saturday with former Oregon All American Megan Patrignelli, Oiselle teammates Lauren Wallace and Laura Carlyle, Valley Royal’s Helen Crofts, UC Davis’ Rocki Lambdin, and Washington standouts Maddie Meyers and Anna Maxwell. Patrignelli wrapped up her season for the Ducks in the fall by contributing to her team’s sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Wallace is making her indoor debut after posting a personal best in the 800m (2:02.16) in the preliminaries of the USATF Outdoor Championships and a personal best in the mile (4:38.39) in Gent. Her teammate Carlyle was a former Oregon State standout and boasts a personal best of 4:41. An NCAA D2 champion while at Simon Fraser, Crofts currently trains with Valley Royal Track Club and owns a personal best of 4:41. A collegiate showdown will be in the works with UC Davis’ Lambdin and Washington All Americans Meyers and Maxwell all carrying personal bests in the 4:41-42 range.

Men's Mile, Saturday 5:15pm CT

For his much anticipated 2015 debut, Andrew Wheating is scheduled to toe the line in the men’s mile along with teammate Tom Farrell, Bowerman Track Club standouts Ryan Hill and Andy Bayer, and Brooks’ Travis Burkstrand. All athletes own impressive personal bests under the 4:00-minute mile mark. The race will be Wheating’s first indoor mile since 2010 when he clocked a 3:58 at the Dempsey. Farrell joined Oregon Track Club in the fall of 2014 after setting personal bests of 3:37 in the 1500m and 7:57 for 3k. Ryan Hill is returning from winning the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships in December and boasts a 3:57 mile personal best. His teammate Andy Bayer is returning for more action at the Dempsey after a solid 1k and 800m workout a the UW Preview weeks earlier. Burkstrand currently trains with the Brooks Beasts in Seattle and boasts a 3:59 mile personal best.

Women's 800m, Saturday 5:50pm CT

The women’s 800m has a pack of five speedy ladies who boast personal bests under 2:04, including Canadian Olympian Jessica Smith (2:00.50), former Florida State standout Violah Lagat (2:02.61), former Iowa All American Bethany Praska (2:02.83), three-time Latvia national champion Liga Velvere (2:03.64), and Simon Fraser’s Lindsey Butterworth (2:04.00). Washington’s own All American Baylee Mires will also be in the mix after finishing sixth in the 600m (1:31.53) at the Washington Preview weeks earlier. Smith is opening her 2015 season after capturing a fourth-place finish at the Canadian National Championships in July of last year. Lagat, the sister of Bernard Lagat, is returning from a 2014 season that included a personal best in the 800m (2:02.61) and 5k (15:35). Praska is also returning from a breakout 2014 that included a personal best in the outdoor 800m and indoor 600m (1:28.68).

Women's 3k, Saturday 6:10pm CT

Headlined by notable professional standouts, the women’s 3k will include five women who have run under 9:15 in the event. Recent UC Davis graduate Alycia Cridebring brings some speed to the table along with Boise State’s Marisa Howard who earned a runner-up finish in the 3k steeplechase at the 2014 NCAA Championships. 2010 NCAA 1500m champ Charlotte Browning is also entered and should mix things up along with Oregon Track Club’s Alexi Pappas. After shooting her film “Tracktown” in Eugene over the summer and competing in several road races in the fall, Pappas should provide a strong showing. Two-time U.S. Outdoor runner-up and Olympian in the steeplechase Bridget Franek will also be competing alongside Team Run Eugene teammates Juli Accurso, Mel Newberry, and Kimber Mattox.

Men's 3k, Saturday 6:35pm CT

The men’s 3k will be duked out by several Bowerman Track Club standouts, including Andrew Bumbalough, German Fernandez, and Matt Tegenkamp. Bumbalough is returning from a roller coaster 2014 that included a disqualification and reinstatement at the USATF Indoor Championships as well as a runner-up finish in the 5k at the Outdoor Championships. Fernandez is coming off of a last-minute entry in the 3k at the UW Preview where he finished second in 8:04. Two-time Olympian Tegenkamp returns to the indoor track after earning a ninth-place finish at USATF National Club Cross Country Championships. Farrell will be returning after running the mile earlier in the day to mix things up among the Bowerman Track Club contingent, and former Southern Oregon standout Eric Avila will make his 2015 debut after a shocking summer season that included a 3:56 mile and 3:42 1500m personal bests.

Tune-in at 6:30pm CT Friday as we’ll be LIVE from Washington!