Aug. 1, 2008

RICHMOND - A pair of incoming freshmen on the University of Richmond cross country and track and field teams - Levi Grandt and Tim Smith - have been selected to compete for the United States in the World Mountain Running Championship, to be held in Switzerland this September. It marks the second time since 2006 that a Spider has been represented in this elite junior men's race.

Grandt (West Union, W.Va./Diddridge County HS) and Smith (Roanoke, Va./Cave Springs HS) will run on the 2008 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team that competes at the 24th World Mountain Running Trophy in Sierre Crans-Montana, Switzerland. The event takes place Sunday, September 14, 2008.

This year's senior team includes five former team members and five newcomers ranging in age from 24 to 42, while only one former team member is on the six-member junior squad (athletes must be at least 16 and not yet 20 in the year of competition). The rest are first-time team members, including the Spiders' Smith and Grandt.

At the World Trophy, the junior men, like the senior women, will run an eight kilometer course (8.38 km) with 733 meters of ascending. The junior women run 4.72 kilometers with 314 meters of ascending, and the senior men run 12 kilometers with 1,046 meters of ascending. Each of the courses consists of only uphill terrain. In odd numbered years the World Trophy is held on an up/down course.

"We are very happy for Tim and Levi," said Richmond men's head coach Steve Taylor. "This is a great opportunity for them to compete against the best athletes in the World and to have the opportunity to travel together will make it that much sweeter."

Two years ago their teammate, rising junior Andrew Benford, made the team and finished 12th in the junior men's race, which was the highest-ever finish for a U.S. junior. Benford's performance led the United States to its best finish ever.

"They (Grandt and Smith) have trained hard and raced harder to put themselves in position for selection. It's exciting for our program and an exciting part of their development as elite distance runners. It's going to be an exciting event with over 20 countries represented."