The Road to Portland: NXR Northwest Punches Its Tickets to NXN 2025
Sehome Mariners XC runner Kjirsten Ludeman crosses the finish line at NXR
The anticipation is over, and the dust has settled. Spokane's debut as the host for the NXR Northwest Regional was etched into history this Saturday, delivering a lightning-fast course at the Spokane Polo Grounds and some seriously close calls.
The Northwest Region is ready to take on the nation! The absolute best teams and individuals are headed to Portland, Oregon in a couple of weeks to compete at NXN (Nike Cross Nationals) on December 6th. I will be on the ground in Portland providing coverage throughout the day with WestcoastXC.
The Automatic Qualifiers: No Waiting Necessary
The front pack near the start of the NXR Northwest Championship Boys Race in Spokane, WA.
The fight for the top two spots was fierce, but these four clubs managed to clinch their automatic entry to the national stage:
Boys
Champion: Stumptown (Jesuit, OR)
Runner up: Forest Park XC (Lincoln HS, OR)
Girls
Champion: Mariners XC (Sehome, WA)
Runner up: Grit XC (Summit, OR)
Congratulations to these four teams. They earned every inch of those highly contested top spots against a field of comparable, nationally ranked programs.
Individual Champions Lead the Charge
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Beyond the teams, two regional champions are confirmed to represent the Northwest against the best in the country:
Boys Champion: Cohen Butler (Camas, WA)
Girls Champion: Addison Kegel (Billings, MT)
Both champions will carry the region's hopes with them to the final battle for supremacy.
The National Watch: At-Large Bids
Mead XC boys cross country team waiting for team placement results at NXR Northwest 2025.
Now the waiting game begins. The next phase of qualifying is the announcement of the elusive At-Large bids. Historically, the Northwest Region earns extra spots due to the incredible depth and quality of competition.
The committee is closely reviewing teams currently sitting in the 3rd or 4th position. Key teams to watch are the Mead XC (WA) boys, who missed the second auto-bid by a painful single point, the Oregon Distance Project (Crater, OR) boys, and the talented teams from Boise XC and Wyoming Wildefire XC Club on the girls side. Stay tuned!
Don't Miss the Final Story: Get Free NXN Galleries
From the gritty moments on the course to the ecstasy of the finish, my FREE photo galleries from the NXR Northwest Regional are live right now. All downloads are free for the local running community.
But the story isn't over. We'll be capturing the final, dramatic finish of the season at NXN. Sign up below to be the first to know when the free NXN galleries drop.
Stay tuned for our full coverage of the NXN Championships in Portland on December 6th!
