Portland XC — Documentary Coverage
Nike Portland XC
Invitational 2026
Free social-sized downloads · $25 full-res (volume discounts available) · 25% of every sale to the WSCCCA Scholarship Fund
- Event
- Nike Portland XC — High School Cross Country
- Date
- Location
- Blue Lake Regional Park, Fairview, Oregon
- Photographer
- Russell Moore — Editorial sports photographer, Pacific Northwest
- Coverage
- Full-event documentary coverage — every race, every team — publishing now as a curated gallery of selects
- Gallery
- Live on ShootProof — free social-sized downloads, $25 full-res files, and print packages; 25% of every purchase to the WSCCCA Scholarship Fund
Post-Race — 2026 Season
The lens followed the race,
not the roster.
I was on site for the full event — every race, every team, from the first gun to the last chute. No 2,000-frame dump, no bib-searchable archive, no promise of a photo of every athlete who toed the line. Covering the meet as a whole was never the same as photographing every individual in it — and the selects are better for it.
What I shot was the meet itself — editorial, free-range, for the culture. The leader committing at the hairpin. The freshman closing on tired legs. The chute at the moment form gave out. I went where the story went, and the story didn't check start lists.
142 programs. Eighteen races. National-caliber Danner Championship fields — and a Washington contingent that drove down in force. One photographer, and a lens that followed the story.
The gallery is a curated set of selects, publishing in batches as the edit wraps. Your athlete might be in it. That's the honest deal — and it's exactly why commissions exist for the next one.
- EditorialCoverage followed the narrative of the race — no roster obligations.
- CuratedA tight set of selects, not a volume archive. Every frame earned its place.
- Next timeThe only way to guarantee your athlete: a private commission, booked before race day.
The Gallery Is Live — Selects Publishing Now
Saturday's selects are going up in batches as the edit wraps — check back over the coming days as the full set lands. How to get your photos: click "Add to Cart" on any photo, select "Digitals," and choose your file — a free social-sized digital ($0 — perfect for phone and social; no payment needed, just your name and email, which is what keeps these free) or a $25 full-resolution digital — original quality, print-ready, yours forever. Want several photos or prints? Add everything to your cart and check out once — and email me before checkout if you're buying a bunch: volume discounts are available.
WIAA-credentialed · SafeSport certified · $1M liability insured · filing for DyeStat & WestcoastXC. Want guaranteed coverage at an upcoming meet? Commission slots are open for the rest of the season →
From Saturday
The meet, in frame
Early selects from race day — the full set is publishing in batches on ShootProof. View the gallery →
PressRace-day photos ran in The Press Democrat's coverage of Maria Carrillo and Windsor at Nike Portland — read the article ↗
Course Notes
Flat, fast,
and full of history
Blue Lake Regional Park has hosted this meet for decades — one of the West Coast's premier invitationals, and one of its most watchable.
- TerrainFlat, fast, mostly grass loops around the park — a PR course by reputation. Fast times here are real; the course doesn't give them away for free, but it doesn't take much either.
- The FlightsCoaches seed varsity teams by their third runner's 5K time — no hiding a strong pack in a slow flight. The Danner Championship races take the fastest standards (19:45 girls / 16:30 boys) and go off mid-morning.
- The NamesakeThe meet was founded in 1980 by Aloha coach Jim Danner, who led Aloha's girls to three Oregon state titles in four years (1980, 1981, 1983) before cancer took him in 1989. The championship races carry his name — win one and you join a list that includes some of the best ever to run in the Northwest.
- WA HeritageWashington has deep roots in this race: Gig Harbor's Wolfgang Beck (2012) and the Peloquin brothers (Tristan 2014, Bradley 2018), Lincoln's James Mwaura (2017), Tahoma's Jonathan Lafler (2007), Seattle Prep's Max O'Donoghue-McDonald (2006), Camas' Alexa Efraimson (2013) and Bellarmine's Ella Borsheim (2018) have all won here.
- SpectatingThe meet's own billing: easily viewable for most of the course. Loops bring runners back past the same ground — good sightlines, minimal sprinting between spots.
- New in 2026The meet moved from its traditional Friday to Saturday, with the Gold and Danner races in the morning and Blue and Green after lunch — cooler air for the marquee flights.
Now Live
The Documentary Gallery
Gallery live — selects uploading in batches
Photos from the 2026 Nike Portland XC are publishing now — a curated set of selects telling the story of the meet as I found it. This is not a bib-searchable volume archive, and inclusion was never guaranteed. Personal use licensing; media and commercial use by arrangement.
How to get your photos: click "Add to Cart" on any photo, select "Digitals," and choose your file — a free social-sized digital ($0, perfect for phone and social media — no payment needed, just your name and email; that's what keeps these free) or a $25 full-resolution digital (original quality, print-ready, yours forever). Want several photos or prints? Add everything to your cart and check out once — and email me before checkout for a volume discount on bigger orders.
And 25% of every purchase goes directly to the WSCCCA Coaches Scholarship Fund — every download, every package, every print.
If you enjoy the photos, it would mean the world to me if you took a quick second to leave a 5-star Google review to support my work.
View the Selects on ShootProof →Usage Rights & Commercial Restrictions
Free downloads are provided as a courtesy for athletes and their families, for personal, non-commercial use on personal social media accounts. Full Terms & Conditions.
Media, brands, and NIL accounts: free downloads are strictly prohibited from use by media outlets, aggregate pages, commercial brands, or in connection with any NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) promotional announcements. Unauthorized commercial, editorial, or promotional use without a paid licensing agreement will result in legal action and retroactive commercial invoicing. Licensing inquiries: russell@russell-moore.com.
Coaches, ADs, and booster clubs: complimentary team photo access is available in exchange for a photo credit and backlink. Email me to set it up.
Want guaranteed photos of your athlete next time? Commission slots are open for upcoming meets →
Straight Answers
FAQ
Where are the photos from the meet?
In the ShootProof gallery, linked above. Curated selects are publishing in batches as the edit wraps — check back over the coming days as the full set lands.
Is there a photo of every athlete in the gallery?
No. Coverage of the meet was editorial and followed the story of the race, not the roster. The gallery is a curated set of selects from the day as a whole — not a bib-searchable volume archive, and inclusion was never guaranteed.
Can I buy downloads or prints?
Yes — and some are free. In the gallery, click "Add to Cart" on any photo, select "Digitals," and choose a free social-sized digital ($0 — no payment needed, just your name and email) or a $25 full-resolution digital (original quality, print-ready). Print packages are available at checkout too, and bigger orders qualify for a volume discount — email me before checkout. And 25% of every gallery purchase goes directly to the Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association (WSCCCA) Coaches Scholarship Fund.
Can I use the photos commercially?
Gallery images are licensed for personal use. Media, school, and commercial licensing is available — get in touch through the main site.
I missed the commission window for this meet — what now?
The gallery is the answer for Portland. For guaranteed photos of a specific athlete at an upcoming meet, book a Guaranteed Coverage Commission before race day — slots are capped per meet and close 48 hours before the gun. Claim a slot for the next one →
Does any of the money go anywhere besides your business?
Yes. 25% of every gallery purchase — downloads, packages, and prints — goes directly to the WSCCCA Coaches Scholarship Fund. Same pledge on commissions: for every commission booked at $350 or more directly through russell-moore.com, $87.50 per booking goes to the fund. This applies across Russell's 2026 season coverage, through Leagues and Districts.
