CIAC Division State Championships Stopped Due To Heat, Class LL Races Moved To Monday

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

Unseasonably warm late October conditions forced the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletics Conference Cross Country Divisional State Championships to be postponed. 

According to multiple Connecticut news outlets, a number of high school cross country runners were impacted by the heat Saturday during the state meet races at Wickham Park in Manchester and some of them needed medical attention.

At least one runner was taken to a hospital due to the heat and dehydration issues, but reports say they are OK. 

Temperatures reached near 80 degrees by 2 p.m. in the Class L race, where many of the runners experienced issues with the heat on the 5,000-meter course that is known for its challenging inclines.

Eight of the 10 races did get completed before CIAC Executive Director Glenn Lungarini made the decision to cancel the remaining two races — Class LL Boys and Girls — and move them to Monday, October 30. The races were postponed due to the lack of medical coverage available at the time if additional runners were affected by the heat. 

For the Class LL teams competing on Monday now, it is a tighter window to prepare for the State Open on Friday, back at Wickham Park.  

Click here for the Hartford Courant’s report of the divisional state meet.