36th Manhattan features strongest boys field ever
and US#1 Fayetteville-Manlius NY girls
Meet adds Boys Eastern States race, computerized scoring and new sponsor -- Reebok.

"Vanny's Theme" - the color of the Manhattan Invitational - Video by Marc Davis

by John Nepolitan

The Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational bills itself as “The Biggest and The Best”.  Over the years without a doubt it has been one of the largest meets in the nation and year in and year out it does bring together most of the teams and individuals in the Northeast and many guests from across the nation to test themselves over the famed 2.5 mile Van Cortlandt Park layout. 

In 2008 the meet has taken one step closer to fulfilling its claim, for the first time a boy’s championship race will be part of the schedule, matching the girls with an Eastern States  race, bring together the areas very best.  Another major change has been the meets great leap forward with on line entry of teams and a promise of complete computer results, putting the volunteer typists out of work. 

The news of the boys championship section have resulted in a flood of teams looking to test themselves against the best and some being rejected from the Easterns and moved into other races.  For years the Fordham Invitational the week following the Manhattan Meet hosted the Boys Easterns race and in its long history it was not uncommon to see waves of runners flooding over the line in the championship section.  In recent years the Fordham meet has lost some of its luster and in 2008 folded, opening the way for Manhattan meet director Ed Bowes to change his format and create a boy’s championship race instead of spreading out the talent across flights as in the past.  The girls race itself will be a star filled field with a number of national and regional ranked teams toeing the line battling for the championship watches. 

Here is a fast look at what fans are in store for... Read Much More