European style course developed in Low Country


Stratford High School cross country coach Shane Sutherland announced in a press release The Low Country Invitational, a cross country meet at Mullet Hall Equestrian Center at Johns Island County Park, normally closed to non-horse traffic.

The release calls the course, "A European style cross country course."

The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission has agreed to allow a once a year meet at the facility, according to the release.

According to ccprc.com the site boasts approximately 20 miles of trails winding through southern pines and moss draped oaks, alongside open meadows and farm fields.

The release included this about the course, "The course features no pavement, no gravel, and a 40-acre field including bleachers to watch the start and the finish, which includes over a half-mile of the course that can be seen from bleachers. The trail itself is a well-worn horse trail, void of roots, and is very wide. In the spirit of the European style race hay bails will be placed on the course for athletes to jump or step on. This course offers low country teams an opportunity to race on similar terrain (soft loose soil) to the state cross country course (Sandhills Research Facility) without having to drive to Columbia. We feel that once teams run at this site they will feel as excited as we are (about it)."

The meet, slated for Oct. 14, has a goal to "provide a great meet in the low country put on a by a committee of low country coaches for our athletes."

Stratford, West Ashley, James Island and Berkeley are the schools organizing the event.

The entry fee for the meet is 25 dollars for a boys and 25 dollars for a girls team. Fifty dollars is the cost for both teams.

Sutherland mentioned in the release, "We feel our low meet fee will allow schools without large budgets to compete in an invitational."

Event schedule
9 a.m.: JV Girls (NTS this year)
9:45 a.m: Varsity Girls
10:15 a.m: JV Boys (NTS this year)
10:45 a.m. Boys Varsity

Sutherland mentioned in the release, "We believe this (course) to be a premiere site for a true cross country race."