CORVALLIS, Ore. – Hosted by the Cascade Collegiate Conference, the 66
th Annual Men’s and 42
nd Annual Women’s NAIA Cross Country Championship races were held in Vancouver, Wash. on Nov. 19, 2021, bringing $1.2 million to the Vancouver economy.
Praised for its rolling, European-style layout and moderately challenging course featuring sections of flat, uphill, and downhill grades, this was the seventh time the event has taken place at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
The event brought 673 athletes from across the nation to Vancouver for an average of four nights. There were men’s and women’s teams and individuals representing 129 colleges competing at the event. Athletes and spectators not only occupied the region’s hotels but patronized local restaurants and attractions.
The overall economic impact was estimated at $1,240,778 with 1,697 total room nights booked.
“This event takes collaboration from hotels and services across the city,” said Christine Whitney, Senior Group Sales Manager at Visit Vancouver USA. “Seeing everyone come together to make this event a success is special to watch, especially in a year that group sales and sports events have lagged behind in recovering from the effects of the pandemic.”
Vancouver is contracted to host the event again in 2023.
“We are so thrilled to help bring events to Vancouver that not only fill our hotels, but bring diners to our restaurants, customers to small retail shops, and overall make a positive impact on our local economy,” Whitney said. “We look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come.”
"We are so appreciative of the effort from the Visit Vancouver staff and the leadership of Historic Fort Vancouver,” stated CCC Commissioner Robert Cashell. "The 2021 championship marked our seventh time hosting the championships and we look forward to the 2023 event, our eighth."
Milligan (Tenn.) claimed the men’s and women’s title this year, making them the third program in NAIA history to sweep the team titles at the National Championships. For more results, read the race recaps on the CCC website for men’s and women’s cross country.
About Visit Vancouver USA
Visit Vancouver USA is the official destination marketing organization for Vancouver USA and the surrounding areas. The organization also markets the region as a venue for sports events through the Vancouver USA Sports brand. Visit Vancouver USA's mission is to increase visitor spending in Vancouver and Clark County through competitively marketing the area as a destination for meetings, conventions, and group and leisure travelers. For more information call 360-750-1553, or visit www.VisitVancouverUSA.com.