The CIAC State Open cross country championships are getting moved, folks. Again. What’s usually a Friday showdown after the class meets is now officially set for Thursday.
The Latest Twist
Mother Nature, seriously, what’s up? The CIAC dropped the news on social media Monday afternoon: the State Open is pushed up to Thursday. Why? Forecasted weather conditions, of course. Everything else stays the same, so the boys still hit the course at 10 a.m., and the girls follow right behind at 10:45 a.m. Awards ceremonies are locked in too, with the boys at 11:30 a.m. and the girls at 11:45 a.m. Get those clocks ready. Edith Ranta of RHAM finished second in the Girls Class M Division this past Saturday, October 31, 2026, so you know these athletes are ready to compete for the big one, whenever it is.
A Tradition of Chaos
This isn’t some one-off deal, either. Weather has been absolutely wreaking havoc on the State Open for years now. Like, *years*. Last year’s meet got booted from Friday all the way to the following Monday because of rain. In 2024, they had to shift the State Open to the morning on Halloween because afternoon temperatures were looking way too warm. And back in 2023, an unseasonably warm class championship day on October 28 forced the Class LL races to the following Tuesday, Halloween. You know what that meant? The State Open had to move too, eventually happening on November 6, the Monday after that. Even the 2018 postseason saw both the class and Open meets shifted up a day. It’s a pattern, and frankly, it’s getting kinda wild.
When Things REALLY Went Sideways
But listen, all those moves? They barely hold a candle to the chaos of 2011. That was the infamous October snowstorm, remember that? Three class races got straight-up postponed because of the snowstorm. And then, the grand finale: those postponed races *plus* the State Open itself got relocated from Wickham Park, their usual spot, all the way to Hammonasset State Park in Madison. Wickham Park was straight-up closed down, dealing with weather damage after up to two feet of heavy, wet snow dumped on everything. The five meets eventually ran on November 8, with times from the three class meets merged with the Open times to figure out the final Open results and, critically, those New England qualifiers. Talk about an all-time curveball!
So, Thursday it is for the State Open cross country championships. After all this back-and-forth with Mother Nature, let’s hope these athletes finally get their chance to lay it all out there. Who’s going to step up and make their mark when the gun finally fires? We’ll find out soon enough.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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