KNOXVILLE, TN (December 11, 2025) – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Visit Knoxville announces today that the organization has invested in over one mile of improved trails to the current Cross Country Course at Victor Ashe Park. This is an 8–10’ wide course with gravel about 3–4 inches deep. The trail goes through the wooded areas at Victor Ashe Park, and the trail will not only make for a better race for athletes, but also provide more opportunities for the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission to bring more national-level cross-country meets to Knoxville.

This project was completed the week of November 10, 2025, by Claiborne Hauling, L.L.C., a premier hauling and aggregates contractor in East Tennessee. The improvements required 59 loads of 3/8 minus limestone throughout the park’s trails.

The Visit Knoxville Sports Commission has been bringing, hosting, and supporting cross-country events in Knoxville for over a decade. In 2025 alone, the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission will host the Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships for the first time, as well as the AAU Cross Country Nationals for the fourth time in 10 years. These two meets have welcomed over 4,000 athletes over two weekends in November and December. By the end of the 2025 season, Victor Ashe Park will have welcomed a total of over 13,000 athletes with 8 events held in partnership with the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission, many of them from outside the local area.

The Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships have been hosted in Lexington, KY; Louisville, KY; Shelbyville, IN; and other destinations over the years. Knoxville is pleased to have welcomed this national-level cross country meet in November. The AAU Cross Country Nationals have rotated their event to Knoxville several times, noting that Knoxville’s location is ideal for their members across the country, and Victor Ashe Park has the amenities needed to host these types of events.

“We’re pleased to partner with Visit Knoxville on these improvements to the trail system at Victor Ashe Park,” said City of Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon. “This investment will impact the thousands of athletes who compete on our courses, enhance the experience for local walkers, and attract even more events to Knoxville."

“This is an exciting investment for Knoxville,” said Kim Bumpas, President of Visit Knoxville. “Our partnership with the City of Knoxville on these improvements to Victor Ashe Park will have a positive impact for years to come and we can’t wait to see what type of national events we’ll be able to bring to Knoxville in the future.”

“We’re thrilled to have been able to put these improved trails to immediate use,” said Chad Culver, Senior Director of Visit Knoxville Sports Commission & Convention Sales. “These two back-to-back national-level events show that Knoxville is a great place to host high-quality cross country meets, and we look forward to bringing more events to Victor Ashe Park.”

PHOTO LINK FOR MEDIA USE, CREDIT TO JOHN RUGGERO PHOTOGRAPHY

ABOUT VISIT KNOXVILLE SPORTS COMMISSION
The Visit Knoxville Sports Commission (VKSC), established under Visit Knoxville in 2016, is responsible for bringing tournaments and sporting events to Knoxville and Knox County. The VKSC has hosted top-tier events including the Bassmaster Classic, USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships, and the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Diving. The VKSC was recognized as Sports ETA’s 2019 Sport Tourism Organization of the Year and was awarded SportsTravel’s Best Professional Event and HospitalityTN’s Purple Iris Award Special Event of the Year for the 2023 Bassmaster Classic. For more information, visit sports.visitknoxville.com and follow on Facebook and Instagram.

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Kristen Combs
Director of Communications
Visit Knoxville
865.306.4341
kcombs@knoxville.org