Bienenfeld to Race For Germany at Euro XC Champs

CINCINNATI - Two members of the University of Cincinnati cross country program competed in their respective national trials for the 2019 SPAR European Cross Country Championships over the weekend with Aaron Bienenfeld racing in Germany and Ellie Leather in England. Both individuals raced for spots in the U23 event with Bienenfeld placing third in his division and Leather 20th in hers.

Bienenfeld took the course in Darmstadt, Germany, and raced in the 9k event that featured men competing for spots on the German Senior and German U23 squads. In the race, the UC senior ran a time of 28:51.9 to finish sixth overall and third among U23 entrants. With that placement, he automatically qualified to represent Germany in the European competition in two weeks.

In Liverpool, England, Leather raced in the 8.1k women's competition and placed 20th overall in the U23 section of the meet. Leather did not qualify for the British team as only the Top 5 in each division were selected.

// EURO MEET
The 2019 SPAR European Cross Country Championships will be contested Sunday, December 8, in Lisbon, Portugal. Bienenfeld and his German teammates will run in the third of seven races on the day with their 8.3k run starting at 10:55 a.m. local time (5:55 a.m. ET). When he lines up, it will mark his fourth European race in the last three years. He has previously raced in the European outdoor track & field championships (10,000m U23 • 15th place) in 2019, cross country (33rd) in 2018; and mountain racing (43rd) in 2017.

// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will get their 2020 indoor track & field season underway the same weekend Bienenfeld competes in Portugal as they will travel to Lexington, Ky., for the Blue & White Open hosted by Kentucky. The one day competition will be held Friday, December 6.