Roy Griak Invitational 2017

Check out the top 12 girls to watch in the girls gold race at the Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday

This weekend we will be streaming the Roy Griak Invitational live on FloTrack. You can catch all the action live on FloTrack with a MileSplit Universal Subscription. We will also be keeping an eye on the Bob Firman Invitational, the Wingfoot Classic, the Rim Rock Farm High School Classic, and more. For a full list of national-caliber events to watch this weekend, check out the MileSplit national calendar here.Watch Live on FloTrack*Note - MileSplit Universal Subscribers may login to FloTrack with the same login info as their MileSplit account.More About MileSplit Universal MileSplit Universal subscribers gain access to ALL of FloTrack. Go behind-the-scenes with exclusive documentaries of some of the sport's best athletes and teams including Jenny Simpson, Evan Jager, Trayvon Brommel, Shalane Flanagan, Vashti Cunningham, the University of Colorado, and the Nike Oregon Project. Watch the biggest and best meets in the country including the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Cross-Country Invitational, Payton Jordan Invitational, and the NCAA cross country championships.  Learn from the pros with tips on everything from warm-ups, race strategies, training, and lifting.SIGN UP FOR MILESPLIT UNIVERSAL HEREFull List of FloTrack FilmsFloTrack Live Streaming ScheduleDatabase of FloTrack Training VideosAccess to Content & Streams across ALL 20+ FloSports Sites

Home town. Familiar course. Minneapolis Washburn High's Emily Covert was ready for The Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday. All the junior did was take her first win on the University of Minnesota's Les Bolstad Golf Course in the girls gold race, surging past highly touted Winona Cotter (Minnesota) freshman Grace Ping in the final 2K to win in 18:13.0"Super nervous coming into the race, but now I'm so excited to finish out the season," Covert said. This was Covert's fifth appearance at the annual event, but undoubtedly her best performance yet. In her debut race in 2013, Covert won the Maroon race in 19:00.00."I wasn't looking for a PR, because the weather and it's Griak, so it's super hilly," she said. "But staying behind the leaders and maybe making a move (was my plan)." While Covert didn't go out with the leaders at first, she made her move late and held in the final stretches, keeping within an arm's length distance the second-place Ping, who finished in 18:20.8. Farmington (Minnesota) High's Anna Fenske, the defending class 2A champion, was third in 18:31.4. "That definitely helped me a lot," she said. "It would help anyone honestly to have people up there. Those girls are so strong. They're great runners. Just being sure that I was right behind them set me up well." Covert said the win built the confidence to move forward with the same strength later in the season. "I feel great," she said. "I thank everyone who's helped gotten me. This moment is unreal." 

The MileSplit LIVE goes into last week's XC action and previews the Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday

Here are the top five teams who will battle it out at the Roy Griak Invitational.

Watch Grace Ping crush the rest of the field as a 7th grader at the 2015 Roy Griak Girl's Gold 5K race. 

The MileSplit LIVE crew examines what may happen in the Roy Griak boys gold race on Saturday in Minnesota

Hear what the MileSplit LIVE crew has to say about the girls gold race at the Roy Griak Invitational

Edina is hoping to earn its second straight team title at the Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday

Here are 12 of the top boys runners to keep an eye on at Saturday's Roy Griak Invitational

The MileSplit LIVE crew breaks down what the Great Oak (California) High girls will need to be successful going forward

Check out some of the biggest meets hitting the cross country course this weekend. 

Your resource for everything you need to know about the Roy Griak Invitational and the Milaca Mega Meet, plus a couple other meets that we hope don't get lost in the shuffle!

Check out action from some of the biggest meets this weekend. 

West Central (South Dakota) High's Derick Peters earned national respect with his Roy Griak win on Saturday

Minneapolis Washburn High's Emily Covert secured perhaps her biggest win of her career on Saturday at Roy Griak

Here are the best photos from The Roy Griak Invitational by USA Today Sports' Harrison Barden

Check out the full Roy Griak boys gold race 5K held on the Les Bolstad Golf Course at the University of Minnesota

Check out the full Roy Griak girls gold race 5K held on the Les Bolstad Golf Course at the University of Minnesota

Iverson details the silver lining victory for the Huskies