As expected, Lawrence won the race to land the National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships two years from now.

USA Track & Field approved Lawrence’s site selection this month. The community had been the unchallenged front-runner for the event, which is expected to attract up to 10,000 people to town for the event at Rim Rock Farm north of Lawrence.

Representatives from USA Track & Field had toured the area in October and found conditions so favorable that they called this month’s vote a “formality.”

Lawrence Chamber of Commerce officials say visitors will be expected to occupy hotel rooms, enjoy restaurants and drop by other businesses Dec. 5-9, 2007. The championships will be Dec. 8, 2007.