Llandaff Fields within the Welsh capital is stage considered one of this winter’s widespread cross-country sequence adopted by occasions in Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds and Nottingham
The British Athletics Cross Problem Collection kicks off in Cardiff on November 9 adopted by the European trials in Liverpool on November 23 after which Glasgow and Leeds within the new 12 months earlier than culminating in Wollaton Park in March.
The Cardiff occasion has grown in stature in recent times after changing into a part of the World Athletics Cross Nation Tour with Megan Keith and Innes FitzGerald among the many winners final 12 months. Grassroots runners from the Gwent League guarantee a busy day on this early-winter check.
The sequence strikes to Sefton Park in Liverpool a fortnight later for the European Cross Nation Championships trials, the place athletes will look to earn choice on the Nice Britain and Northern Eire crew for Antalya in December.
The trial is an extended established occasion at Sefton Park though there might be modifications to the senior and under-23 races this 12 months with under-23 athletes operating a lap lower than their senior counter-parts and peeling off to the end a lot earlier.
Athletes on the European Cross Nation Championships in Turkey in December will race over comparatively brief distances this 12 months with senior women and men tackling 7.5km, under-23 women and men each masking 6km and the under-20 women and men operating 4.5km. With a view to decide the absolute best crew the trials distances for seniors and under-23s in Liverpool are 8km and 5.6km respectively, though the very fact each age teams might be in the identical race – and tackling totally different distances – will doubtlessly trigger confusion on the day.
Megan Keith and Jess Warner-Judd (Mark Shearman)
The under-17 and under-20 athletes will even race alongside one another in Liverpool over simply 4.4km. As well as there might be trials for the blended relay on the Euro Cross over 1500m. What’s extra, the entire occasion incorporates the Mid Lancs, Liverpool & District and Purple Rose cross-country leagues.
On January 11 the Cross Problem strikes on to Alexandra Park in Glasgow with the occasion together with the Scottish District Championships earlier than hitting Temple Newsam in Leeds on February 8 (it has been incorrectly marketed as Roundhay Park elsewhere). The Temple Newsam occasion will incorporate the House International locations Worldwide and Celtic Problem too.
Then, on March 8, the finale of the Cross Problem is at Wollaton Park in Nottingham and can, as normal, incorporate the UK Inter-Counties Championships. Senior titles final winter went to Abbie Donnelly and Calum Johnson earlier than each of them went on to sort out the World Cross Nation Championships in Belgrade.
With the World Cross now being a biennial occasion, there is no such thing as a international championships this coming winter. As a substitute it’s subsequent held in Tallahassee, United States, on January 10 in 2026.
Given the a lot sooner than normal date, British organisers are already weighing up how the home calendar ought to play out in 2025-2026 with one of many key questions being the place and when to carry a GB trial for Tallahassee.
Abbie Donnelly (Gary Mitchell)
Main fixtures for 2024-2025
Saturday November 2 – Saucony English Cross Nation Relays, Mansfield
Saturday November 9 – British Athletics Cross Problem, Llandaff Fields, Cardiff
Saturday November 23 – British Athletics Cross Problem and Euro Trials, Sefton Park, Liverpool
Saturday December 7 – English Faculties Cross Nation Cup, Grammar College, Leeds
Sunday December 8 – European Cross Nation Championships, Antalya, Turkey
Saturday January 11 – British Athletics Cross Problem, Alexandra Park, Glasgow
Saturday January 25 – English space cross-country champs
Saturday February 1 – BUCS Cross Nation Champs
Saturday February 8 – British Athletics Cross Problem, Temple Newsam, Leeds
Saturday February 22 – Saucony English Nationwide Cross Nation Champs, Parliament Hill, London
Saturday March 8 – British Athletics Cross Problem Remaining and Inter-Counties, Wollaton Park, Nottingham
Saturday March 15 – English Faculties Cross Nation Championships, Ardingly Showground, West Sussex
Saturday March 22 – SIAB Faculties Worldwide
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