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The events for 26/27 were agreed at the AGM on Monday 21 August and are:
1. 11 Oct 2026 Snape Wood
2. 22 Nov 2026 Blackcap Lewes
4. 31 Jan 2027 Whitbread Hollow Eastbourne
5. 21 Feb 2027 Seaford Head
6. 14 Mar 2027 Pett
The events are also listed on Events page with details of each event and directions. Leaflets will be posted there ahead of each event.
Pre registration entries are now open. Pre registration is only open to UKA registered runners of the participating clubs. Please see the clubs page for the list of participating clubs. If you are a member of a participating club your club rep should contact you regards pre registering: pre registration is only dealt with through club reps. A list of clubs reps is given on the clubs page.
As last year it is £12 for all six races (you do not need to run all 6 races). You can enter on the day for £6 so even if you only run 2 races worth pre- registering and it saves queuing up for a number at each race: you pick up your number at the first race you run and use it all season.
New Junior team event for 26/27
For 26/27 season a junior team award is being trailled for U10/U12s.
A full team consists of 3 boys and 3 girls of which at least one boy and one girl must be U10 category. Note you can have more than one U10 boy or U10 girl: there is no minimum for U12 so all 6 runners could be U10. An award will be made after the last race based on the club finishing position at each race.
Team points are calculated by category (U10B, U10G, U12B, U12G) from 1 onwards but only counting scoring runners ie a max of 3 boys and 3 girls from each club. A missed position scores highest applied score plus 1.
Whilst we hope the team award will encourage more juniors to particpate it is important that juniors should not feel pressured to race.
Please see the Rules page for further details.
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Change to Junior Age Categories for 26/27
The EA (England Athletics) have changed the junior categories commencing with the 26/27 season.
Previously the Junior categories were U11, U13, U15, U17.
From 26/27 the categories are U10, U12, U14, U16, U18.
The recommended distance for U18 is 8,000mtres. So U18 will compete in the senior race which is approximately 8,000 mtrs (5 miles). Note this is the recommended distance not maximum distance. Being cross country they are about 8,000 mtres: it does not matter that the course may be a 200mtrs longer. The U17 category previously only attracted small numbers. We hope that being able to compete in the senior race will encourage more 16 year olds. Note it is based on age at 31 August at the end of the season (so for 26/27 age at 31 August 2027), so to compete in the senior race the runner must be at least 16 on 31 August 2027: so if they turn 16 during the season they will continue to compete in senior for the full season even though under 16 at the start of the year.
U16 and U14 will run the 2 to 2.5mile course (3,200 mtrs to 4,000mtrs): previously the distance ran by U13/U15. U12 and U10 will run the 1 mile to 1.25 mile course (1,600 mtrs to 2,000 mtrs). As in previous years the 2 to 25 mile race (now U14/U16) will start at 9:50am and the U10/U12 at 9:55am. All runners in the junior race should be at the race start for 9:45am to hear the pre race briefing. U10/U12 will be asked to stand back from the start until after the U14/U16 have started. Thus any junior born before 01/09/11 will be running in the senior race and will need to pay £12 to pre-register for all 6 races or £6 in registering on the day and EA registered or £8 if not registered.
Age category is based on the age at 31 August following the end of the season (so for 26/27 season 31 August 2027). Juniors with a birthday during the season remain in the age category assigned on the basis of their age on 31 August.
So with the new categories juniors turning 12 during the year will now run the longer distance.
Note for senior race the age categories are determined based on their age on the date of the first race: For 26/27 the first race is 11 October 2026.
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23 November 2024
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The first race of the season saw a record turnout with 485 Senior and 67 junior finishers. The Juniors unfortunately had to endure a proper downpour but for the Seniors the rain stopped soon after the start of the race giving way to very good running weather. As in other recent races at Whitbread Hollow the Senior course was very demanding with a climb up to Beachy Head. Please see results tab for the results. |
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Please note the cross country on 12 January will now be held at Warren hill instead of Heathfield Park. It will be jointly hosted by Eastbourne Rovers and Hailsham Harriers. Thank you to both clubs for stepping in at short notice.
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Just a few reminders in particular following on from points on the committee meeting as per an earlie news item:
2. Seniors 10:30 start as before
3. If pre registered pick up your number from your club rep.
4. If paying on the day adding to the queue will close 30 minutes before race start to allow those in the queue to be processed ahead of race start and avid delays to race start.
a) If pre reg you need to keep your number: you use the same number at all races. The club rep or (other other person from the club) should print the list of pre reg and tick all runners present: this is then handed in to registration before the start of the race. If the list has already been handed in before you are ticked please go to registration and tick the list (you should not need to join the main queue). The list is used to check runners who start to the finish results and is an important check to ensure the results are as accurate as they can be.
b) If non pre reg you can use your number at future races. Seniors however you must queue, re register the number and pay the £5 or £7 at each race or else you will not be included in the results. As Juniors are free they do not need to re-register the number but if you have been issued with more than one number please use the last number issued (because that is the one recorded on the computer against your name.
Looking forward to the start of a new season
Graham
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CROSS COUNTRY SEASON 2020/21
The committee have concluded that it was it was not viable to put on cross country races for 2020/21. A brief explanation as to the reasons why are given below.
You can operate races on one of 2 bases:
1. Competition with a maximum of 12 athletes per wave racing in traditional format for less than 15 minutes...…….
2. Competition longer than 15 minutes can take place but must be set up so that social distancing can be maintained at all times.
Unless we reduce the race distance to 1 mile the first does not work. Effectively to maintain social distancing under 2 we would need to use a time trial format say a runners going every 10 seconds: if we had 300 runners it would take and hour to get everyone through the start, the results would be difficult to compile. There are further issues re parking: we could not encourage car share but without that most courses do not have sufficient parking.
Essentially the guidance seems to be geared to small events rather than mass participation. We could have a league with very restricted numbers say just 3 from each club but then if becomes an 'elite' race and really is not what this league is about.
Further it just seems inappropriate to organise an event with a large number or people turning up when generally people are limited to groups of 6 and may not even be able to meet close family or friends.
Regretably we concluded it is not viable for this season.
RESULTS 2019/20
We had planned to present awards at the first race of the season but in the circumstances these are being distributed to the club reps to hand out to the award winners. Please see the Resuls tab for the awards and final results for 19/20.