The historic occasion returns this weekend after February’s postponement as a consequence of flooding
Because the monitor season begins to involves an in depth, the cross-country season is already upon us, with the postponed Saucony English Nationwide Cross Nation Championships happening this weekend on September 14.
Initially deliberate for February 24 at Weston Park in Shropshire, the 2024 championships had been referred to as off as a consequence of heavy rain that left the course fully flooded.
This marked solely the third time within the occasion’s 148-year historical past that it had been referred to as off, with the earlier cancellations occurring throughout the world wars and the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
Nationwide Cross 2017 (Mark Shearman)
The choice to postpone got here only a day earlier than the races had been set to start, with organisers from the English Cross Nation Affiliation stating that “circumstances had been unimaginable for parking.”
The occasion stays at Weston Park, though the climate guarantees a barely totally different cross-country expertise to what many are used to. As an alternative of the everyday moist and muddy floor, dry circumstances and temperatures round 18°C are anticipated.
Nationwide Cross 1985 (Mark Shearman)
For athletes and golf equipment throughout the UK, this weekend is a significant occasion on the calendar and is a long-standing custom of cross-country working.
Again within the Seventies for instance, the English Nationwide was the trial for the Worldwide or World Cross Nation Championships.
Dave Bedford in 1971 (Mark Shearman)
Final yr’s occasion, held at Bolesworth Fortress close to Chester, noticed standout performances within the senior class from James Kingston (Tonbridge) and Sarah Astin (Belgrave), whereas Will Barnicoat (Aldershot, Farnham & District) and Beatrice Wooden (Metropolis of Salisbury) triumphed within the under-20 races.
READ MORE: 2023 Nationwide protection
The under-17 titles went to Innes FitzGerald (Exeter Harriers) and Henry Dover (Shaftesbury Barnet), who each represented Nice Britain on the World Cross Nation Championships in March this yr.
Innes FitzGerald (Gary Mitchell)
Timetable
12:00pm Underneath 17 Ladies – 5km
12:25pm Underneath 15 Boys – 4km
12:45pm Underneath 13 Women – 3km
1:05pm Underneath 17 Males – 6km
1:30pm Underneath 13 Boys – 3km
1:45pm Underneath 15 Women – 4km
2:05pm Junior Ladies – 6km
2:35pm Senior Ladies – 8km
3:20pm Junior Males – 10km
4:00pm Senior Males – 12km
The Nationwide Championships will likely be dwell streamed on YouTube by way of this hyperlink
Dwell outcomes can be discovered right here
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