Cross Country Season Update, 30 September 2020

The Athletics NI Cross Country and Road Running Committee has met to look at how the cross country competitive season might be reconfigured given that many of the traditional club promotions are unable to proceed and taking the Covid 19 restrictions and protocols into account.
A number of potential venues were identified and securing the use of these was seen as the top priority. Athletics NI staff are working as a matter of urgency with the facility owners to try to secure permission for their use.We plan to deliver a cross country programme of up to 4 (possibly 5) events before Christmas and up to 4 in the early part of 2021. These would be a mixture of traditional races (albeit with shortened distances) and relay events. We will look at how the relay events might be combined into a league format taking account of team positions and possibly individual leg times.

The season will open with the Bobby Rea Memorial and NI & Ulster Even Age Group Championships on Sunday 25th October at the Billy Neill MBE Country Park, Dundonald. Permission has been secured from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, though is subject to Executive guidance at the time. We will announce the calendar and formats for the remainder of the season as soon as we can.  Given the high demand for this initial event, we’re reviewing options to increase our participant numbers.

In addition, interest has been expressed in the availability of some winter track competition. The Athletics NI Track & Field Committee will look at this possibility at its meeting next week.

We trust clubs and individuals will provide their continued support to provide some level of competition as we all work within the current restrictions.

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