ENTER now for National XC

Tuesday 5th January 2016

The National XC looms large – next month!

So the time is right now for club officials, athletes, coaches, parents and helpers to start making plans for Falkirk on Saturday 27 February for one of the highlights of the winter and the culmination of the Lindsays Cross Country Season.

Callendar Park in Falkirk is once again the venue and the event is back to the familiar Saturday slot this year – one week on from the Glasgow International Grand Prix at the Emirates Arena and the same day as the English National XC.

At scottishathletics we have been thrilled over the past few years by a remarkable response to the National XC with the entry figures and finisher numbers for this hugely popular event, open to all from U13 to Masters athletes, at their best for more than two decades.

Indeed, the entry figure last year of 2214 athletes has only been topped once in more than 30 years of the National XC, while the 1599 athletes who finished races in extremely difficult weather conditions last year ensured as a new high since figures were collated by the Road Running and Cross Country Commission.

Entry forms and important information about National XC on February 27

Entry forms are now online on the Events section of this website and we are asking clubs to start giving us names ahead of a deadline of Wednesday 10 February.

All athletes racing must be members of scottishathletics and there are no entries accepted after February 10.

Please post the forms to Claire Archbold, scottishathletics, Caledonia Ltd, South Gyle, Edinburgh EH12 9DQ.

As per the entry form, it is 12K for Senior men this year and 8K for Senior Women. The U20 Men also run 8K with the U20 and U17 Women in a combined race over 4.8K. All the relevant age-group bandings are listed on the information sheet on our Events section.

Please note that in the U15 and U17 age groups, the National XC this year will be regarded as the main selection race for the London Mini Marathon event in April.

This is because London Marathon require Scotland team names prior to our own Junior Road Races on April 2 in Greenock – so the incentives are there for Falkirk, with teams of six boys and six girls usually selected in both U15 and U17 age groups. Current form around that time is also a consideration.

*Clubs are also reminded they are required each supply two marshals to help out on the day. Please email offers of help to Alex Jackson on Alex.Jackson@ed.ac.uk

Andrew Butchart and Maddie Murray each won the National XC for the first time at Falkirk last February.

And you can catch up on all the action from a memorable (and very wet) day at Callendar Park – via scottishathletics TV, with coverage of all nine races which took place that day supplied by Vinco Sport.