Cross Country

About Cross Country | 2018 Fixtures  |  Typical league schedule

Cross-country may be regarded by many as the purest form of the running sports. It does not require a highly technical artificial track or the need to mix congested traffic with the participants of Road Racing.

The sport is a ‘grass roots’ discipline catering for all ages and abilities and is seen by many top athletes and coaches as an excellent platform on which to build a high level of stamina for track athletes; and speed for roadrunners. Many top athletes started their careers in Cross-country and still return to the sport during the track and field ‘off-season’ to maintain strength and stamina for the next season.

Cross Country league will be starting on 26 May 2018. This is a great family day out and WCAC traditionally has many teams that participate in this fun event. Contact Bruce Wood our XC representative to join a team.

Cross Country definition, according to Wikipedia:

“Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. Sometimes the runners are referred to as harriers (dogs). The course, typically 4–12 kilometres long, may include surfaces of grass, and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road. It is both an individual and a team sport; runners are judged on individual times and teams by a points-scoring method. Both men and women of all ages compete in cross country, which usually takes place during autumn and winter, and can include weather conditions of rain, sleet, snow or hail, and a wide range of temperatures.

Cross country running is one of the disciplines under the umbrella sport of athletics, and is a natural terrain version of long-distance track and road running. Although open-air running competitions are pre-historic, the rules and traditions of cross country racing emerged in Britain. The English championship became the first national competition in 1876 and the International Cross Country Championships was held for the first time in 1903. Since 1973 the foremost elite competition has been the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.”
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The Cross country season 2018

There are some exciting changes this year

• There are only 6 league events on the athlete-friendly schedule therefore attendance at all 6 will be required to earn your 2018 cross country incentive.
• Relays will be teams of 2 men, 2 women, any age category.
• Prize money will be for the winning 3 teams pre-entered into the ELITE category.

When do cross-country races take place?

The WPA Cross Country league runs during the winter months. Races take place on a wide variety of courses. Each age group runs in a separate race over various distances.
The 2018 season will consist of 6 league meetings, 2 relays and the WPACC Championships. Medals as well as attractive lucky draw prizes will be awarded.

Who can participate in Cross-country?

All age groups are catered for including novice runners. Make it a family affair.
Each course is completely different.
Running ‘off-road’ means no exhaust fumes to contend with.
Cross Country complements road and track running.
Remember all the top middle distance track runners run Cross Country.

Incentive Awards

Any athlete who competes in 6 of the 6 events in their age/distance category will receive a small incentive from West Coast AC.

Any athlete who competes in 6 of the 6 leagues races in their age/distance category as well as the WPACC Championships also in their age/distance category, will receive an incentive award from WPA .

General Information

Entry Fees: Sub Juniors (u8 – u12) R3.00,Juniors (u13 – u19) [Price = TBA], Mob Race [Price = TBA], Seniors and Masters (4 km) [Price = TBA], Seniors (10 km) [Price = TBA] and Master Men (8km) [Price = TBA]. Master Women wanting to run in the Senior Women 8 km event, will only pay [Price = TBA] for their 2nd race. (They must first run in their age category event).

Temporary Licence Numbers will be available at all meetings at [Price = TBA] for seniors/masters and [Price = TBA] for juniors.

Juniors: All junior athletes are required to produce a certified copy of their birth certificates to be entitled for prize money and selection to WPA teams. This must be done at the 1st or 2nd League meeting.

Combined races: All junior boys and girls (u8 – u19) run in separate races for each age category. For example, boys and girls u11 will run together in their own race. Girls u13 will run in the same race at the u12 Girls. Girls u17 and u19 will run in the same race. Boys u19 will compete in the Senior Women race at 15:10.

Prizes and scoring: Team prizes in cash will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the Senior Men/Women and Master Men/Women categories, if a sponsor can be obtained.

Cash prizes may also be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd places in the u8, u9, u10, u11, u12, u13, u15, u17 and u19 team competitions, if a sponsor can be obtained. Proof of age will be required.

Individual point scoring will continue as per last year.

Team and Individual Competitions: All events, 4 athletes to count. A Master athlete’s age group will only change on their birthday, e.g. one becomes a Master on one’s 40th birthday (not at the beginning of the year in which one’s age category changes).

Team competitions will be based on 6 out of 6 League Meetings.

Individual competitions will be based on 6 out of 6 League Meetings.

The individual point scoring will be slightly different for the Senior Men and Master Men. The 1st 50 will score extra points – 50 for 1st, 49 for 2nd, etc. down to 50th position. In the Ladies, Veteran Ladies and Juniors the 1st 10 will score extra points – 10 for 1st, 9 for 2nd, etc.

Should an athlete be selected to represent South Africa in an international event the same day as a league race, participation points will be awarded to the athlete.

Mob race at League meetings: registered and non-registered athletes may enter. Registered athletes must at all times wear club colours and 2 licence numbers (front and back). Licence numbers are not transferable under any circumstances.

DISQUALIFICATION

Athletes are liable for disqualification for the following:

• crossing the finish line without a competitor sticker
• bad behaviour
• wearing another athlete’s race numbers
• not completing the full distance of the event.

2018 Cross Country Fixtures:

Typical WPA Cross Country League Schedule: