A: Grange, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland | E: info@mullingarharriers.com

Cross Country dates announced (8th/9th Dec)

 

Cross Country dates announced

Athletics Leinster and Athletics Ireland have announced, on 8th and 9th December respectively, the dates for the rescheduled cross country season. Needless to say, all dates are provisional and subject to change in line with Government guidelines in force at the time. Competitions will be subject to strict protocol and only limited numbers will be allowed to compete as per Government Guidelines. Of importance to underage athletes, even though competing in early 2021, age groups will be based on 2020 ages.

Week-end one for Leinster on 30th and 31st January 2021 in Stradbally, Co. Laois will be for junior, senior and juvenile even ages and week-end two (at a venue to be confirmed) on 13th and 14th February will be for juvenile uneven ages. Week-end two might include novice and masters, but this has not been decided yet because there are concerns about the entries anticipated for these events, which due to significant pent up desire for competition, might be too high to manage properly under the Covid-19 regulations in force at the time. The situation is being kept under constant review.

Compliance with Covid-19 regulations has required some difficult decisions to limit numbers in races and to limit overall numbers on the course. The main decisions are that there will no Club competition for juvenile even ages, or individual entries either, and there will be a maximum of just 8 athletes from each County in each underage race. Qualification for juveniles will be from County cross country only but there will be open entry for juniors and senior individuals and for Club and County teams, and if novice and masters events will be held, they will also have open entry. No spectators will be allowed on the course and juvenile athletes will be allowed to be accompanied by one parent only.

All-Ireland week-end one on 27th and 28th February will be for junior (under 19 and 20 only) and juvenile even ages, and week-end two on 13th and 14th March will be for senior and juvenile uneven ages. A third week-end is also planned for 27th and 28th March and is for juvenile uneven age Club teams, but as of now, Leinster has no plans to hold the corresponding Inter-Club competition, so this fixture will be going ahead without Leinster teams. No decision has been made regarding an All-Ireland for novice, master or intermediate athletes. As per Government Guidelines there will be a limit on the numbers permitted to participant. For the first time, there will be no open entry for senior individuals or teams and they must qualify from Leinster, with allowances made for elite, high performance and under 23 athletes based on European cross country championship participation over the last 3 years, which might be of relevance to some Mullingar athletes. For juniors, open entry is permitted but restricted to under 19 and 20 only (based on 2020 ages). For juveniles, competition will be for individual and Inter-Provincial only, and qualification is restricted to the top 15 from each Province.

With the first Leinster fixture at the end of January, this gives an opportunity to conclude County cross country fixtures but any delay at County level will very likely push back the dates for Leinster. Whether we can hold day two of the Westmeath cross country in January or not depends on what Covid-19 level we are at then, which we mightn’t know until after Christmas, so if we’re allowed to race, be prepared to move at very short notice.