English National Cross Country Championships
Frequencyannual
CountryEngland
Inaugurated1876
Organised byEnglish Cross Country Association

The English National Cross Country Championships is an annual English cross country running event which takes place in late February following the regional championships (Southern, Midlands and Northern) which all take place on the same weekend usually in late January. The event is the oldest national cross country championship in the world, having been first run in 1876.[1] The English, Welsh and Scottish National Cross Country Championships are all usually held on the same day.

Format

There are categories for senior men and women, junior men and women, U17, U15, U13 and club teams. The course is 12 km for men and 8 km for women and the fact that the distances for senior men and senior women is different has recently been a topic for discussion and review. Following a review of various surveys the English Cross Country Association voted to keep the race distances at 12 km for the senior men and 8 km for the senior women for the 2019 championship.[2]

The event is organised by the English Cross Country Association and currently sponsored by Saucony UK. As well as individual competition, senior athletes represent their athletics club for points scoring and team awards. Club teams consist of six senior men or four senior women.

Venues

The venue for the English National Cross Country Championships is not fixed and is usually hosted in turn by the regional associations. The men's and women's venues were held at different locations until 1995, when both were held at the same venue for the first time.

History

The first championship in 1876 was known as the 'National' and was declared void because all 32 runners went off course. The women's event was first held in 1927.[1] The senior event winners are shown in the table. Up to 1994, the women's event was run separately at a different location from the men's race.[3][4][5]

Winners

Year Location (m/w) Men's Senior team Senior Man Women's Senior team Senior Woman
1876 Buckhurst Hill declared void (32 ran) not contested
1877 Roehampton Thames Hare & Hounds Percy H Stenning (Thames H&H) not contested
1878 Roehampton Spartan Harriers Percy H Stenning (Thames H&H) not contested
1879 Roehampton Thames Hare & Hounds Percy H Stenning (Thames H&H) not contested
1880 Roehampton Birchfield Harriers Percy H Stenning (Thames H&H) not contested
1881 Roehampton Moseley Harriers George A Dunning (Clapton Beagles) not contested
1882 Roehampton Moseley Harriers Walter George (Moseley H) not contested
1883 Roehampton Moseley Harriers George A Dunning (Clapton Beagles) not contested
1884 Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield Moseley Harriers Walter George (Moseley H) not contested
1885 Manchester Liverpool Harriers William Snook (Birchfield H) not contested
1886 Croydon Birchfield Harriers J E 'Flyer' Hickman (Godiva H) not contested
1887 Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield Birchfield Harriers J E 'Flyer' Hickman (Godiva H) not contested
1888 Manchester Birchfield Harriers Edward W Parry (Salford H) not contested
1889 Kempton Salford Harriers Edward W Parry (Salford H) not contested
1890 Sutton Coldfield Salford Harriers Edward W Parry (Salford H) not contested
1891 Prenton, Birkenhead Birchfield Harriers James Kibblewhite (Spartan H) not contested
1892 Ockham Birchfield Harriers[note 1] Herbert A Heath (South London H) not contested
1893 Redditch Essex Beagles Herbert A Heath (South London H) not contested
1894 Blackpool Salford Harriers George Crossland (Salford H) not contested
1895 Wembley Birchfield Harriers Steve Cottrill (Thames Valley H) not contested
1896 Water Orton Salford Harriers George Crossland (Manchester H) not contested
1897 Trafford Park Salford H & Manchester H [note 2] Sidney Robinson (Northampton & County AC) not contested
1898 Horton, Northants Salford Harriers Sidney Robinson (Northampton & County AC) not contested
1899 Wembley Highgate Harriers Charles Bennett (Finchley H) not contested
1900 Rotherham Finchley Harriers Charles Bennett (Finchley H) not contested
1901 Leicester Essex Beagles Alfred Shrubb (South London H) not contested
1902 Lingfield Highgate Harriers Alfred Shrubb (South London H) not contested
1903 Haydock Birchfield Harriers Alfred Shrubb (South London H) not contested
1904 Wolverhampton Highgate Harriers Alfred Shrubb (South London H) not contested
1905 Lingfield Highgate Harriers Albert Aldridge (Highgate H) not contested
1906 Haydock Sutton H & AC Charlie J Straw (Sutton H & AC) not contested
1907 Colwall Birchfield Harriers George Pearce (Highgate H) not contested
1908 Newbury Hallamshire Harriers Arthur Robertson (Birchfield H) not contested
1909 Haydock Birchfield Harriers James Murphy (Hallamshire H) not contested
1910 Derby Hallamshire Harriers Fred C Neaves (Surrey AC) not contested
1911 Taplow Hallamshire Harriers Fred N Hibbins (Thrapston H & AC) not contested
1912 Haydock Hallamshire Harriers Fred N Hibbins (Thrapston H & AC) not contested
1913 Wolverhampton Birchfield Harriers Ernest Glover (Hallamshire H) not contested
1914 Chesham Surrey AC Charlie H Ruffell (Highgate H) not contested
1915-1919 cancelled due to the World War I
1920 Windsor Great Park Birchfield Harriers Charlie Gibbon [note 3] not contested
1921 Doncaster Birchfield Harriers Wally Freeman (Birchfield H) not contested
1922 Hereford Birchfield Harriers Harry Eckersley [note 4] not contested
1923 Beaconsfield Birchfield Harriers Joe Blewitt (Birchfield H) not contested
1924 Doncaster Birchfield Harriers Cpl Bill M Cotterell (Royal Corps of Signals) not contested
1925 Hereford Birchfield Harriers Cpl Bill M Cotterell (Royal Corps of Signals) not contested
1926 Wolverton Birchfield Harriers Jack E Webster (Birchfield H) not contested
1927 Crewe/Luton Hallamshire Harriers Ernie Harper (Hallamshire H) Middlesex Ladies Anne M A Williams (Littlehampton Ladies)
1928 Leamington/Chigwell Birchfield Harriers Jack E Webster (Birchfield H) Middlesex Ladies Lilian D Styles (Littlehampton Ladies)
1929 Beaconsfield/Perivale Birchfield Harriers Ernie Harper (Hallamshire H) Middlesex Ladies Lilian D Styles (Littlehampton Ladies)
1930 Sheffield/Wolverton Birchfield Harriers Wally B Howard (Kettering Town H) Westbury Harriers Lilian D Styles (Littlehampton Ladies)
1931 Kettering/Epsom Birchfield Harriers Jack Potts (Saltwell H) London Olympiades AC Gladys Lunn (Birchfield H)
1932 Wolverton/Coventry Birchfield Harriers Alec Burns (Elswick H) Birchfield Harriers Gladys Lunn (Birchfield H)
1933 Alderley Edge/Warwick Birchfield Harriers Tom Evenson (Salford H) Airedale Harriers Lilian D Styles (Haywards Heath Ladies AC)
1934 Dudley/Kettering Birchfield Harriers Sam Dodd (Wirral AC) London Olympiades AC Lilian D Styles (London Olympiades AC)
1935 Beaconsfield/Longbridge Belgrave Harriers Frank Close (Reading AC) London Olympiades AC Nellie Halstead (Radcliffe H & AC)
1936 Alderley Edge/Chidwell Row Birchfield Harriers Jack Potts (Saltwell H) Small Heath Harriers Nellie Halstead (Radcliffe H & AC)
1937 Stratford-upon-Avon/Perry Barr Birchfield Harriers Herbert D Clark (York H) Birchfield Harriers Lilian D Styles (London Olympiades AC)
1938 Reading/Luton Mitcham AC Jack Holden (Tipton H) Birchfield Harriers Evelyne Forster (Civil Service AC)
1939 Worsley/Rugby Belgrave Harriers Jack Holden (Tipton H) Birchfield Harriers Evelyne Forster (Civil Service AC)
1940-1945 cancelled due to the World War II
1946 Leamington Spa/Cheltenham Belgrave Harriers Jack Holden (Tipton H) Birchfield Harriers Pat Sandall (Birchfield H)
1947 Apsley/Oxford Sutton H & AC Archie A Robertson (Reading AC) Birchfield Harriers Ruby M Wright (St Gregorys Ladies AC)
1948 Sheffield/Sutton Coldfield Belgrave Harriers Sydney Wooderson (Blackheath H) Birchfield Harriers Ivy Kibler (Birchfield H)
1949 Birmingham/Worsley Sutton Harriers Frank E Aaron (Leeds St Marks AC) Birchfield Harriers E Johnson (Airedale H)
1950 Aylesbury/Parliament Hill Sutton Harriers Frank E Aaron (Leeds St Marks AC) Birchfield Harriers Avery Gibson (North Shields Poly Ladies AC)
1951 Richmond/Tadcaster Sutton H Frank E Aaron (Leeds St Marks AC) Ilford AC Phyllis Green (Ilford AC)
1952 Great Barr/Perry Barr Victoria Park AAC Walter Hesketh (Manchester A & CC) Ilford AC Phyllis Green (Ilford AC)
1953 Reading/Birmingham Birchfield Harriers Gordon Pirie (South London H) Birchfield Harriers Diane Leather (Birchfield H)
1954 Birkenhead/Aylesbury Bolton United H & AC Gordon Pirie (South London H) Birchfield Harriers Diane Leather (Birchfield H)
1955 Bedford/Leeds South London Harriers Gordon Pirie (South London H) Ilford AC Diane Leather (Birchfield H)
1956 Warwick/Sutton Coldfield Sheffield United H & AC Ken Norris (Thames Valley H) Ilford AC Diane Leather (Birchfield H)
1957 Parliament Hill/Enfield South London Harriers Frank Sando (Aylesford PMSC) Ilford AC June Bridgland (Southampton AC)
1958 Birkenhead/Winton South London H Alan F Perkins (Ilford AC) Highgate Harriers Roma Ashby (Coventry Godiva)
1959 Peterborough/Birmingham Sheffield United H & AC Frederick Norris (Bolton United H & AC) London Olympiades AC Joyce Byatt (Hampstead Heath H)
1960 West Bromwich/Morden Park Derby & County AC Basil Heatley (Coventry Godiva) Ilford AC Joyce Byatt (Hampstead Heath H)
1961 Parliament Hill/Sheffield Derby & County AC Basil Heatley (Coventry Godiva) London Olympiades AC Roma Ashby (Coventry Godiva)
1962 Blackpool/Wolverhampton Derby & County AC Gerry North (Blackpool & Fylde AC) London Olympiades AC Roma Ashby (Coventry Godiva)
1963 Cambridge/Richmond Park Coventry Godiva Basil Heatley (Coventry Godiva) Mitcham AC Madeleine C Ibbotson (Longwood Ladies)
1964 Leicester/Bury Portsmouth AC Mel Batty (Thurrock H) Bury & Radcliffe AC Madeleine C Ibbotson (Longwood Ladies)
1965 Parliament Hill/Birmingham Portsmouth AC Mel Batty (Thurrock H) Maryhill Ladies AC Pamela Davies (Selsonia AC)
1966 Sheffield/Watford North Staffs & Stone HAC Ron Hill (Bolton United H & AC) Maryhill Ladies AC Pamela Davies (Selsonia AC)
1967 Norwich/Blackburn Portsmouth AC Dick Taylor (Coventry Godiva) Barnet & District AC Pamela Davies (Selsonia AC)
1968 Sutton Coldfield/Coventry Coventry Godiva Ron Hill (Bolton United H & AC) Cambridge Harriers Pamela Davies (Selsonia AC)
1969 Parliament Hill/Aldershot Tipton Harriers Mike Tagg (Norfolk Gazelles) Barnet & District AC Rita Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC)
1970 Blackpool/Blackburn City of Stoke AC Trevor Wright (Hallamshire H) Cambridge Harriers Rita Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC)
1971 Norwich/Wolverhampton Shettleston Harriers Dave Bedford (Shaftesbury H) Coventry Godiva Rita Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC)
1972 Sutton Coldfield/High Wycombe Tipton Harriers Malcolm Thomas (Thames Valley H) Cambridge Harriers Rita Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC)
1973 Parliament Hill/Rawtenstall Gateshead Harriers Dave Bedford (Shaftesbury H) Cambridge Harriers Joyce Smith (Barnet Ladies AC)
1974 Sheffield/Leicester Derby & County AC Dave Black (Small Heath H) Barnet & District AC Rita Ridley (Essex Ladies AC)
1975 Stopsley/Parliament Hill Gateshead Harriers Anthony Simmons (Luton United AC) Cambridge Harriers Christine Tranter (Stretford AC) [note 5]
1976 Leicester/Blackburn Gateshead Harriers Bernie Ford (AFD) London Olympiades AC Ann Ford (Hounslow AC)
1977 Parliament Hill/Stoke Gateshead Harriers Brendan Foster (Gateshead H) Sale Harriers Glynis Penny (Cambridge H)
1978 Leeds/High Wycombe Tipton Harriers Bernie Ford (AFD) Sale Harriers Mary Stewart (Birchfield H)
1979 Stopsley/Runcorn Gateshead Harriers Mike McLeod (Elswick H) AFD Kathryn Binns (Sale H)
1980 Leicester/Rugeley Tipton Harriers Nick Rose (Bristol AC) Birchfield Harriers Ruth Smeeth (AFD)
1981 Parliament Hill/Colchester Tipton Harriers Julian Goater (Shaftesbury H) Sale Harriers Wendy Smith (Hounslow AC)
1982 Leeds/Carlisle Tipton Harriers Dave Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon AC) Sale Harriers Paula Fudge (Hounslow AC)
1983 Stopsley/Warwick AFD Tim Hutchings (Crawley AC) Sale Harriers Christine Benning (Southampton AC)
1984 Newark/Knebworth AFD Eamonn Martin (Basildon AC) AFD Jane Furniss [Shields] (Sheffield AC)
1985 Milton Keynes/Birkenhead AFD Dave Lewis (Rossendale H & AC) Crawley AC Angela Tooby (Cardiff AC)
1986 Newcastle/Leicester Tipton Harriers Tim Hutchings (Crawley AC) Sale Harriers Carole Bradford (Clevedon AC)
1987 Stopsley/Bexley Gateshead Harriers Dave Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon AC) Sale Harriers Jane Shields (Sheffield AC)
1988 Newark/Leeds Birchfield Harriers Dave Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon AC) Birchfield Harriers Helen Titterington (Leicester Coritanian)
1989 Epsom/Birmingham Tipton Harriers Dave Lewis (Rossendale H & AC) Parkside Harrow AC Angie Pain (Leeds City AC)
1990 Leeds/Rickmansworth Valli Harriers Richard Nerurkar (Bingley H & AC) Parkside Harrow AC Andrea Whitcombe (Parkside Harrow)
1991 Luton/Birkenhead Bingley H & AC Richard Nerurkar (Bingley H & AC) Parkside Harrow AC Andrea Whitcombe (Parkside Harrow)
1992 Newark/Cheltenham Tipton Harriers Eamonn Martin (Basildon AC) Parkside Harrow AC Lisa York (Leicester Coritanian)
1993 Parliament Hill/Luton Bingley H & AC Richard Nerurkar (Bingley H & AC) Parkside Harrow AC Gillian Stacey (Bromley Ladies AC)
1994 South Shields/Blackburn Blackheath Harriers Dave Lewis (Rossendale H & AC) Parkside Harrow AC Paula Radcliffe (Bedford & County AC)
1995 Luton Blackheath Harriers Spencer Duval (Cannock & Stafford A) Parkside Harrow AC Katy McCandless (Parkside Harrow) AC)
1996 Newark Bingley H & AC John Nuttall (Preston H & AC) Parkside Harrow AC Alison Wyeth (Parkside Harrow) [note 6]
1997 Havant Tipton Harriers Steffan White (Coventry Godiva) Leeds City AC Andrea Whitcombe (Parkside Harrow)
1998 Leeds Bingley H & AC Dominic Bannister (Shaftesbury Barnet H) Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Mara Myers (Parkside Harrow)
1999 Newark Tipton Harriers Justin Pugsley (Birchfield H) Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Angela Newport (Basingstoke & Mid Hants)
2000 Stowe Tipton Harriers Glynn Tromans (Coventry Godiva) Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Tara Kryzwicki (Charnwood AC)
2001 Durham Bingley H & AC Mike Openshaw (Birchfield H) Sale Harriers Manchester Liz Yelling (Bedford & County AC)
2002 Bristol Bingley H & AC Sam Haughian (WSEH) Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Liz Yelling (Bedford & County AC)
2003 Parliament Hill Leeds City AC Matt Smith (Tipton H) Chester-le-Street & District AC Hayley Yelling (WSEH)
2004 Leeds Belgrave Harriers Glynn Tromans (Coventry Godiva) Bristol AC Birhan Dagne (Belgrave H])
2005 Birmingham Salford H & AC Glynn Tromans (Coventry Godiva) Bristol & West AC Hayley Yelling (WSEWH)
2006 Parliament Hill Leeds City AC Peter Riley (Leigh H & AC) Charnwood AC Elizabeth Hall (Herts Phoenix)
2007 Sunderland Leeds City AC Frank Tickner (Wells City H) Winchester & District AC Liz Yelling (Bedford & County)
2008 Alton Towers Leeds City AC Tom Humphries (Cannock & Stafford AC) Winchester & District AC Liz Yelling (Bedford & County)
2009 Parliament Hill Newham & Essex Beagles Frank Tickner (Wells City Harriers]) Charnwood AC Hatti Dean (Hallamshire H)
2010 Leeds AFD Andy Vernon (AFD) Charnwood AC Stephanie Twell (AFD)
2011 Alton Towers Leeds City AC Steve Vernon (Stockport Harriers & AC) Charnwood AC Louise Damen (Winchester & District)
2012 Parliament Hill Leeds City AC Keith Gerrard (Newham & Essex Beagles) Hallamshire Harriers Gemma Steel (Charnwood AC)
2013 Sunderland Morpeth Harriers & AC Keith Gerrard (Newham & Essex Beagles) AFD Louise Damen (Winchester & District)
2014 Nottingham Bedford & County AC Steve Vernon (Stockport Harriers & AC) AFD Gemma Steel (Charnwood AC)
2015 Parliament Hill Notts AC Charlie Hulson (Sale Harriers Manchester) AFD Lily Partridge (AFD)
2016 Donington Park Morpeth Harriers & AC Jonathan Hay (AFD) AFD Lily Partridge (AFD)
2017 Nottingham Tonbridge AC Ben Connor (Derby Athletic Club) AFD Jessica Judd (Chelmsford AC)
2018 Parliament Hill Tonbridge AC Adam Hickey (Southend-on-Sea AC) Sale Harriers Manchester Phoebe Law (Kingston & Poly AC)
2019 Harewood House, Leeds Leeds City AC Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton AC) Leeds City AC Emily Hosker Thornhill (AFD)
2020 Nottingham Tonbridge AC Calum Johnson (Gateshead H) AFD Anna Moller (AFD)
2021 cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Parliament Hill Southampton AC Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton AC) Leeds City AC Jessica Gibbon (Reading AC)
2023 Bolesworth Castle Leeds City AC James Kingston (Tonbridge AC) Charnwood AC Sarah Astin (Belgrave Harriers)
Notes
  1. ^ Tie between Birchfield Harriers and Essex Beagles, in the subsequent run-off Birchfield won by 35 pts to 43 pts
  2. ^ Tie between Salford H and Manchester H
  3. ^ race won by Joseph Guillemot (guest)
  4. ^ race won by Joseph Guillemot (guest)
  5. ^ Guest D Nagle (Guiness AC) 1st
  6. ^ Nnenna Lynch (Oxford University AC) 1st – disqualified non-registered foreign athlete

References

  1. ^ a b Matthews/Morrison, Peter/Ian (1987). The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records and results, pages 73. Guinness Superlatives Ltd. ISBN 0-85112-492-5.
  2. ^ "ECCA decides on National Cross Country Championship Distances for Senior Men and Women for 2019 | English Cross Country Association".
  3. ^ "Past Winners". English Cross Country Association. English Cross Country Association. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Past Winners (senior men)". English Cross Country Association. English Cross Country Association. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Past Winners (senior women)". English Cross Country Association. English Cross Country Association. Retrieved 11 August 2022.

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