The English National Cross Country Relays go ahead on Saturday 31st October at Berry Hill Park, Mansfield where they have been staged since 1989.
Again over 1000 teams are entered over the 11 Races. This year the programme includes a new event, with a 4 x 1600m mixed relay for senior athletes.
The Championships gets under way at 10:50 am with the Junior and U18 Women’s 3 x 2.5K and then it is action packed all the way through with the final race the Senior Men’s 4 x 5k race starting at 2.40 pm.
This event is now part of the build up to the Trials at the end of November to get into the GB Team for the European Cross Country Championships so many a potential athlete for that Team will be in action.
The Course at Berry Hill has been meticulously prepared and reports from the venue state it is in good condition. It was modified in 2025 due to major development of the Park, with positive feedback last year on the first use of the revised course. The mixture of good parkland, a wooded section with lots of undulations and a fast finishing section make it a good course for the event and some exciting competition is expected.
The first English Cross Country Relays took place in 1985 with just three events; Under 17 Men, Junior Men and Senior Men.
The event was first staged in Crystal Palace Park and then again in the same location two years later in 1987 before it moved permanently to Berry Hill Park, Mansfield in 1989.
That year, womens events were also held and over the years all the age groups have been added – there are now ten championships competed for on a single day. Over the years this event has grown in stature thanks to the dedication of all the officials, sponsors and the co-operation of Mansfield District Council. In an era where numbers of participants have fallen this event continues to maintain its popularity.
Michael Callegari
Since the advent of the event, all the top British cross country runners have competed over the course around Berry Hill Park. The positioning of the event at the end of October makes it an ideal competition for athletes aiming to qualify for the Great Britain team to take part in the European Cross Country Championships six weeks later and at the same time support their club.
The first English Cross Country Relays took place in 1985 with just three events; Under 17 Men, Junior Men and Senior Men.