Athletics: Cross Country Championships 2023-24

Please click here to download a copy of the course map. 

The course map and routes can be found below:

Women’s Short Course: 2 x Long Lap

Start, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, Finish

Men’s Short Course: 2 x Short Lap, 1 x Long Lap

Start, A, B, H, D, E, F, G, A, B, H, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, Finish

Women’s Long Course: 2 x Short Lap, 1 x Long Lap

Start, A, B, H, D, E, F, G, A, B, H, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, Finish

Men’s Long Course: 3 x Long Lap

Start, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, Finish

Please see a copy of the site map below

Registration will begin at 08:30 and close at 12:00.

The BUCS registration desk will be located in the Event Village area, indicated on the site map.

Teams for the long races must be declared by 12:00. Any teams not declared by this time / any athlete not declared on these sheets, will be subject to immediate disqualification,

Team Captains should come to the BUCS Registration desk upon arrival to collect their Captains Packs. Captains packs contain:

• race bibs for all competitors from that institution

Competitors should bring their University ID cards with them to the event.

Athletes may only compete in one race at the championships.

Captains must declare a team for the Men’s Long Race and Women's Long Race.

Women’s Short Race 

• Distance: ~6560 metres
• Start time: 11:15
• 2 long laps
• This race is for all athletes entered into the Women’s category who are not competing in the Long Race.

Men’s Short Race

• Distance: ~7950 metres
• Start time: 12:15
• 2 short laps, 1 long lap
• This race is for all athletes entered into the Male category who are not competing in the Men’s Long Race.

Women’s Long Race

• Distance: ~7950 metres
• Start time: 13:15
• 2 short laps, 1 long lap
• FOUR athletes, entered into the Women’s category, per institution may compete in the Women's Long Race.

Men’s Long Race

• Distance: ~9690 metres
• Start time: 14:15
• 3 long laps
• SIX athletes per institution, entered into the Men’s category, may compete in the Men’s Long Race.

Small and big lap details can be seen on the course map.

PLEASE NOTE: When you collect your captain pack from the registration desk, you will need to complete the online Race Declaration form.

Please complete the Race Declaration forms in race number numerical order: E.g. 101, 105, 107, 109, 111.

The last time to declare athletes is 12:00 for both the Men’s and Women’s Long Race.

The QR codes taking you to the online declaration forms can be found below:

A warning will be given ten minutes before the start of each race. Team Managers must marshal their teams to the start line at the time of the ten-minute warning. All races will start at the stated times unless the race referee deems a minor delay is necessary due to the overrunning of previous races.

Each institution will only be allowed one athlete on the front row of the start, though there will likely not be space for every institution to have one university on the front row. This will be enforced by the Marksmen and Race Referee.

All vehicles should park / drop off in Temple Newsam Car Park South indicated on the site map.

The car park should be accessed via Temple Newsam Road, also indicated on the site map.

Overflow parking can be located near to the Go Ape Centre. Please do not use these car parks until Temple Newsam Car Park South is full.

Anyone using the car park near to the house will be subject to the pay and display charges here.

Chips are within the race number bibs collected by Captains at registration. If you lose your race number, you WILL NOT be able to compete. Re-prints of numbers ARE NOT available at this race.

You must run under your published number, or you will be disqualified. Race numbers are displayed on the entry list which will be published shortly.

All runners are required to wear their race numbers on their front.

1. No institution will count in the Team Events unless all scoring runners finish.

2. Team points will be calculated by adding together the placing of each scoring member. The team with the lowest number of points will be named the Team Champions. E.g. 2nd, 10th and 15th = 27 points.

3. “Scoring members” will be the first scoring runners past the finish line (first 4 in the Men’s races and first 3 in the Women’s race). These scorers do not need to be identified in advance.

4. In the event of a tie on points in the team competition a “countback” will take place with the position of the last counted finishers (4th in the Men’s races and 3rd in the Women’s race) for each team compared.

5. In the Men’s Long and Women’s races only one team per institution can be counted in the team competition.

6. In the Men’s Short and Women's Short Races, medals will be awarded to the top 3 teams irrespective of whether these teams are from the same institution.

Any updates will be posted on the BUCS website and will be communicated to your Institution.

Weather Notice:
Please plan for all weather situations. Please dress appropriately for all weather conditions and ensure you bring a change of dry clothes. When you have finished your race, ensure you keep moving to stay warm. Make sure you drink enough fluids throughout the day. 

Race presentations will be held at approximately 15:45 in the Event Village near the BUCS registration desk. Please listen to PA announcements on the day for more information.

Refreshments

There will be two catering units in the Event Village area serving food and drink throughout the event.

There will be a café open (09:30-16:00) in the Temple Newsam Courtyard indicated on the site map. This is approximately a 5-minute walk from the Event Village. Please click here for a menu.

Merchandise

As BUCS’ kit provider, New Balance are giving you as BUCS athletes the chance to access a range of bespoke and personalised kit. To purchase this new range, head to bucs-shop.com where the BUCS XC Championships 2024 range will be live from Monday 22 January or find their stand on the day at the event. To have your kit delivered in time for the event when ordering online, please order by Monday 29 January. 

Facilities

There will be portable toilets for athletes and spectators to use in Temple Newsam Car Park South.

Please ensure that ALL gazebos are safely secured to the ground. Please note the ground will be extremely muddy!

The set-up of gazebos is weather dependent. We ask for your cooperation on this matter if you are asked not to set them up / take them down.

Teams can set-up gazebos in the areas indicated on the site map. Gazebos set-up outside of this will be required to be taken down.

The course will be run on open parkland fields with woodland path sections.

Cross country spikes (15mm) are appropriate for this race.

There is a zero tolerance on alcohol at this event. There is strictly no alcohol permitted on site and any found will be confiscated. Any breach of this will result in disciplinary action.

These championships will run under the BUCS General Regulations and UK Athletics Rules of Competition. The sport specific regulations can be found here. It is important to note the regulations surrounding student’s behaviour. These have been breached in previous years resulting in £650 fines and 2 year suspensions from BUCS Cross Country Events. These sanctions have been handed out in previous years for behaviours such as streaking, consumption of alcohol on site and running under someone elses name.

Universities are reminded of BUCS Regulation 5.1.2. ‘REG 5.1.2 The consumption of alcohol or recreational drugs (in addition to substances covered under REG 4.5) will not be tolerated. Competitors at any event or fixture found to be consuming such substances will be automatically disqualified and may face further disciplinary action under this regulation.’

The sustainability of our event matters to us and these are the positive steps we are taking to manage our environmental impact:

• All staff and volunteers are encouraged to travel to the event via public transport
• We have used local suppliers where possible
• Event programmes are all online, minimising paper use
• We will print on demand merchandise (if applicable)
• Moved all race declaration forms online

How can you help at this event? Here’s some ideas:

• Be self-sufficient by using refillable bottles and coffee cups to reduce waste
• Travel smarter – as a team on a minibus, cycle or use public transport
• Go paperless - use your phone for all event information
• Check out the Active Travel link on Leeds City Council website here