Event Information

Registration

Registration will be in the the Holyrood Park Education Centre (WhatThreeWords: lock.wakes.kept). It will open at 09:00.

Captains must register their team. Student cards must be presented at registration.

Running spikes/shoes are not permitted to be warn inside the building. 

Registration Process:
- The captain, or similar representative, of each university should collect an envelope with a list of entries and their team’s race chip numbers and safety pins.
- Sign the ‘sign out sheet’, giving a contact number. By signing this sheet, the signatory will be responsible for all race numbers.
- One Long Race Declaration form should be submitted (if applicable). These will be available in your captains packs that you will collect at registration.
- Distribute race numbers to the team.

The paper numbers with chips do not need to be returned. Please consider the environment when disposing. Please do not litter. Numbers should be taken home or placed in a bin. Students whose numbers are found discarded after the event will face disciplinary action and a fine.

Team Declarations

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.

SIX athletes per institution may compete in the Men’s Long Race. FOUR athletes per institution may compete in the Women's Long Race.

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 the Women's declaration and 13:00 for the Men's declaration.

PLEASE NOTE: When you collect your captain pack from the registration desk, the declaration forms will be in there for you to complete.

Finalised Race Details

Women's Short Race 

  • Distance: 6km 
  • Race start time: 11:30AM 

Men's Short Race 

  • Distance: 8km 
  • Race start time: 12:15PM

Women’s Long Race

  • Distance: 8km 
  • Race start time: 1:15PM

Men’s Long Race

  • Distance: 10km 
  • Race start time: 2:15PM

Race Start

A warning will be given five minutes before the start of each race. Team Managers must marshal their teams to the start line at the time of the five 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 university will only be allowed one athlete on the front row of the start. This will be enforced by the Marksmen and Race Referee.

Races

Men's Long Race:

Only SIX men per institution may run in the Men’s Long Race with the first FOUR finishers to count towards the team event.

All other male competitors must race in the Men’s Short Race.

Women's Long Race:

Only FOUR women per institution may run in the Women’s Long Race with the first THREE finishers to count towards the team event.

All other female competitors must race in the Women’s Short Race.

Men's Short Race:

This race is for all men not competing in the Long Race.

Teams are made up of four members and there can be multiple teams per institution if team size allows.

Athletes may only compete in one race at the championships.

Women's Short Race:

This race is for all women not competing in the Long Race.

Teams are made up of three members and there can be multiple teams per institution if team size allows.

Athletes may only compete in one race at the championships.

Car Parking and Coach Information

There is NO car parking available for this event. Please utilise the car parks around Edinburgh City Centre which are a short walk away from the venue. 

If you require a disabled parking space, please email Ali Root prior to the event so that this can be allocated.

Coach drop off information will be released shortly.

Timing

Chips are attached to race numbers which will be collected by captains at Registration. If you lose your race number, you will not be able to compete. Lap times will be recorded. You must run under your published number or you will be disqualified. Race numbers are displayed on the entry list which will be published after entries close.

Runner Identification

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

Competition Rules

This event will be contested under the rules of UK Athletics and the BUCS Regulations.

Race Rules

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.

7. Team medals will only be awarded to scoring runners (first 4 athletes from a university in Men’s races and first 3 in Women’s race).

Behaviour

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.’

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.

Inclement Weather

BUCS will monitor the weather in the week prior to the event. Any decision to cancel will be made between BUCS, the University of Edinburgh and race officials. In the event that the Championships are cancelled, every effort will be made to contact Athletic Unions/Sports Offices and team contacts in geographical order (furthest first). All updates will be posted on the BUCS website and Twitter account.

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. Foil blankets will be available but they will not be enough to stop you from becoming cold.

Presentations

Presentations will take place in front of the Education Centre upon completion of the final race.

Medals and BUCS Points

Medals will be available for the first three runners in all four races. Team medals are also available for the top three teams in the Men's Long and Short race teams (first four finishers combined positions) and Women's Long and Short race team (first three finishers combined positions). 

BUCS Points will be available for the top four finishers in the Men's and Women's Long Race. BUCS Points will also be available for the top 8 Men's and Women's Overall Team from the Long Race.

A full breakdown of BUCS Points available can be found here.

Refreshments

The following food/drink outlets will be available on the day:

Flahute Coffee – serving a range of hot drinks, sweet snacks and porridge.
Bonnie Burrito – burrito vendor serving hot food and cold drinks.
Luti’s Pizza – serving fresh pizzas from their wood burning oven and cold drinks.
Meat Stack – serving gourmet burgers and cold drinks.

There will be places available to refill water bottles.

Merchandise

Kukri Sport will be selling bespoke BUCS Cross Country Championships merchandise. They will be based in the main event site throughout the day.

Facilities

Changing and showering facilities will be available in Plesance Sports Complex & Gym. Please note that this area will not be constantly manned and that BUCS cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to personal property. Please also note that running shoes/spikes cannot be warn in this area.

There will be portable toilets for athletes and spectators to use near to the start/finish area of the race.

University Gazebos

There is a designated area for University Gazebos which will be signposted. There is limited space in this area. The gazebos should be erected away from the start/finish area. Any gazebos brought to the event must be taken away. Damaged gazebos are not to be left in the park under any circumstances.

Please ensure that ALL gazebos are safely secured to the ground.

Event Day Information

Please note that there is currently a protest planned outside the Scottish Parliment building on the 1 February starting at noon. 

We recommend arriving at the event with plenty of time prior to your race starting.