Pembrey to welcome hundreds of runners for cross country championships

Pembrey Country Park, near Llanelli will welcome hundreds of club runners from all corners of Wales to another major athletics event on Saturday. The 116th George Crump MBE Memorial Welsh Athletics Cross Country Championships returns to Pembrey Country Park, near Llanelli on Saturday 22nd February 2020.

The event will incorporate a Primary Schools Challenge for under 11 athletes as well as races for athletes of all ages and abilities. The annual clubs championships were held for the first time at the park in 2019 and was a great success.

The Welsh Athletics Cross Country Championships had been held at Singleton Park in Swansea for the previous three years before then. The 2018 and 2019 fields saw its largest fields for many years. Macsen Toogood (Carmarthen Harriers), Callum Morgan (Maldwyn Harriers), Adam Beer (Llanelli AC), Osian Perrin (Menai Track and Field), Conor Smith (Swansea Harriers), Ruby Herdman (Brecon AC), Ceri Griffiths (Newport Harriers), Gwenno Goode (Cardiff Archers), Ashleigh Willis (Swansea Harriers), Katrin Higginson (Bridgend AC), Jenny Nesbitt (Worcester AC) and Dewi Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) all won their respective age groups the last time out at Pembrey (February 2019).

For the second year, it will be heading West to Pembrey Country Park in a few days’ time. The event will use a fast and looping course of the park which will offer great spectator friendly racing.

The venue will provide both interesting and testing terrain and the course will be set up to international standards. The course will be located around the same location as the John H Collins Gwent Cross Country League which came to Pembrey for the fourth time last November and not too far away from the Closed Cycling Circuit where the Welsh Athletics Road Relay Championships were held in September.

The start and finish will be on the very same field with runners on the large lap passing the Ski Pembrey before returning the same direction. The Virgin Money Giving London Mini Marathon selection race to represent Wales this April in the English Capital will be the Welsh Athletics Cross Country Championships in a few days. There will be the Run Wales Winter Relay following the success of the Road Relay edition in September.

This event early morning is for anybody over the age of 18 who wants to try something fun, social and incredibly enjoyable, with team members of three to a team completing approximately 2 miles each made up of male, female or mixed teams.

Under 13 boys and girls will begin the Welsh championship race programme at 11:00am over a distance of 3,150m.

The Senior & Master Women will be fifth of eleven races with primary races shortly after. T

he championships conclude at 3:10pm when the Senior & Master Men will set off on their 10,350m total.

2020 WELSH ATHLETICS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS TIMETABLE – AMSERLEN PENCAMPWRIAETH TRAWS GWLAD ATHLETAU CYMRU 2020

1. Under 13 Boys – Bechgyn O Dan 13 (11:00am) 3,150m

2. Under 13 Girls – Merched O Dan 13 (11:15am) 3,150m

3. Under 15 Boys – Bechgyn O Dan 15 (11:30am) 4,540m

4. Under 15 Girls – Merched O Dan 15 (11:50am) 4,540m

5. Senior Women & Master Women – Menywod (12:15pm) 7,360m

6. Primary School Boys – Bechgyn Ysgolion Cynradd (1:10pm) 1,550m

7. Primary School Girls – Merched Ysgolion Cynradd (1:25pm) 1,550m

8. Under 17 Men – Bechgyn O Dan 17 (1:40pm) 5,150m

9. Under 17 Women & Under 20 Women – Merched O Dan 17 a 20 (2:05pm) 5,150m

10. Under 20 Men – Bechgyn O Dan 20 (2:35pm) 7,360m

11. Senior Men & Master Men – Dynion (3:10pm) 10,350m