English Cross Country Association

English Cross Country Association
Sport	Cross country running
Abbreviation	ECCA
Founded	1888
Location	Wallington House, Solihull
Chairman	John Temperton
Secretary	Ian Byett
Official website
	www.englishcrosscountry.co.uk

Last updated November 13, 2019

The English Cross Country Association (ECCA) is the governing body of cross country running in England. Its objectives are to promote and develop cross country running and to advance and safeguard the interests of the sport and the governing body. It organises the English National Cross Country Championships where athletes compete for their clubs, and manages the England teams in cross country competition, including the selection of athletes for some international permit events.

Cross country running sport in which competitors race by running a long-distance course on natural terrain

Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. Sometimes the runners are referred to as harriers. The course, typically 4–12 kilometres (2.5–7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of grass, and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road. It is both an individual and a team sport; runners are judged on individual times and teams by a points-scoring method. Both men and women of all ages compete in cross country, which usually takes place during autumn and winter, and can include weather conditions of rain, sleet, snow or hail, and a wide range of temperatures.

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to the west and Scotland to the north. The Irish Sea lies west of England and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain, which lies in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

The English National Cross Country Championships is an annual English cross country running event which takes place in late February following the regional championships which all take place on the same weekend usually in late January. The English, Welsh and Scottish National Cross Country Championships are all usually held on the same day.

Solihull is a large town and administrative centre in England with a population of 123,187 in the 2011 Census. Historically in Warwickshire, it is the largest town in, and administrative centre of, the larger Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, which itself has a population of 209,890. Solihull is situated 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of Birmingham, 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Warwick and 110 miles (180 km) northwest of London. Solihull is the most affluent town of the West Midlands, and one of the most affluent areas in the UK outside London. In November 2013, the uSwitch Quality of Life Index named Solihull the "best place to live" in the United Kingdom.

The ECCA is distinct from the UK Counties Athletics Union, which organises inter-county competition and holds the annual Inter-County Cross Country Championships. At the Inter-Counties athletes represent (and are selected by) their home counties, not their clubs.

History

The National Cross-Country Union was founded in 1883 and in 1933 the organisation was renamed the English Cross-Country Union (ECCU). ^[2]

The ECCA was founded 1992 with the joining of the English Cross Country Union and the Women’s Cross Country and Road Running Association. And soon united of the men’s and women’s Nationals on one day and at one venue. The first joint English National Cross Country Championships was held at Luton in 1995.^[1]

Luton is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Bedfordshire, situated in the south east of England, but in the East of England region for administrative purposes. It has a population of 214,109 (mid-2018 est.) and is one of the most populous towns without city status in the United Kingdom. The town is situated on the River Lea, about 30 miles (50 km) northwest of London. The town's foundation dates to the sixth century as a Saxon outpost on the River Lea, from which Luton derives its name. Luton is recorded in the Domesday Book as Loitone and Lintone and one of the largest churches in Bedfordshire, St Mary's Church, was built in the 12th century. There are local museums which explore Luton's history in Wardown Park and Stockwood Park.

Teams

The policy of the Association is to send teams to major international cross country events, in order that athletes develop and gain experience of travelling and competing against elite athletes from other Countries.

England teams become selected for the Senior age group and the IAAF Under 20/Junior age groups for both men and women. No athletes who are under the age of 16 on the day of competition will be selected and if under 18 will be required to complete a parental consent form.

Sponsorship

The ECCA and Saucony have agreed a new three-year deal to sponsor the English National Cross Country Championships and the English Cross Country Relays. The new agreement is starting on 1 January 2009 and following on from the six years that Saucony have already sponsored the Championships. The successful partnership has seen the Numbers taking part in some of the age groups grow in the size while the Relays have gone from strength to strength.

Saucony is an American manufacturer of athletic shoes. The company is a subsidiary of Wolverine World Wide.

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References

1 2 "English Cross Country Association - History". English Cross Country Association. English Cross Country Association. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
↑ "Records of the English Cross-Country Union". Cadbury Research Library Special Collections. University of Birmingham. Retrieved 31 July 2015.

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[ECCA_History-1] 1 2 "English Cross Country Association - History". English Cross Country Association. English Cross Country Association. Retrieved 31 July 2015.

[2] "Records of the English Cross-Country Union". Cadbury Research Library Special Collections. University of Birmingham. Retrieved 31 July 2015.