The English Cross Country Association (ECCA) is the governing body of

cross country running 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. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open coun ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. 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 The English National Cross Country Championships is an annual English cross country running event which takes place in late February following the regional championships (Southern, Midlands and Northern) which all take place on the same weekend usu ...

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. It was founded in 1992 with the joining of the English Cross Country Union and the Women’s Cross Country and Road Running Association. Its headquarters are located at the

England Athletics England Athletics is the governing body for the sport of athletics in England. It was set up as a limited company in 2005, taking over the role of the Amateur Athletic Association of England. England Athletics is part of UK Athletics, the national ...

headquarters in

Solihull Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe i ...

. 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). 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

was held at

Luton Luton () is a town and unitary authority with borough status, in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 census, the Luton built-up area subdivision had a population of 211,228 and its built-up area, including the adjacent towns of Dunstable an ...

in 1995.

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 Saucony is an American brand of athletic footwear and apparel. Founded in 1898, the company is owned by Wolverine World Wide. Products commercialised by Saucony include footwear and clothing ranges, such as athletic shoes, jackets, hoodies, t-sh ...

have agreed a new three-year deal to sponsor the

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.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official SiteUK AthleticsEngland Athletics
Athletics in England Cross country running in the United Kingdom Cross country running organizations 1888 establishments in England Solihull Cross Country

History

Teams

Sponsorship

See also

References

External links