New rules for cross country

Has anyone else noticed the new rule 250(2)(a) for Cross Country courses in the 2016 rule book?
http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/competitions/rules/

RULE 250 CROSS-COUNTRY RACES
Course

(2) For Championships and international events and, wherever possible, for other competitions:
(a) A loop course must be designed, with the loop measuring between 1500m and 2000m. If necessary, a small loop can be added in order to adjust the distances to the required overall distances of the various events, in which case the small loop must be run in the early stages of the event. It is recommended that each long loop should have a total ascent of at least 10m.


The 2000m maximum loop length means that the 12km English Championships will now have to be staged on a 6 lap course and the lead runners will be lapping the tail-enders 4 times.


Who writes these rules?!

Comments

  • VDOT52VDOT52 ✭✭✭
    Seems sensible to me. A loop is much better for spectators.
  • Being lapped 4 times in a six lap race means the tail enders are taking three times longer to finish the race as the winner.  Maybe they're thinking about introducing a qualifying standard for the national XC champs, like they do for track and road racing.

  • VDOT52VDOT52 ✭✭✭
    That would make sense Dave. Although I think the slower folk might protest a bit.
  • This is a rule for Championships and International events right?

    Are there no qualifying times?

    Surely they don't just let anyone rock up just to say they took part in a championship race?

    Being lapped by the leading group could be dangerous.

    For the lappers and lappees

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    Anyone can run in national championships. With the current larger laps (about 3-4k) you do still get slower runners being lapped by the fastest ones, though not as many as you would with shorter laps. I'm wondering though if the 12k senior men's championship will last much longer; Scotland has already decided to reduce its national champs to 10k (and increase the women's to match the men's) in line with international competitions.

  • PiersPiers ✭✭✭

    All in the interests of TV no doubt. UK, sorry "British",  Athletics is a waste of f*****g space.

    Mind you we could now use our local Parkrun course; though with a rise of 30m per lap it might be a bit tough for the precious buggers.

  • I've never watched one on TV and thought it resembled the cross country real people do!

    Runner, swimmer, cyclist and triathlete

    Devoid of a competitive streak :)

    Who cares, I'm in it for the medal!

  • SwimsL1keaWalrus wrote (see)

    I've never watched one on TV and thought it resembled the cross country real people do!

    there's never enough mud, mind you Scottish nationals is usually a mudbath.

  • I take have taken part in two cross country leagues.our local one for the counties 10 running clubs has 5 courses each year and they are brillaint.mud, hills, water features.what I would call cross country.....

    the gwent league mainly involves running around a field and if its been a dry spell are very similar to a road race.....I cant see the point in the boring loops around a filed.....10 metres a lap is not much.

  • DustinDustin ✭✭✭

    The Southerns which are run over 15k should be intersting then.
    3 loops of Parliament Hill this year and still people were lapped. Imagine if that's 8 laps...

  • VDOT52VDOT52 ✭✭✭
    Maybe they will do a run until you are lapped cut off for the slower runners? That'd suit me.
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