AAI Novice Cross Country Championships, WIT Sports Campus, Carriganore, Waterford, Sun 15-Dec-2013

AAI Novice XC, Carriganore - view north from the Start area

The AAI Novice XC Championships take place on Sunday 15th of December 2013 at the WIT Sports Campus in Carriganore, Waterford. The day’s proceedings kick off with the Juvenile Uneven Age races at 11.30am. The schedule concludes with the Ladies and Men’s Novice races at 2.45pm and 3pm respectively. Events at national level are on a much larger scale than AAI Munster and AAI Cork events. Correspondingly, rules and regulations are more strictly enforced. So, please adhere to the rules and follow the signs and stewards directions for parking.

AAI Novice XC course and facilities

Click here to enlarge

 Novice Women 4,000m (1 Yelllow + 2 Navy) 14.45

Novice Men 6,000m (4 Navy) 15.00

The club’s last visit to WIT was in November 2012 for the Munster Intermediate Cross Country. The venue is a large open field with woods at the northern end. From the access road at the eastern end, the land inclines upward gradually towards the western end, the incline becoming more pronounced as you get to the top of the field. There’s a row of trees running East-West up the centre of the field. The west side ends high up on an embankment which runs parallel to the access road to the WIT West Campus at Point A in the picture above. On the day of the Munster Intermediate, runners had to negotiate a very nasty climb to get up onto this embankment. You’ll be glad to know that the AAI Novice avoids this climb as the Yellow and Navy loops cross below the second last tree at the top (west) end of the field. The ground in and around the wooded (north) end does tend to cut up easily around the bends. Other than that, this is a fast course in favourable weather conditions.On Women’s teams, the first four will score for both club and county. On Men’s teams, the first four will score for club and the first six for county. All competitors must wear official team colours. Best of luck to the BARRS’ Men’s and Women’s Novice Teams!

WIT Campus West

Travelling east from Cork, when you get to the Waterford [N25/E30] by-pass with the River Suir on your left, take the R710 exit for Waterford & ​Tramore. Cross over the N25 and go straight ahead at roundabout. About 500m further on you’ll arrive at the main access roundabout for the WIT Sports Campus.

Set the SatNav to [+52° 15′ 15.72″, -7° 10′ 44.89″]

Paste coordinates [52.254367, -7.179136] into Google Maps

Waterford Institute of Technology West Campus, Carriganore is located on the Old Kilmeaden Road, bounded on the perimeter by the River Suir and the new Waterford [N25/E30] by-pass where a major roundabout access to the Campus has been developed. The existing Carriganore House has also been refurbished and is now a base for research activities and corporate meetings in a magnificent woodland setting. The sports pavilion and associated sports grounds have been developed to the South side of the campus. The Campus covers almost 160 acres of land that runs from the old Kilmeaden road down to the bank of the river Suir. Fifty acres of the land is set aside specifically for sports facilities, which includes the following;

  • Three full sized floodlight grass pitches
  • Top class GAA approved all weather pitch (full sized GAA or two soccer pitches)
  • 2km undulating outdoor run
  • 8 first class changing facilities