County Cross-Country Championships 2020

Cork AAI Cross-Country Championships 2020 will take place over October 4th, 11th, 25th and November 1st (subject to further COVID-19 announcements).

Day 1 – Sunday October 4th
(entries need to be submitted to Gerry before 12.00 Thursday 24th September)

Under 14 Girls, Under 14 Boys, Under 16 Girls, Under 16 Boys, Under 23 Women, Novice Women, Under 23 Men, Novice Men.

Club members need to submit their entry through Gerry Cronin (St. Finbarr’s A.C. Competition Registrar) before 12.00 Thursday 24 September. Please contact Gerry on 086 0226895 to submit your entry.

Day 1, Sunday October 4th, will set the standard to see if Cork Athletics County Board can manage to host the three subsequent Cross-Country Championship meets.

Everyone must take personal responsibility for their own behaviour and do everything that they can to make the event safe for everyone present.

To avoid close contact in the finish area, and remove the necessity for a finishing chute, chip numbers will be used for all races this year. As chip numbers are required late entries cannot be facilitated.

Day 2 – Sunday October 11th

Under 10 Girls, Under 10 Boys, Under 12 Girls, Under 12 Boys, Junior Women, Junior Men Senior Women, Senior Men

Day 3 – Sunday October 25th

Under 13 Girls, Under 13 Boys ,Under 15 Girls, Under 15 Boys, Masters Women, Masters Men

Day 4 – Sunday November 1st

Under 9 Girls, Under 9 Boys, Under 11 Girls, Under 11 Boys, Intermediate Women, Intermediate Men

Cross Country COVID Protocols for Athletes:

Source Athletic Association of Ireland

A Practical Guide for Athletes at Cross Country Competition following the Covid-19 Restrictions

Notes for this document:

The guidelines in this document relate to a return to athletics cross country competition within the current Government and Sport Ireland Covid Expert Group guidelines. This document will be reviewed in line with future government announcements.

Key Notes:

  1. Permits competitions limited to 200 people maximum (including officials, athletes, volunteers) where the facility can always ensure adequate social distancing. No spectators are permitted, and the venue must be closed to the public.
  2. You must adhere to any domestic travel restrictions in place.
  3. Permits individuals to extend their travel beyond their County.
  4. If you feel unwell do not present to the competition.
  5. If you are recovering from Covid19 seek medical advice prior to attending.
  6. PreCompetition
  7. During Competition
  8. Post Competition

We know that athletics provides great mental and physical health benefits for our society. We have a duty of care to ensure that our competition organisers ensure that we operate within a safe environment.

This practical guide, prepared by our team in consultation with medical experts and in line with Government and World Athletics Guidelines, outlines the robust measures Athletics Ireland strongly recommend competition organisers to implement and maintain to help safeguard all members during the COVID-19 pandemic. This will allow all of us to get back to training safely, improving the wellbeing of members across the country.

Our measures and procedures are under constant review and updated as advice from government, health authorities and governing bodies evolves in line with the gradual lifting of social restrictions.

Pre-Competition

• For involvement in the event, participants must:

o Have entered for the event.
o Not have been off the island of Ireland in the last 14 days.
o Not have been a close contact of someone diagnosed with Covid-19 or someone waiting on a Covid test or test results in the last 14 days.
o Not be in a period of self-isolation and/or cocooning under the current Health Policy Rules.
o Not be displaying COVID-19 symptoms.
o Adhere to any domestic travel restrictions in place.

• Participants must read and understand all notices from the competition organiser, to include:

o Covid-19 specific guidelines.
o Competition specific messages.
o Competitor etiquette (No spitting, no hand shaking etc).
o Venue maps.

• Participants must enter before the competition, no on the day registrations will be taken.

Competition Day

• Athletes must complete a COVID 19 screening questionnaire at check in for the competition.
• To protect against infection;

o Participants must refrain from handshakes, hugs and high fives.
o Keep 2m away from other people at all times.
o Cover their coughs and sneezes.
o Try not touch any surfaces at the event.

• Athletes should arrive ready to participate where possible and as close to the check in time as possible.
• Participants should bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer if possible.
• Wearing of a buff / neck scarf / facemask at all times around the start/finish area, only to be removed and disposed of when the race/event starts.
• Athletes will be told to listen to the instructions of officials regarding keeping a safe distance.
• Toilet etiquette (advised by Dept of health) must be adhered to.
• Adhering to competition ingress and egress plans.
• While warming up athletes should maintain a safe distance from others at all times.
• Athletes should stay away from the public immediately post-race when they are breathing heavier.

Post Competition

• All athletes will be expected to leave as soon as they finish.
• Adhere to egress signage.
• If an athlete becomes unwell after competing, they should first contact their GP and read the HSE guidelines and then inform the Competition Organisers. The Competition organisers will then follow advice provided to them by the HSE on the next steps.


Please remember entries once open must be through Gerry on 086 0226895.