Points
1. Cross Challenge points will be awarded to those athletes competing in the Senior and Under 20 Men’s and Women’s races, held at the UK Athletics Cross Challenge events in Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow & Leeds. Double points will be awarded in the Final.
2. Cross Challenge points will be awarded to those athletes competing in the Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17 Boys and Girls races, held at the UK Athletics Cross Challenge events in Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow & Leeds. Double points will be awarded in the Final.
3. Senior Men and Senior Women will score 50 points for 1st place, down to 1 point for 50th place. Junior Men and Junior Women will score 25 points for 1st place down to 1 point for 25th place. The U13, U15, and U17 age groups will score 25 points for 1st place down to 1 point for 25th place.
4. Bonus points will be awarded for competing in each of the first four events of the series:
Three points will be allocated to all eligible athletes that compete at each of the first four events in the series. An athlete must complete the race to claim these bonus points. Where an athlete elects to compete in a higher age group at the World Athletics / European Trials, to that which he / she is eligible under UKA rules; he / she will be allowed to retain their 3 bonus points and add them to those already gained in their eligible age group.
Points and Awards Eligibility
1. Only UK athletes are allowed to score Cross Challenge points and win UK Athletics Cross Challenge awards. Additional awards may be offered by individual race organisers. Where non-UK athletes are competing, their position in the race is to be disregarded when calculating Cross Challenge points allocated to UK finishers.
2. To be eligible for overall Series awards, Senior and Junior athletes must run in at least two of the four races being held in Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow & Leeds to qualify to run in the final. Each athlete’s best two scores from races 1-4 including bonus points earned, plus points scored in the Final will determine the overall placing. Athletes who have qualified but do not compete in the final will not be eligible for the overall series awards.
3. For U13, U15 and U17 athletes to be eligible for overall series awards, they must compete in two of the four races being held in Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow & Leeds to qualify to run in the final. Each athlete’s best two scores from races 1-4 including bonus points earned, plus points scored in the final will determine the overall placing. Athletes who have qualified but do not compete in the Final will not be eligible for the overall series awards.
4. If two or more athletes have the same points total after the Final, their overall Cross Challenge positions will be decided by their placing in the Final.
5. Athletes without UK passports must fulfil four criteria:
a. They must be first claim members of a UK Club.
b. They must have been resident in the UK for at least two years.
c. They must be in the process of applying for a UK passport.
d. They must be available for Great Britain and N Ireland team selection.
Awards & Payments
1. Prize Money is awarded to the first three Seniors and the first three Juniors at races 1, 2, 3 and 4. Payment will be made BACS transfer from UK Athletics within 60 days of receipt of the Prize Voucher from the relevant athlete, who must provide their home address and email address when returning their completed voucher. Completed Vouchers may be sent by e-mail to UK Athletics.
2. Overall Series awards will be paid to the first three Senior and first three Under 20 (Junior) athletes in accordance with the published prize list. Payment of these awards will be made by BACS transfer from UK Athletics within 60 days of receipt of the relevant prize voucher. Any prize voucher received by UK Athletics more than 60 days after the final held on 8 March 2025, will be declared void and the recipient will relinquish any entitlement to the said award.
3. Awards will be awarded to the first three athletes in each of the U13, U15 and U17 age groups
at races 1, 2, 3 and 4, together with UK Athletics Cross Challenge Medals. Prizes and Medals will be presented on the day.
4. Overall Series awards will be presented to the first three athletes in each of the U13, U15, and U17 age group, together with UK Athletics Cross Challenge Trophies. These awards will be presented to the athlete on the day or posted to the athlete by UK Athletics after the final on 8 March 2025.
Age Groups
1. All Under 20 (Junior) and Senior events in the Series must be run according to World Athletics age groups. In particular, this is relevant to Under 20 athletes (Junior), who will compete according to World Athletics eligibility. This means for example, that where an athlete is 20 at any point in the year of competition, he or she must compete in the Senior events.
2. Athletes who are World Athletics Juniors (Under 20) in 2024, but become Senior’s in 2025, are eligible to compete in UK Athletics Under 20 races in 2024 and win any awards due. However, they will not be eligible for the overall series awards offered to Under 20 athletes at the Final on 8th March 2025.
3. Athletes who are World Athletics Juniors (Under 20) in 2024, but become seniors in 2025, may compete in Senior races in 2025 if they so choose, and would therefore remain eligible for overall Senior Awards at the final on 8th March 2025.
Championship Races
1. The European Trials for Senior, Under 23 and Junior athletes, will be incorporated into the UK Athletics Cross Challenge event in Liverpool on the 23 November 2024.
2. No individual race awards will be awarded for Race 5, the UK Athletics Cross Challenge Final. Races in the Final serve to decide the overall positions in the UK Athletics Cross Challenge Series, with double points being awarded in all relevant age categories.
Download a copy of the rules here