- CANTERBURY RUNNING | CROSS COUNTRY
BE INVOLVED
Cross-country, Road and Trail running covers all running that occurs outside an athletics stadium. It can be daunting for people new to the sport to understand what we mean so here is a guide.
Our calendar offers events throughout the year. Anyone can enter an event. Click on the calendar page for information specific to that event.
- Cross-country events are run around loops over mixed terrain including grass, sand, and forest floor. Each loop is usually about 2k. Each event offers various distances from 4k to 10k. The more relaxed races include the Lake Reserve Cross-Country and the Royal Derby. We also offer relay events where team members run their lap before tagging the next person in the team. Sometimes these have handicapped starts which means the faster teams start later. This leads to exciting close finishes. Faster stronger runners are catered for too with steeple chase jumps in the Kennett Cup and the hilly Holloway.
- Road racing is on hard surfaces with runs ranging from shortish loops to longer scenic events. Distances range from 5k up to the half and full marathon. Our show-stopper is the stunning 10k run between Governors Bay and Lyttleton. The highlight for many is the iconic Takahe to Akaroa road relay.
- Trail runs take you literally off the beaten track. These events are usually longer in distance. Boulder Bay is a 10.5k run out around Godley Head and the Crater Rim events offers multiple options from 10k to 83k which will take you all over the Port Hills.
- Race walking is also possible in most of our events.
Full programme details can be found here
PROGRAMME 2023
PRINTABLE VERSION – CLICK
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE FOR CLUBS – CLICK
| January 10/17/24/31 and Feb 7 | 5k Series |
| February 19 (Sunday) | ITM 5k Road Race |
| March 10 (Friday) | DGRS Night of 5k PBs @ NPW |
| March 18 | NZ Mountain Running Championships – Mount Maunganui |
| March 25 | Canterbury 10,000m Championships |
| March 26 (Sunday) | NZ Short Course Trail Running Championships – Dunedin |
| April 02 (Sunday) | Lakes Reserve Race |
| School Holidays – 7th April to 23rd April | EASTER Friday 7th to Monday 10th |
| April 08 | Easter Saturday |
| April 16 | The Frontrunner Christchurch Marathon and Canterbury Marathon |
| April 22 | |
| April 25 (Tuesday) Anzac Day | |
| April 29 | Hagley Memorial Relays* |
| May 06 | Rotorua Marathon (NZ & Masters Marathon Championships) |
| May 09 (Tuesday) | Canterbury Secondary School Road Race Championships |
| May 13 or 14 tbc | Lionel Fox Relay @ Rangiora* |
| May 20 | |
| May 27 | Rawhiti Cross Country Races incorporating the Jane Paterson* |
| June 01 (Thursday) | Secondary School Cross Country Championships |
| June 03 | |
| June 05 (Monday) King’s Birthday | |
| June 10 | Andrew Reese Memorial Relay @ The Willows* |
| June 17 | Under the Stars @ Ascot |
| June 17 & 18 | Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships* |
| June 24 | |
| July 01 | Canterbury Cross-Country Championships* – Halswell Quarry |
| School Holidays | 1st July to 16th July |
| July 08 | |
| July 14th (Friday) Matariki | |
| July 15 | Kennett Cup* |
| July 22 | |
| July 29 | Port Hills U18 Races* |
| July 29 | NZ Cross Country Championships |
| August 05 | Holloway Cross Country Races* |
| August 12 | |
| August 19 | Canterbury Road Championships* |
| August 26 | |
| September 02 | Lakeside Relays* – Lake Roto Kohatu |
| September 09 | |
| September 10 (Sunday) | NZ Road Championships – Manawatu |
| September 16 | Governors Bay to Lyttelton* |
| School Holidays | 23rd September to 8th October |
| September 23 | |
| September 30 (date TBC) | NZ Road Relay – |
| October 07 | |
| October 15 (Sunday) | NZ Long-distance Trail Running Championships – Crater Rim |
| October 21 | |
| October 23 (Monday) Labour Day | |
| October 28 | |
| October 31 (Tuesday) | Winter season prize giving |
| December 10 | Canterbury Half Marathon Championships* (tbc) |
*Winter club of the year events.
All dates Saturday unless otherwise stated
NZ CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023 - Team Information
CORRECT INFORMATION FOR 2023 WILL FOLLOW IN DUE COURSE
National Cross Country Championships – 2023
Spa Thermal Park, Taupo,
Saturday, 29th July 2023
Sunday, 30th July 2023 (Club team relay)
TEAM LIST – Will be announced after entries close
INFORMATION for ATHLETES – CLICK
SELECTION POLICY
To be considered for Canterbury team selection, athletes will need to:
-
meet the selection criteria (See notes below) – Remember selection to the Canterbury team is only for under 18 Grade and above.
-
fill in the NOMINATION FORM and submit as below
Either post to: 5 McBeath Avenue, Hoon Hay, ChCh 8025, to arrive before.
or
Scan & Email form:
to Daniel Reese before
or
Hand form to: the Canterbury Cross Country Event Help Desk or selectors Daniel Reese, Shona Brown or Kevin Prendergast at the Canterbury Championships.
Cross Country Championships Team Selection Policy 2023
1. Athletes must start in the 2023 Canterbury Cross Country Championships unless they have advised a Selector of a valid reason for not participating.
2. An athlete will be selected, if available, if they finish in the 1st or 2nd place positions in the Canterbury Championships in the following grades: Senior Men, Senior Women, Men U20, Women U20, Men U18, Women U18, Masters Men 35-49, Masters Women 35-49, Masters Men 50+ and Masters Women 50+ and Masters Men 65+
3. Other athletes may be included if, in the opinion of the Selectors, they are likely to acquit themselves well at the New Zealand Cross Country Championships.
4. The Selectors may include further team members to ensure that a complete team is available to compete in a grade.
Eligibility to compete in the 2023 NZ Cross Country Championships:
-
Senior grade: An athlete to compete in this grade shall be aged 17 years or over on the 31st December in the year of competition.
-
Men U20 & Women U20 grade: An athlete to compete in this grade shall be aged 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 years on the 31st of December in the year of competition
-
Men U18 & Women U18 grade: An athlete to compete in this grade shall be aged 15, 16 or 17 years on the 31st of December in the year of competition.
NZ ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023 - Team Information
CORRECT INFORMATION FOR 2023 WILL FOLLOW IN DUE COURSE
National Road Championships Championships – Wellington, Sunday, 10th September 2023.
TEAM LIST – CLICK Will be announced after entries close
INFORMATION for ATHLETES – CLICK
To be updated for 2023
SELECTION POLICY – CLICK
To be considered for Canterbury team selection, athletes will need to:
-
meet the selection criteria (See link above) – Remember selection to the Canterbury team is only for under 18 Grade and above.
-
fill in the NOMINATION FORM and submit as below
Either post to: 5 McBeath Avenue, Hoon Hay, ChCh 8025, to arrive before Wednesday 17th August.
or
Scan & Email form:
to Daniel Reese before Saturday 20th August
or
Hand form to: the Canterbury Road Championships Event Help Desk or selectors Daniel Reese, Shona Brown or Kevin Prendergast at the Canterbury Championships.
Shoe Clinic 'Athlete of the Week'
| 2022 Shoe Clinic “Athlete of the Week” awards | ||
| Event | Grade 16 & up – $50.00 | Grade 15 and down – $30.00 |
| Hagley Memorial Relay | Andrea Hansen (NBOL) | Cooper Wightman (SELW) |
| Lionel Fox Relays | Alex Kelliher (CHAV) | Isabel Prescott (SELW) |
| Canterbury Marathon Championship | Daniel Balchin (UNC) | |
| Jane Paterson Races | Niamh Motley (TIM) | Tomo Hudson (CHAV) |
| Holloway Memorial Races | Olivia Ritchie (DGRS) | Brynne Gordon (PHILL) |
| South Island Cross-Country Champs/Kennett Cup | Cameron Clark (CHAV) | Bela Cameron (CHAV) |
| Canterbury Cross-Country Championships | Eva Pringle (UNC) | Otto Church (CHAV) |
| Andrew Reese Memorial Relay | Corban Straker (CHAV) | Nicole Ridd (CHAV) |
| Lakeside Relays | Anne McLeod (DGRS) | Henry Ridd (CHAV) |
| Canterbury Road Championships | Jonah Cropp (SUM) | Momoka Hudson (CHAV) |
| Selwyn Races | Sarah McSweeney (UNC) | Lily Sewell (SELW) |
| Port Hills U18 Races | Kate Currie (CHAV) | Finn Woodhouse (CHAV) |
| Governors Bay to Lyttelton | Oska Baynes (UNC) | |
| Takahe to Akaroa Relay (A2B Relay) | Cameron Avery (CHAV) | |
| The Cross Country & Road Committee would like to thank Shoe Clinic for their support of these awards | ||