Bellahouston marks start of XC Grand Prix

Wednesday 4th November 2015

Andrew Butchart won at Bellahouston last year – and later landed £750 in the Grand Prix (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Start-lists and info for Saturday at Bellahouston

Bellahouston Park on Glasgow’s south side is the venue for the next stage in the Lindsays Cross Country season as we stage the Short Course Champs on Saturday.

It should be another exciting day as Senior teams compete for podium places and the overall Team Challenge title over 4K with U17 and U15 athletes contesting medals over 3K and 2K.

And, for the Seniors in an individual sense, Saturday’s event marks the start of a six-race series as the scottishathletics Cross Country Grand Prix returns.

There is £4000 up for grabs with Central AC duo Morag MacLarty and Andrew Butchart having each won the top prize of £750 last time around.

For 2015-16, the Cross Country Grand Prix will incorporate three of Scotland’s biggest and best cross country races, while also including two key fixtures in England.

These are the British Cross Challenge in Liverpool at the end of November and the Inter-Counties event in Birmingham in March.

The competition is open to Senior men and women and we hope it will act as a catalyst to get our leading athletes to race against each other regularly, while also competing with distinction at a UK level.

Info on Grand Prix points and prize-money

The events included (in calendar order) are:

*Scottish 4k Cross Country Championships: Glasgow: November 7

*British Cross Challenge (Incorporating European Cross Country Trials) Liverpool: November 28

(Please note you should be currently submitting entries for Liverpool via the British Athletics website)

*Scottish District Cross Country Championships: Elgin (North): December 5; Bellahouston (West): December 6; Livingston (East): December 12

*BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross Country/Scottish Inter-District Championships: Edinburgh: 9 January 2016

*Scottish National Cross Country Championships: Falkirk: 27 February 2016

*Inter Counties Cross Country Championships: Birmingham: 6 March 2016

The £4000 of prize money is available to current scottishathletics members as follows: Overall Grand Prix winners (male and female): £750; 2nd: £400; 3rd: £250; 4th: £150; 5th: £100; 6th: £75; 7th £50; 8th £40; 9th £30; 10th £20

scottishathletics Road and Cross Country Commission Convener John Rodger said: ‘The Cross Country Grand Prix has been very successful in attracting our best athletes.

‘It has become an integral part of the Cross–Country season enhancing the competitive edge of our National and District Championships.’