The International Cross Country Championships was an annual international competition in cross- country running. It was created in 1903 by the International Cross Country Union (ICCU) and it marked the first time that an annual international championships had been held for the sport.
It began its life as a contest between the four Home Nations of the United Kingdom. The event became increasingly international over its history, beginning with the admittance of the first non-UK country in 1907 (France), the addition of several other Continental European countries in the 1920s, and then the introduction of Tunisia in 1958 which saw an African team compete for the first time.International Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2011-02-14.
The championships featured only a senior men's race from 1903 to 1961, at which point an under-21s event was introduced. After some years as an unsanctioned competition, a women's race finally gained official acceptance in 1967.
The event lasted from 1903 to 1972 – at the 1971 ICCU Congress members decided to transfer organisation of the event to the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), a move which was finalised after the 1972 ICC Championships and led to the first IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1973.30 years of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. IAAF (2003-03-20). Retrieved on 2011-02-14.
The International Cross Country Championships featured a number of running greats, including: Alfred Shrubb (the inaugural race winner) and Jean Bouin in its early years, Frank Sando who won twice, as well as Jack Holden and Alain Mimoun who both won the race a record four times, and then Franjo Mihalić, Gaston Roelants and David Bedford in its later years. American runner Doris Brown was dominant in the short history of the women's race, winning all but two of the official women's races.
Editions Edition Year City Country Date Venue No. of Countries No. ofAthletesUnofficial1898Paris-Ville-d'AvrayMarch 20 2161st1903Hamilton, LanarkshireMarch 23Hamilton Park Racecourse4452nd1904St Helens, LancashireMarch 26Haydock Park4463rd1905Dublin, LeinsterMarch 25Baldoyle Racecourse4484th1906Newport-Caerleon, MonmouthshireMarch 10Caerleon Racecourse4445th1907GlasgowMarch 23Glasgow Agricultural Society Show Grounds, Scotstoun5566th1908Paris-ColombesMarch 26Stade de Matin5547th1909Derby, DerbyshireMarch 20Derby Racecourse5518th1910Belfast, UlsterMarch 26Belvoir Park5439th1911Newport-Caerleon, MonmouthshireMarch 25Caerleon Racecourse54510th1912Edinburgh, LothianMarch 30Saughton Public Park54411th1913Paris-Juvisy-sur-OrgeMarch 24Juvisy Aerodrome43612th1914Amersham, BuckinghamshireMarch 28Chesham Park545Not held due to World War I13th1920Belfast, UlsterApril 3Belvoir Park43514th1921Newport-CaerleonMarch 19Caerleon Racecourse43615th1922GlasgowApril 1Hampden Park54516th1923Paris-Maisons-LaffitteMarch 25Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte43617th1924Newcastle-on-Tyne, NorthumberlandMarch 22Gosforth Park65218th1925DublinMarch 28Baldoyle Racecourse54219th1926BrusselsMarch 28Hippodrome de Stockel65320th1927Newport-Caerleon, MonmouthshireApril 2Caerleon Racecourse54421st1928Ayr, AyrshireMarch 24 54522nd1929Paris-VincennesMarch 23Hippodrome de Vincennes109023rd1930Leamington, WarwickshireMarch 22 76124th1931Dublin (men) March 28 Baldoyle Racecourse6 54 Douai, Nord-Pas-de-Calais (women) March 22 3 16 25th1932Brussels (men) March 20 Hippodrome de Stockel6 52 Croydon, Surrey (women) March 19 2 12 26th1933Newport-Caerleon, MonmouthshireMarch 25Caerleon Racecourse65427th1934Ayr, AyrshireMarch 24Ayr Racecourse65428th1935Paris-Auteuil (men) March 23 Hippodrome d'Auteuil7 61 Morecambe, Lancashire (women) March 20 The Old Golf Links2 11 29th1936Blackpool, LancashireMarch 28The Stadium, Squires Gate65430th1937BrusselsMarch 20Hippodrome de Stockel65431st1938Belfast, Ulster (men) April 2 Royal Ulster Showground7 63 Lille, Nord-Pas-de-Calais (women) April 2 3 18 32nd1939Cardiff, GlamorganApril 1Ely Racecourse763Unofficial1940ParisMarch 24Bois de Boulogne327Not held due to World War II33rd1946Ayr, AyrshireMarch 30 65434th1947Paris-Saint-CloudMarch 30Hippodrome de Saint-Cloud65435th1948Reading, BerkshireApril 3Leighton Park65436th1949DublinMarch 26Baldoyle Racecourse76237th1950BrusselsMarch 25108838th1951Newport-Caerleon, MonmouthshireMarch 31Caerleon Racecourse87139th1952Hamilton, LanarkshireMarch 22Hamilton Park Racecourse76340th1953Paris-VincennesMarch 21Hippodrome de Vincennes108941st1954BirminghamMarch 27 (men)Bromford Bridge Racecourse7 62 March 20 (women) 2 12 42nd1955San Sebastián, Euskadi (men) March 19 8 70 Ayr, Ayrshire (women) March 26 2 12 43rd1956Belfast (men) March 17Royal Ulster Showground8 70 Upminster, Essex (women) March 17 2 12 44th1957Waregem, West Flanders (men) March 23Hippodroom Waregem10 89 Musselburgh, East Lothian (women) March 30 2 12 45th1958Cardiff, GlamorganMarch 22Pontcanna Fields97846th1959LisbonMarch 21National Stadium97847th1960Hamilton, LanarkshireMarch 26Hamilton Park Racecourse87148th1961Nantes, Pays de la LoireMarch 26 1010949th1962Sheffield, YorkshireMarch 24Graves Park1012650th1963San Sebastián, EuskadiMarch 171112551st1964DublinMarch 21Leopardstown Racecourse911352nd1965Ostend, West FlandersMarch 20Hippodrome Wellington1517453rd1966RabatMarch 20Souissi Racecourse1513454th1967Barry, GlamorganMarch 18 1215255th1968Tunis (men) March 17 Hippodrome de Kassar-Said (men)14177Blackburn, Lancashire (women) March 23 530 56th1969Clydebank, DunbartonshireMarch 22Dalmuir Park1419357th1970Vichy, Auvergne March 22 17211Frederick, Maryland (alternate women's event) March 21VFW Country Club58th1971San Sebastián, EuskadiMarch 201822859th1972Cambridge, CambridgeshireMarch 18Coldham's Common15200
Results Men's individual results Year First Second Third1898 (unofficial)9 mi (14.5 km) Sid Robinson 56:36Harry Harrison 56:36.4Charles Bennett 57:14.819038.5 mi (13.7 km)Alfred Shrubb 46:22.6Tom Edwards 46:56.6John Daly 47:10.219048.5 mi (13.7 km)Alfred Shrubb 47:58.4Albert Aldridge 48:20.2George Pearce 49:38.619058 mi (12.9 km)Albert Aldridge 40:20Tom Hynes 40:35Joe Deakin 41:14190610 mi (16.1 km)Charles Straw 57:32George Pearce 57:55Will Nelson 58:11190710 mi (16.1 km)Adam Underwood 54:26.4George Pearce 54:48Sammy Welding 54:50190810 mi (16.1 km)Arthur Robertson 50:26.8Fred Neaves 50:31George Pearce 50:42190910 mi (16.1 km)Arthur Edwin Wood 58:03Jean Bouin 58:04Ernest Loney 58:53191010 mi (16.1 km)Arthur Edwin Wood 54:02Puck O'Neill 54:24Harry Baldwin 54:24191110 mi (16.1 km)Jean Bouin 54:07.6Harry Baldwin 54:22George Wallach 54:44191210 mi (16.1 km)Jean Bouin 51:46William Scott 52:19Frederick Hibbins 52:34191310 mi (16.1 km)Jean Bouin 51:52.4Ernest Glover 52:33Jacques Keyser 53:10191410 mi (16.1 km)Alfred Nichols 1:00:24George Wallach 1:00:41Ernest Glover 1:00:46Not held due to World War I192010 mi (16.1 km)Jim Wilson 55:06Christopher Vose 55:33Wally Freeman 55:52192110 mi (16.1 km)Wally Freeman 56:53Bobby Mills 57:03Bevy Bingham 57:17192210 mi (16.1 km)Joseph Guillemot 1:03:59Bill Cotterell 1:04:27Julien Schnellmann 1:05:03192310 mi (16.1 km)Joe Blewitt 58:11.8James G. McIntyre 58:13Georges van den Broele 58:20192410 mi (16.1 km)Bill Cotterell 55:35.4Ernie Harper 55:40Eddie Webster 56:21192510 mi (16.1 km)Eddie Webster 56:55John Ryan 57:14Bill Cotterell 57:3819269 mi (14.5 km)Ernie Harper 44:17.4Joseph Guillemot 44:59Robert Marchal 45:0419279 mi (14.5 km)Lewis Payne 51:40Seghir Beddari 51:49Henri Gallet 52:0319289.5 mi (15.3 km)Harry Eckersley 52:34John Suttie Smith 52:48Seghir Beddari 53:0219298.7 mi (14.0 km)Bill Cotterell 42:46.2Henri Dartigues 42:48Robert Courtier 42:5119309.5 mi (15.3 km)Tom Evenson 53:49Robbie Sutherland 53:50Roméo Dieguez 54:1519319 mi (14.5 km)Tim Smythe 48:52Jack Winfield 49:11Tom Evenson 49:1619329 mi (14.5 km)Tom Evenson 50:51Jack Holden 51:06Walter Beavers 51:1519339 mi (14.5 km)Jack Holden 53:40.8Robbie Sutherland 53:50John Suttie Smith 53:5419349 mi (14.5 km)Jack Holden 50:28Alex Burns 51:24Arthur Penny 51:2619359 mi (14.5 km)Jack Holden 47:52Bill Wylie 48:12William Eaton 48:1419369 mi (14.5 km)William Eaton 47:38Jack Holden 48:08Alex Dow 48:1419379 mi (14.5 km)Jim Flockhart 49:50André Sicard 50:03James Ginty 50:1319389 mi (14.5 km)Jack Emery 49:57Jean Chapelle 50:16Sam Palmer 50:3619399 mi (14.5 km)Jack Holden 47:23Mohamed El Ghazi 47:34Salem Amrouche 47:52Not held due to World War II19469 mi (14.5 km)Raphaël Pujazon 51:51.2Marcel Vandewattyne 52:24Paul Messner 52:4919479 mi (14.5 km)Raphaël Pujazon 50:26Jean Chapelle 50:51Mohamed Lahoucine 51:0419489 mi (14.5 km)John Doms 54:05Emile Renson 54:25Mohamed Lahoucine 54:5019499 mi (14.5 km)Alain Mimoun 47:50Raphaël Pujazon 47:51Charles Cérou 47:5519509 mi (14.5 km)Lucien Theys 45:42Alain Mimoun 45:50Mohamed Hamza 46:0019519.25 mi (14.9 km)Geoff Saunders 54:07Frank Aaron 54:48Charles Cérou 55:0519529 mi (14.5 km)Alain Mimoun 48:19Marcel Vandewattyne 49:02Abdelkader Driss 49:0619539 mi (14.5 km)Franjo Mihalić 47:53Frank Sando 48:03Abdallah Ould Lamine 48:0619549 mi (14.5 km)Alain Mimoun 47:51Ken Norris 48:13Patrick Ranger 48:2119559 mi (14.5 km)Frank Sando 46:09Hugh Foord 46:33Ken Norris 46:3519569 mi (14.5 km)Alain Mimoun 45:18Frank Sando Ken Norris 45:28 19579 mi (14.5 km)Frank Sando 45:58Basil Heatley 46:09Ken Norris 46:1819589 mi (14.5 km)Stanley Eldon 46:29Alain Mimoun 46:30Frank Sando 46:3319599 mi (14.5 km)Fred Norris 42:44.8Frank Sando 42:52.4Salah Beddiaf 43:01.419609 mi (14.5 km)Rhadi Ben Abdesselam 43:33Gaston Roelants 43:40John Merriman 43:4019618.9 mi (14.3 km)Basil Heatley 45:22.2Antonio Amoros 45:46Martin Hyman 45:56.419627.5 mi (12.0 km)Gaston Roelants 44:40Marcel Vandewattyne 44:46Mel Batty 44:4819637.5 mi (12.1 km)Roy Fowler 37:19.7Gaston Roelants 37:32Mariano Haro 37:41.619647.3 mi (11.8 km)Francisco Aritmendi 40:33Ron Hill 40:42John Cooke 40:4919657.5 mi (12.1 km)Jean Fayolle 36:48Mel Batty 36:48Mohamed Gammoudi 37:0019667.5 mi (12.1 km)Ben Assou El Ghazi 36:22.1Derek Graham 36:29.6Tracy Smith 36:32.219677.5 mi (12.1 km)Gaston Roelants 36:03Tim Johnston 36:20Bryan Rose 36:2719687.5 mi (12.1 km)Mohamed Gammoudi 35:25.4Ron Hill 35:26.8Roy Fowler 35:31.819697.5 mi (12.0 km)Gaston Roelants 36:25Dick Taylor 36:44Ian McCafferty 36:5719707.5 mi (12.1 km)Mike Tagg 36:39.8Gaston Roelants 36:41.8Trevor Wright 36:44.619717.5 mi (12.1 km)Dave Bedford 38:42.8Trevor Wright 39:05.2Eddie Gray 39:11.619727.5 mi (12.1 km)Gaston Roelants 37:43Mariano Haro 38:01Ian Stewart 38:20
Men's Team Results Year First Second Third1898 (unofficial) 21 69 1903 25 78 1071904 27 102 1131905 28 82 971906 24 86 1061907 23 85 1231908 24 81 1041909 32 77 1071910 35 56 1021911 32 108 1211912 41 88 1101913 38 61 961914 47 74 106Not held due to World War I1920 38 70 1141921 33 71 1191922 53 65 901923 43 76 1121924 21 80 1331925 29 91 921926 32 62 1011927 49 61 1121928 45 55 1041929 31 74 1171930 30 80 1111931 32 102 1021932 21 69 1101933 32 62 1091934 34 102 1051935 30 84 1021936 41 66 1121937 55 70 981938 43 96 1171939 36 95 115Not held due to World War II1946 43 77 961947 34 86 1051948 46 47 1141949 33 90 1231950 43 77 821951 47 54 991952 35 64 1261953 64 84 1291954 29 85 1021955 27 102 1091956 42 59 1311957 67 80 841958 35 64 1661959 40 72 1101960 52 61 1251961 54 71 1191962 44 115 1321963 110 113 1131964 38 96 1491965 55 55 1101966 59 79 1841967 70 96 1221968 58 101 1291969 57 121 1251970 35 85 1361971 56 176 1861972 84 94 140
Junior Men's Individual Results