The lane and starting order draws have been made for next year’s European Athletics Team Championships.
Lille Métropole is staging the Team Championships Super League, Vaasa is host to the First League, Tel Aviv welcomes the Second League and the Third League city is still to be announced.
The draw was conducted by Honorary Council member, Karel Pilny, at the new House of European Athletics in Lausanne.
48 teams will be competing in 2017 with 12 countries in each league. Russia, the defending champions, have been drawn in the Super League but their participation is subject to the IAAF’s decision to reintegrate the All Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF).
The last European Athletics Team Championships were staged in 2015 and here’s a reminder of the final placings:
SUPER LEAGUE, Cheboksary/RUS
Champions: Russia
Relegated: Sweden, Finland, Norway
FIRST LEAGUE, Heraklion/GRE
Champions: Czech Republic
Promoted: Greece, Netherlands
Relegated: Lithuania, Latvia
SECOND LEAGUE, Stara Zagora/BUL
Champions: Denmark
Promoted: Bulgaria
No relegation.
THIRD LEAGUE, Baku/AZE (as part of the European Games)
Champions: Slovakia
Promoted: Austria, Israel, Moldova