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Get ready for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships

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The 25th edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships takes place in the Dutch city of Tilburg on 9 December.

Tilburg has already played host to the European Cross Country Championships back in 2005 but the venue will be different this time around. This year’s event will take place on a challenging course at the Beekse Bergen Safari Park, situated just to the south-east of Tilburg.

The Dutch will be looking for a few medals on home soil especially through their senior women's team.

European 10,000m silver medallist Susan Krumins and sub-four minute 1500m runner Maureen Koster have been pre-selected for Tilburg although 2015 European cross country champion Sifan Hassan, who is also the reigning European 5000m champion, had to sadly witthdraw through a post-track season injury and a lack of training in mid-November.

Great Britain topped the medal table at the 2017 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Samorin with six gold medals, and nine medals in total. However, it was Türkiye’s day again in the senior races with Yasemin Can defending her women’s title and Kaan Kigen Ozbilen comingf from behind to win the men’s title.

Another winner from last year was Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and the European 1500m and 5000m champion has already confirmed he is targeting a third successive title in the U20 race.

The European Athletics Cross Country Permit Series gathers pace on 18 November with the Cross de L’Acier in Leffrinckoucke, one week before the annual Warandecross will be held in Tilburg on the same course which will be used for the European Cross Country Championships.

Not only will the Warandecross serve as a dress rehearsal for a fortnight later, many countries are also using the event as one of their selection races for the pinnacle event of the continental cross country season.

The organisers have also put together a robust legacy programme to tackle important issues such as social inclusion, health and youth involvement and the race day programme begins with the Brabant Challenge, incorporating two races for children and involving local schools.

The first medal race in Tilburg is the U20 women’s race at 10.45am local time and the championships conclude with the second staging of the mixed relay at 2.55pm.




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