# Cross de San Sebastián

The Cross Internacional de San Sebastián, also known as the Cross Internacional de Donostia, is an annual cross country running event which is staged in late January in San Sebastián, Spain.
The competition was first held in 1956 as a men's only race and attracted top level runners from the outset, with Olympic gold medallists Emil Zátopek, Alain Mimoun and Mamo Wolde being among the winners in the first decade of the event. A women's race was introduced in 1971 and two-time World Cross champion Carmen Valero took a record four back-to-back wins soon after. From the 1970s to 1980s, a mix of Iberian and British athletes topped the podium, but since the 1990s the race has been dominated by runners of East African origin.
The grassy course is relatively flat and the distances for the elite races are 10 km for men and 5.3 km for women. In addition to the professional races, there are also popular fun run races on the day's events programme; there are various age category races for children and youths, as well as a veteran's races for older runners.
The Cross de San Sebastián has featured many of the world's most prominent names in long-distance running, including marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie, Olympic champions Derartu Tulu, John Ngugi and Rosa Mota, as well as world cross country champions such as Zersenay Tadese, Gebre Gebremariam and Benita Johnson. Among the Europeans to have topped the podium are former world record holders Carlos Lopes and David Bedford, as well as past European Cross champions Marta Domínguez, Paulo Guerra and Serhiy Lebid. The competition has also incorporated the regional Gipuzkoan cross country championships in previous editions.

## Past senior race winners

| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (m:s) | Women's winner | Time (m:s) |
| 1st | 1956 | Ken Norris (GBR) | 39:37 | Not held | Not held |
| 2nd | 1957 | Antonio Amorás (ESP) | 39:19.8 | Not held | Not held |
| 3rd | 1958 | Emil Zátopek (CZE) | 39:54.3 | Not held | Not held |
| 4th | 1959 | Alain Mimoun (FRA) | 38:38.8 | Not held | Not held |
| 5th | 1960 | Gerald North (GBR) | 40:08.8 | Not held | Not held |
| 6th | 1961 | Ali Ben Lahcen (MAR) | 41:36.8 | Not held | Not held |
| 7th | 1962 | Rhadi Ben Abdesselam (MAR) | 38:51.8 | Not held | Not held |
| 8th | 1963 | Mamo Wolde (ETH) | 30:33.4 | Not held | Not held |
| 9th | 1964 | Mamo Wolde (ETH) | 29:48.1 | Not held | Not held |
| 10th | 1965 | Mohammed Gammoudi (TUN) | 30:44.1 | Not held | Not held |
| 11th | 1966 | Nikolay Dutov (URS) | 30:59.3 | Not held | Not held |
| 12th | 1967 | Mamo Wolde (ETH) | 31:04.2 | Not held | Not held |
| 13th | 1968 | José Miguel Maíz (ESP) | 33:07.6 | Not held | Not held |
| 14th | 1969 | Mike Tagg (GBR) | 30:49.4 | Not held | Not held |
| 15th | 1970 | Mike Tagg (GBR) | 30:48.0 | Not held | Not held |
| 16th | 1971 | Trevor Wright (GBR) | 32:18.1 | Zina Boniolo (ITA) | ? |
| 17th | 1972 | Lachlan Stewart (GBR) | 32:04.0 | Belén Azpeitia (ESP) | ? |
| 18th | 1973 | Dave Bedford (GBR) | 33:15.8 | Annie van Stiphout (NED) | ? |
| 19th | 1974 | Mariano Haro (ESP) | 30:43 | Carmen Valero (ESP) | 10:06 |
| 20th | 1975 | Mariano Haro (ESP) | 31:30.5 | Carmen Valero (ESP) | ? |
| 21st | 1976 | Carlos Lopes (POR) | 33:57.6 | Carmen Valero (ESP) | 10:35 |
| 22nd | 1977 | Fernando Fernández (ESP) | 30:52 | Carmen Valero (ESP) | 12.28 |
| 23rd | 1978 | John Wild (GBR) | 32:42 | Joëlle De Brouwer (FRA) | 13:35 |
| 24th | 1979 | Julian Goater (GBR) | 31:58 | Pilar Fernández (ESP) | 13:25 |
| 25th | 1980 | Nathaniel Muir (GBR) | 31:06 | Christine Benning (GBR) | 12:42 |
| 26th | 1981 | José Luis González (ESP) | 31:07 | Asunción Sinobas (ESP) | 13:02 |
| 27th | 1982 | Eshetu Tura (ETH) | 31:29 | Rosa Mota (POR) | 12:53 |
| 28th | 1983 | Mohamed Kedir (ETH) | 29:59 | Rosa Mota (POR) | 12:18 |
| 29th | 1984 | Mohamed Kedir (ETH) | 30:21 | Rosa Mota (POR) | 12:24 |
| 30th | 1985 | Wodajo Bulti (ETH) | 31:17.2 | Asunción Sinobas (ESP) | 12:36.0 |
| 31st | 1986 | Constantino Esparcia (ESP) | ? | Jane Shields (GBR) | ? |
| 32nd | 1987 | Paul Kipkoech (KEN) | 30:35 | Angela Tooby (GBR) | 11:32 |
| 33rd | 1988 | John Ngugi (KEN) | 31:42 | Angelines Rodríguez (ESP) | ? |
| 34th | 1989 | Chala Kelele (ETH) | 29:29.2 | Jane Shields (GBR) | 11:24.0 |
| 35th | 1990 | Paul Bitok (KEN) | ? | Jeanne-Marie Pipoz (SUI) | ? |
| 36th | 1991 | Addis Abebe (ETH) | 30:09 | Susan Sirma (KEN) | 18:58 |
| 37th | 1992 | Fita Bayisa (ETH) | 29:38 | Luchia Yishak (ETH) | 18:35 |
| 38th | 1993 | Fita Bayisa (ETH) | 29:12 | Luchia Yishak (ETH) | 18:42 |
| 39th | 1994 | Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) | 30:23 | Yelena Romanova (RUS) | 19:06 |
| 40th | 1995 | Paulo Guerra (POR) | 32:13 | Elena Fidatov (ROM) | 19:50 |
| 41st | 1996 | James Kariuki (KEN) | 29:39 | Derartu Tulu (ETH) | 18:34 |
| 42nd | 1997 | Hillary Korir (KEN) | 31:19 | Derartu Tulu (ETH) | 19:25 |
| 43rd | 1998 | Paulo Guerra (POR) | 29:40 | Anita Weyermann (SUI) | 18:59 |
| 44th | 1999 | Jon Brown (GBR) | 31:20 | Helena Sampaio (POR) | 20:04 |
| 45th | 2000 | Eduardo Henriques (POR) | 29:47 | Margaret Okayo (KEN) | 19:14 |
| 46th | 2001 | Abraham Chebii (KEN) | 30:42 | Lydia Cheromei (KEN) | 19:23 |
| 47th | 2002 | John Yuda (TAN) | 28:44 | Carla Sacramento (POR) | 18:20 |
| 48th | 2003 | Zersenay Tadese (ERI) | 32:48 | Pamela Chepchumba (KEN) | 19:44 |
| 49th | 2004 | Gebre Gebremariam (ETH) | 30:48 | Dorcus Inzikuru (UGA) | 19:45 |
| 50th | 2005 | Serhiy Lebid (UKR) | 30:50 | Benita Johnson (AUS) | 19:01 |
| 51st | 2006 | Zersenay Tadese (ERI) | 29:28 | Marta Domínguez (ESP) | 20:22 |
| 52nd | 2007 | Ibrahim Jeilan (ETH) | 29:38 | Hayley Yelling (GBR) | 17:51 |
| 53rd | 2008 | Josphat Menjo (KEN) | 29:50 | Eunice Jepkorir (KEN) | 17:54 |
| 54th | 2009 | Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) | 31:47 | Anikó Kálovics (HUN) | 18:45 |
| 55th | 2010 | Mike Kigen (KEN) | 31:29 | Anikó Kálovics (HUN) | 19:45 |
| 56th | 2011 | Josphat Menjo (KEN) | 31:06 | Nuria Fernández (ESP) | 18:54 |
| 57th | 2012 | Mike Kigen (KEN) | 38:08 | Nazareth Weldu (ERI) | 27:18 |
| 58th | 2013 | Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) | 31:59 | Sofia Assefa (ETH) | 22:23 |
| 59th | 2014 | Joseph Ebuya (KEN) | 32:00 | Milcah Cheywa (KEN) | 24:21 |
| 60th | 2015 | Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) | 30:54 | Betsy Saina (KEN) | 23:19 |
| 61st | 2016 | Imane Merga (ETH) | 28:59 | Hiwot Ayalew (ETH) | 26:57 |
| 62nd | 2017 | Sadik Mikhou (BHR) | 30:01 | Bontu Rebitu (BHR) | 29:19 |
| 63rd | 2018 | Aweke Ayalew (BHR) | 32:54 | Daisy Jepkemei (KEN) | 27:52 |
| 64th | 2019 | Hassan Chani (BHR) | 33:57 | Irene Sánchez-Escribano (ESP) | 31:40 |
| 65th | 2021 | Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) | 26:56 | Zenebu Fikadu (ETH) | 25:28 |
| 66th | 2022 | Addisu Yihune (ETH) | 25:28 | Purity Chepkirui (KEN) | 29:08 |
| 67th | 2023 | Ronald Kwemoi (KEN) | 26:19 | Edinah Jebitok (KEN) | 28:39 |
| 68th | 2024 | Santiago Catrofe (URU) | 20:10 | Diana Chepkemoi (KEN) | 23:42 |

## Victories by nationality

| Country | Men | Women | Total |
| Ethiopia | 16 | 6 | 22 |
| Kenya | 11 | 10 | 21 |
| Spain | 7 | 12 | 19 |
| United Kingdom | 11 | 7 | 18 |
| Portugal | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Bahrain | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Eritrea | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Morocco | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| France | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Russia | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Hungary | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Switzerland | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Burundi | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Czech Republic | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tunisia | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Ukraine | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Australia | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Netherlands | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Italy | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Romania | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Uganda | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 1 |