# English National Cross Country Championships

The English National Cross Country Championships is an annual English cross country running event which takes place in late February following the regional championships (Southern, Midlands and Northern) which all take place on the same weekend usually in late January. The event is the oldest national cross country championship in the world, having been first run in 1876. The English, Welsh and Scottish National Cross Country Championships are all usually held on the same day.

## Format

There are categories for senior men and women, junior men and women, U17, U15, U13 and club teams. The course is 12 km for men and 8 km for women and the fact that the distances for senior men and senior women is different has recently been a topic for discussion and review. Following a review of various surveys the English Cross Country Association voted to keep the race distances at 12 km for the senior men and 8 km for the senior women for the 2019 championship.
The event is organised by the English Cross Country Association and currently sponsored by Saucony UK. As well as individual competition, senior athletes represent their athletics club for points scoring and team awards. Club teams consist of six senior men or four senior women.

## Venues

The venue for the English National Cross Country Championships is not fixed and is usually hosted in turn by the regional associations. The men's and women's venues were held at different locations until 1995, when both were held at the same venue for the first time.

## History

The first championship in 1876 was known as the 'National' and was declared void because all 32 runners went off course. The women's event was first held in 1927. The senior event winners are shown in the table. Up to 1994, the women's event was run separately at a different location from the men's race.

### Past winners

| Year | Location (m/w) | Men's Senior team | Senior Man | Women's Senior team | Senior Woman |
| 1876 | Buckhurst Hill | declared void (32 ran) | declared void (32 ran) | not contested | not contested |
| 1877 | Roehampton | Thames Hare & Hounds | Percy H Stenning (Thames H&H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1878 | Roehampton | Spartan Harriers | Percy H Stenning (Thames H&H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1879 | Roehampton | Thames Hare & Hounds | Percy H Stenning (Thames H&H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1880 | Roehampton | Birchfield Harriers | Percy H Stenning (Thames H&H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1881 | Roehampton | Moseley Harriers | George A Dunning (Clapton Beagles) | not contested | not contested |
| 1882 | Roehampton | Moseley Harriers | Walter George (Moseley H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1883 | Roehampton | Moseley Harriers | George A Dunning (Clapton Beagles) | not contested | not contested |
| 1884 | Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield | Moseley Harriers | Walter George (Moseley H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1885 | Manchester | Liverpool Harriers | William Snook (Birchfield H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1886 | Croydon | Birchfield Harriers | J E 'Flyer' Hickman (Godiva H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1887 | Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield | Birchfield Harriers | J E 'Flyer' Hickman (Godiva H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1888 | Manchester | Birchfield Harriers | Edward W Parry (Salford H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1889 | Kempton | Salford Harriers | Edward W Parry (Salford H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1890 | Sutton Coldfield | Salford Harriers | Edward W Parry (Salford H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1891 | Prenton, Birkenhead | Birchfield Harriers | James Kibblewhite (Spartan H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1892 | Ockham | Birchfield Harriers | Herbert A Heath (South London H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1893 | Redditch | Essex Beagles | Herbert A Heath (South London H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1894 | Blackpool | Salford Harriers | George Crossland (Salford H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1895 | Wembley | Birchfield Harriers | Steve Cottrill (Thames Valley H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1896 | Water Orton | Salford Harriers | George Crossland (Manchester H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1897 | Trafford Park | Salford H & Manchester H | Sidney Robinson (Northampton & County AC) | not contested | not contested |
| 1898 | Horton, Northants | Salford Harriers | Sidney Robinson (Northampton & County AC) | not contested | not contested |
| 1899 | Wembley | Highgate Harriers | Charles Bennett (Finchley H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1900 | Rotherham | Finchley Harriers | Charles Bennett (Finchley H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1901 | Leicester | Essex Beagles | Alfred Shrubb (South London H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1902 | Lingfield | Highgate Harriers | Alfred Shrubb (South London H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1903 | Haydock | Birchfield Harriers | Alfred Shrubb (South London H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1904 | Wolverhampton | Highgate Harriers | Alfred Shrubb (South London H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1905 | Lingfield | Highgate Harriers | Albert Aldridge (Highgate H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1906 | Haydock | Sutton H & AC | Charlie J Straw (Sutton H & AC) | not contested | not contested |
| 1907 | Colwall | Birchfield Harriers | George Pearce (Highgate H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1908 | Newbury | Hallamshire Harriers | Arthur Robertson (Birchfield H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1909 | Haydock | Birchfield Harriers | James Murphy (Hallamshire H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1910 | Derby | Hallamshire Harriers | Fred C Neaves (Surrey AC) | not contested | not contested |
| 1911 | Taplow | Hallamshire Harriers | Fred N Hibbins (Thrapston H & AC) | not contested | not contested |
| 1912 | Haydock | Hallamshire Harriers | Fred N Hibbins (Thrapston H & AC) | not contested | not contested |
| 1913 | Wolverhampton | Birchfield Harriers | Ernest Glover (Hallamshire H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1914 | Chesham | Surrey AC | Charles Ruffell (Highgate H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1915-1919 cancelled due to the World War I |||||||
| 1920 | Windsor Great Park | Birchfield Harriers | Charlie Gibbon | not contested | not contested |
| 1921 | Doncaster | Birchfield Harriers | Wally Freeman (Birchfield H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1922 | Hereford | Birchfield Harriers | Harry Eckersley | not contested | not contested |
| 1923 | Beaconsfield | Birchfield Harriers | Joe Blewitt (Birchfield H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1924 | Doncaster | Birchfield Harriers | Cpl Bill M Cotterell (Royal Corps of Signals) | not contested | not contested |
| 1925 | Hereford | Birchfield Harriers | Cpl Bill M Cotterell (Royal Corps of Signals) | not contested | not contested |
| 1926 | Wolverton | Birchfield Harriers | Jack E Webster (Birchfield H) | not contested | not contested |
| 1927 | Crewe/Luton | Hallamshire Harriers | Ernie Harper (Hallamshire H) | Middlesex Ladies | Anne M A Williams (Littlehampton Ladies) |
| 1928 | Leamington/Chigwell | Birchfield Harriers | Jack E Webster (Birchfield H) | Middlesex Ladies | Lilian D Styles (Littlehampton Ladies) |
| 1929 | Beaconsfield/Perivale | Birchfield Harriers | Ernie Harper (Hallamshire H) | Middlesex Ladies | Lilian D Styles (Littlehampton Ladies) |
| 1930 | Sheffield/Wolverton | Birchfield Harriers | Wally B Howard (Kettering Town H) | Westbury Harriers | Lilian D Styles (Littlehampton Ladies) |
| 1931 | Kettering/Epsom | Birchfield Harriers | Jack Potts (Saltwell H) | London Olympiades AC | Gladys Lunn (Birchfield H) |
| 1932 | Wolverton/Coventry | Birchfield Harriers | Alec Burns (Elswick H) | Birchfield Harriers | Gladys Lunn (Birchfield H) |
| 1933 | Alderley Edge/Warwick | Birchfield Harriers | Tom Evenson (Salford H) | Airedale Harriers | Lilian D Styles (Haywards Heath Ladies AC) |
| 1934 | Dudley/Kettering | Birchfield Harriers | Sam Dodd (Wirral AC) | London Olympiades AC | Lilian D Styles (London Olympiades AC) |
| 1935 | Beaconsfield/Longbridge | Belgrave Harriers | Frank Close (Reading AC) | London Olympiades AC | Nellie Halstead (Radcliffe H & AC) |
| 1936 | Alderley Edge/Chidwell Row | Birchfield Harriers | Jack Potts (Saltwell H) | Small Heath Harriers | Nellie Halstead (Radcliffe H & AC) |
| 1937 | Stratford-upon-Avon/Perry Barr | Birchfield Harriers | Herbert D Clark (York H) | Birchfield Harriers | Lilian D Styles (London Olympiades AC) |
| 1938 | Reading/Luton | Mitcham AC | Jack Holden (Tipton H) | Birchfield Harriers | Evelyne Forster (Civil Service AC) |
| 1939 | Worsley/Rugby | Belgrave Harriers | Jack Holden (Tipton H) | Birchfield Harriers | Evelyne Forster (Civil Service AC) |
| 1940-1945 cancelled due to the World War II |||||||
| 1946 | Leamington Spa/Cheltenham | Belgrave Harriers | Jack Holden (Tipton H) | Birchfield Harriers | Pat Sandall (Birchfield H) |
| 1947 | Apsley/Oxford | Sutton H & AC | Archie A Robertson (Reading AC) | Birchfield Harriers | Ruby M Wright (St Gregorys Ladies AC) |
| 1948 | Sheffield/Sutton Coldfield | Belgrave Harriers | Sydney Wooderson (Blackheath H) | Birchfield Harriers | Ivy Kibler (Birchfield H) |
| 1949 | Birmingham/Worsley | Sutton Harriers | Frank E Aaron (Leeds St Marks AC) | Birchfield Harriers | E Johnson (Airedale H) |
| 1950 | Aylesbury/Parliament Hill | Sutton Harriers | Frank E Aaron (Leeds St Marks AC) | Birchfield Harriers | Avery Gibson (North Shields Poly Ladies AC) |
| 1951 | Richmond/Tadcaster | Sutton H | Frank E Aaron (Leeds St Marks AC) | Ilford AC | Phyllis Green (Ilford AC) |
| 1952 | Great Barr/Perry Barr | Victoria Park AAC | Walter Hesketh (Manchester A & CC) | Ilford AC | Phyllis Green (Ilford AC) |
| 1953 | Reading/Birmingham | Birchfield Harriers | Gordon Pirie (South London H) | Birchfield Harriers | Diane Leather (Birchfield H) |
| 1954 | Birkenhead/Aylesbury | Bolton United H & AC | Gordon Pirie (South London H) | Birchfield Harriers | Diane Leather (Birchfield H) |
| 1955 | Bedford/Leeds | South London Harriers | Gordon Pirie (South London H) | Ilford AC | Diane Leather (Birchfield H) |
| 1956 | Warwick/Sutton Coldfield | Sheffield United H & AC | Ken Norris (Thames Valley H) | Ilford AC | Diane Leather (Birchfield H) |
| 1957 | Parliament Hill/Enfield | South London Harriers | Frank Sando (Aylesford PMSC) | Ilford AC | June Bridgland (Southampton AC) |
| 1958 | Birkenhead/Winton | South London H | Alan F Perkins (Ilford AC) | Highgate Harriers | Roma Ashby (Coventry Godiva) |
| 1959 | Peterborough/Birmingham | Sheffield United H & AC | Frederick Norris (Bolton United H & AC) | London Olympiades AC | Joyce Byatt (Hampstead Heath H) |
| 1960 | West Bromwich/Morden Park | Derby & County AC | Basil Heatley (Coventry Godiva) | Ilford AC | Joyce Byatt (Hampstead Heath H) |
| 1961 | Parliament Hill/Sheffield | Derby & County AC | Basil Heatley (Coventry Godiva) | London Olympiades AC | Roma Ashby (Coventry Godiva) |
| 1962 | Blackpool/Wolverhampton | Derby & County AC | Gerry North (Blackpool & Fylde AC) | London Olympiades AC | Roma Ashby (Coventry Godiva) |
| 1963 | Cambridge/Richmond Park | Coventry Godiva | Basil Heatley (Coventry Godiva) | Mitcham AC | Madeleine C Ibbotson (Longwood Ladies) |
| 1964 | Leicester/Bury | Portsmouth AC | Mel Batty (Thurrock H) | Bury & Radcliffe AC | Madeleine C Ibbotson (Longwood Ladies) |
| 1965 | Parliament Hill/Birmingham | Portsmouth AC | Mel Batty (Thurrock H) | Maryhill Ladies AC | Pamela Davies (Selsonia AC) |
| 1966 | Sheffield/Watford | North Staffs & Stone HAC | Ron Hill (Bolton United H & AC) | Maryhill Ladies AC | Pamela Davies (Selsonia AC) |
| 1967 | Norwich/Blackburn | Portsmouth AC | Dick Taylor (Coventry Godiva) | Barnet & District AC | Pamela Davies (Selsonia AC) |
| 1968 | Sutton Coldfield/Coventry | Coventry Godiva | Ron Hill (Bolton United H & AC) | Cambridge Harriers | Pamela Davies (Selsonia AC) |
| 1969 | Parliament Hill/Aldershot | Tipton Harriers | Mike Tagg (Norfolk Gazelles) | Barnet & District AC | Rita Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC) |
| 1970 | Blackpool/Blackburn | City of Stoke AC | Trevor Wright (Hallamshire H) | Cambridge Harriers | Rita Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC) |
| 1971 | Norwich/Wolverhampton | Shettleston Harriers | Dave Bedford (Shaftesbury H) | Coventry Godiva | Rita Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC) |
| 1972 | Sutton Coldfield/High Wycombe | Tipton Harriers | Malcolm Thomas (Thames Valley H) | Cambridge Harriers | Rita Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC) |
| 1973 | Parliament Hill/Rawtenstall | Gateshead Harriers | Dave Bedford (Shaftesbury H) | Cambridge Harriers | Joyce Smith (Barnet Ladies AC) |
| 1974 | Sheffield/Leicester | Derby & County AC | Dave Black (Small Heath H) | Barnet & District AC | Rita Ridley (Essex Ladies AC) |
| 1975 | Stopsley/Parliament Hill | Gateshead Harriers | Anthony Simmons (Luton United AC) | Cambridge Harriers | Christine Tranter (Stretford AC) |
| 1976 | Leicester/Blackburn | Gateshead Harriers | Bernie Ford (AFD) | London Olympiades AC | Ann Ford (Hounslow AC) |
| 1977 | Parliament Hill/Stoke | Gateshead Harriers | Brendan Foster (Gateshead H) | Sale Harriers | Glynis Penny (Cambridge H) |
| 1978 | Leeds/High Wycombe | Tipton Harriers | Bernie Ford (AFD) | Sale Harriers | Mary Stewart (Birchfield H) |
| 1979 | Stopsley/Runcorn | Gateshead Harriers | Mike McLeod (Elswick H) | AFD | Kathryn Binns (Sale H) |
| 1980 | Leicester/Rugeley | Tipton Harriers | Nick Rose (Bristol AC) | Birchfield Harriers | Ruth Smeeth (AFD) |
| 1981 | Parliament Hill/Colchester | Tipton Harriers | Julian Goater (Shaftesbury H) | Sale Harriers | Wendy Smith (Hounslow AC) |
| 1982 | Leeds/Carlisle | Tipton Harriers | Dave Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon AC) | Sale Harriers | Paula Fudge (Hounslow AC) |
| 1983 | Stopsley/Warwick | AFD | Tim Hutchings (Crawley AC) | Sale Harriers | Christine Benning (Southampton AC) |
| 1984 | Newark/Knebworth | AFD | Eamonn Martin (Basildon AC) | AFD | Jane Furniss [Shields] (Sheffield AC) |
| 1985 | Milton Keynes/Birkenhead | AFD | Dave Lewis (Rossendale H & AC) | Crawley AC | Angela Tooby (Cardiff AC) |
| 1986 | Newcastle/Leicester | Tipton Harriers | Tim Hutchings (Crawley AC) | Sale Harriers | Carole Bradford (Clevedon AC) |
| 1987 | Stopsley/Bexley | Gateshead Harriers | Dave Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon AC) | Sale Harriers | Jane Shields (Sheffield AC) |
| 1988 | Newark/Leeds | Birchfield Harriers | Dave Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon AC) | Birchfield Harriers | Helen Titterington (Leicester Coritanian) |
| 1989 | Epsom/Birmingham | Tipton Harriers | Dave Lewis (Rossendale H & AC) | Parkside Harrow AC | Angie Pain (Leeds City AC) |
| 1990 | Leeds/Rickmansworth | Valli Harriers | Richard Nerurkar (Bingley H & AC) | Parkside Harrow AC | Andrea Whitcombe (Parkside Harrow) |
| 1991 | Luton/Birkenhead | Bingley H & AC | Richard Nerurkar (Bingley H & AC) | Parkside Harrow AC | Andrea Whitcombe (Parkside Harrow) |
| 1992 | Newark/Cheltenham | Tipton Harriers | Eamonn Martin (Basildon AC) | Parkside Harrow AC | Lisa York (Leicester Coritanian) |
| 1993 | Parliament Hill/Luton | Bingley H & AC | Richard Nerurkar (Bingley H & AC) | Parkside Harrow AC | Gillian Stacey (Bromley Ladies AC) |
| 1994 | South Shields/Blackburn | Blackheath Harriers | Dave Lewis (Rossendale H & AC) | Parkside Harrow AC | Paula Radcliffe (Bedford & County AC) |
| 1995 | Luton | Blackheath Harriers | Spencer Duval (Cannock & Stafford A) | Parkside Harrow AC | Katy McCandless (Parkside Harrow) AC) |
| 1996 | Newark | Bingley H & AC | John Nuttall (Preston H & AC) | Parkside Harrow AC | Alison Wyeth (Parkside Harrow) |
| 1997 | Havant | Tipton Harriers | Steffan White (Coventry Godiva) | Leeds City AC | Andrea Whitcombe (Parkside Harrow) |
| 1998 | Leeds | Bingley H & AC | Dominic Bannister (Shaftesbury Barnet H) | Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers | Mara Myers (Parkside Harrow) |
| 1999 | Newark | Tipton Harriers | Justin Pugsley (Birchfield H) | Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers | Angela Newport (Basingstoke & Mid Hants) |
| 2000 | Stowe | Tipton Harriers | Glynn Tromans (Coventry Godiva) | Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers | Tara Kryzwicki (Charnwood AC) |
| 2001 | Durham | Bingley H & AC | Mike Openshaw (Birchfield H) | Sale Harriers Manchester | Liz Yelling (Bedford & County AC) |
| 2002 | Bristol | Bingley H & AC | Sam Haughian (WSEH) | Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers | Liz Yelling (Bedford & County AC) |
| 2003 | Parliament Hill | Leeds City AC | Matt Smith (Tipton H) | Chester-le-Street & District AC | Hayley Yelling (WSEH) |
| 2004 | Leeds | Belgrave Harriers | Glynn Tromans (Coventry Godiva) | Bristol AC | Birhan Dagne (Belgrave H]) |
| 2005 | Birmingham | Salford H & AC | Glynn Tromans (Coventry Godiva) | Bristol & West AC | Hayley Yelling (WSEWH) |
| 2006 | Parliament Hill | Leeds City AC | Peter Riley (Leigh H & AC) | Charnwood AC | Elizabeth Hall (Herts Phoenix) |
| 2007 | Sunderland | Leeds City AC | Frank Tickner (Wells City H) | Winchester & District AC | Liz Yelling (Bedford & County) |
| 2008 | Alton Towers | Leeds City AC | Tom Humphries (Cannock & Stafford AC) | Winchester & District AC | Liz Yelling (Bedford & County) |
| 2009 | Parliament Hill | Newham & Essex Beagles | Frank Tickner (Wells City Harriers]) | Charnwood AC | Hatti Dean (Hallamshire H) |
| 2010 | Leeds | AFD | Andy Vernon (AFD) | Charnwood AC | Stephanie Twell (AFD) |
| 2011 | Alton Towers | Leeds City AC | Steve Vernon (Stockport Harriers & AC) | Charnwood AC | Louise Damen (Winchester & District) |
| 2012 | Parliament Hill | Leeds City AC | Keith Gerrard (Newham & Essex Beagles) | Hallamshire Harriers | Gemma Steel (Charnwood AC) |
| 2013 | Sunderland | Morpeth Harriers & AC | Keith Gerrard (Newham & Essex Beagles) | AFD | Louise Damen (Winchester & District) |
| 2014 | Nottingham | Bedford & County AC | Steve Vernon (Stockport Harriers & AC) | AFD | Gemma Steel (Charnwood AC) |
| 2015 | Parliament Hill | Notts AC | Charlie Hulson (Sale Harriers Manchester) | AFD | Lily Partridge (AFD) |
| 2016 | Donington Park | Morpeth Harriers & AC | Jonathan Hay (AFD) | AFD | Lily Partridge (AFD) |
| 2017 | Nottingham | Tonbridge AC | Ben Connor (Derby Athletic Club) | AFD | Jessica Judd (Chelmsford AC) |
| 2018 | Parliament Hill | Tonbridge AC | Adam Hickey (Southend-on-Sea AC) | Sale Harriers Manchester | Phoebe Law (Kingston & Poly AC) |
| 2019 | Harewood House, Leeds | Leeds City AC | Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton AC) | Leeds City AC | Emily Hosker Thornhill (AFD) |
| 2020 | Nottingham | Tonbridge AC | Calum Johnson (Gateshead H) | AFD | Anna Moller (AFD) |
| 2021 cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |||||||
| 2022 | Parliament Hill | Southampton AC | Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton AC) | Leeds City AC | Jessica Gibbon (Reading AC) |
| 2023 | Bolesworth Castle | Leeds City AC | James Kingston (Tonbridge AC) | Charnwood AC | Sarah Astin (Belgrave Harriers) |
| 2024 | Weston Park | Bristol & West AC | Hugo Milner (Derby AC) | AFD | Niamh Brown (AFD) |

#### Notes

* ↑ Tie between Birchfield Harriers and Essex Beagles, in the subsequent run-off Birchfield won by 35 pts to 43 pts
* ↑ Tie between Salford H and Manchester H
* ↑ race won by Joseph Guillemot (guest)
* ↑ race won by Joseph Guillemot (guest)
* ↑ Guest D Nagle (Guinness AC) 1st
* ↑ Nnenna Lynch (Oxford University AC) 1st – disqualified non-registered foreign athlete