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Cymraeg

Cardiff wins race to host student cross-country championship

03 August 2011

Cardiff University has won the race to host the UK’s largest student cross-country championship.

Cardiff beat off stiff competition from Universities from across the UK to be named host venue for the 2012 British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Cross Country Championship.

The venue for the race – which takes place on Saturday 4th February 2012 – is Blackweir Fields, an established national cross-country venue which meets national standards and incorporates a mixture of flat fast running, woodland and riverside sections.

Blackweir Fields has also been the venue for the McCain Cardiff Cross Challenge since 1998.

Cardiff University’s Director of Sport, Stuart Vanstone said: "Cardiff will provide a fantastic course for the 2012 BUCS Cross Country Championship. We look forward to welcoming over 1,000 student runners to the Welsh capital to compete in this great event.

"We were particularly pleased to be selected as we knew we had a strong case – strengthened by working alongside the University’s Athletics club and the Athletic Union to finalise our bid.

"The news comes on the back of a successful year for sport at Cardiff University. Not only has the University achieved its highest ever UK ranking for competing in individual and team sports, we’ve also been selected as an official London 2012 training venue for football and we’ll welcome elite boxers from around the world after the International Boxing Association decided to hold its final Olympic preparation training camp at the University’s Sports Training Village."

The annual student sporting event attracts over a 1,000 students from Universities from across the UK, to compete for the annual crown.

BUCS is the national governing body for higher education sport in the UK, which works with student athletes, athletic union staff and elected officers as well as professional sporting staff, coaches and volunteers at some 157 UK universities.

Peter Bovill, Chair of the BUCS Athletics and Cross Management Group said: "We are grateful to universities who submitted proposals to host this event. We are delighted to announce the selection of Cardiff University to host the Cross Country Championship in 2012.

"Cardiff University submitted a strong bid for the proven course of Blackweir Fields, venue for the McCain Cardiff Cross Championship for the past few years. Wales last hosted the event in 2008 and we are pleased to be returning."

Previous championships have been hosted by the University of Birmingham in partnership with Newman College in 2011 and the University of Stirling in 2010. Entries for the event close on the 26th January 2012. Students looking to enter the race should contact Sports/Athletic Union for further information.

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Notes:

Further information:

Stuart Vanstone - Head of Sport
Cardiff University Sport
Tel: 029 2087 4045
Mobile: 07951501120
E-mail: VanstoneS@Cardiff.ac.uk