Essex Champs XC & Vets Champs 26-27

29 October 2026 - By Will Radley

Entries are now open to sign up for the EAA Champs and/or Vets xc races for 2026/2027.

SIGN UP HERE

Entries will close on 3 December for Vets and 30 December for Champs.

ESSEX VETS XC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saturday 12 December 2026 – Epping Forest, at the corner of Rangers Road and Forest Side, Chingford.

Full event information: Essex Vets XC Championships – full event information

All races cover the same 8km course:

10:00am – Race 1 – Men V50+

10:50am – Race 2 – Women V40+

11:40am – Race 3 – Men V40 (aged 40–49)

Age categories are based on age on race day, 12 December 2026. Individual medals are awarded in five-year categories up to and including V70. Team medals are awarded in ten-year categories V40, V50 and V60 only, with four runners to score per team.

ESSEX XC CHAMPIONSHIPS (OPEN)

Saturday 9 January 2027 – Gloucester Park, Basildon, SS14 3GR.

Full event information: Essex XC Championships – full event information

Race timetable (all distances approximate):

9:45am – Race 1 – U12 Girls & Boys – 1.5km. School years 5–6, aged 10–11 on 31 August 2027. Non-championship race; no individual or team county medals.

10:00am – Race 2 – U14 Girls – 3.1km. School years 7–8, aged 12–13 on 31 August 2027.

10:20am – Race 3 – U14 Boys – 3.1km. School years 7–8, aged 12–13 on 31 August 2027.

10:40am – Race 4 – U16 Girls – 4.3km. School years 9–10, aged 14–15 on 31 August 2027.

11:00am – Race 5 – U16 Boys – 4.3km. School years 9–10, aged 14–15 on 31 August 2027.

11:20am – Race 6 – U18 Women – 5.2km. School years 11–12, aged 16–17 on 31 August 2027.

11:50am – Race 7 – U18 Men & U20 Women – 6.1km. Men aged 16–17 and women aged 18–19 on 31 August 2027.

12:20pm – Race 8 – Senior Women & U20 Men – 8km. Women aged 20+ and men aged 18–19 on 31 August 2027.

1:10pm – Race 9 – Senior Men – 12km. Men aged 20+ on 31 August 2027.

The course is multi-lap and reasonably challenging. Senior men should be capable of completing 12km in 75 minutes. The official event page also states that men who have not completed two of the three laps (8km) within 50 minutes will be asked to retire. Senior women and U20 men should be capable of completing 8km in 65 minutes. Please consider these limits before entering.

Team medals require four scorers in each championship age group, except senior men, who require six.

ELIGIBILITY FOR BOTH EVENTS

Athletes must hold a current England Athletics registration and qualify to compete for Essex through birth in Essex or continuous residence in Essex for the nine months before the relevant event. Both events are held under UKA Rules. Please read the full organiser information linked above before signing up.