The Cardiff Cross Challenge, formerly known as the Reebok Cardiff International Cross-Country, McCain Cardiff Cross Challenge or British Athletics Cross Challenge #1, is an annual

cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and soil, earth, pass through woodlands and ope ...

competition that takes place in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. First held in 1997, it usually takes place in October or November and gained

World Athletics Cross Country Tour The World Athletics Cross Country Tour is an annual series of cross country running competitions which are recognised by the World Athletics (formerly known as the IAAF). Athletes accumulate points in the series' cross country meets during the sea ...

Gold status, the highest-level designation awarded to international cross country races, in 2021. Since October 2017, the competition features elite races of 9.6 km for men and 6.4 km for women, though the distances have varied before then. In 1997 and 1998, the race took place inside the

Cardiff Castle Cardiff Castle () is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion located in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. The original motte and bailey castle was built in the late 11th century by Norman invaders on top of a 3rd-century Roma ...

walls, but it now takes place in

Llandaff Fields Pontcanna Fields & Llandaff Fields are two urban green spaces that adjoin each other in Cardiff, Wales, covering and respectively. They are situated on the western banks of the River Taff and to the east of Llandaff and northeast of Pontcanna. ...

. The race was founded and is still organized by Graham Finlayson.

Past senior race winners

References

; History of winners *

External links

* {{IAAF Cross Country Meetings Cross country running competitions Athletics competitions in Wales Recurring sporting events established in 1997 Sports competitions in Cardiff Cross country running in the United Kingdom Annual sporting events in the United Kingdom 1997 establishments in Wales Cardiff Cross Challenge World Athletics Cross Country Tour