Cross-country working occasion at Horspath suffers sudden and controversial cancellation on Saturday
The South of England Inter-Counties and Masters Championships at Horspath close to Oxford was called off on Saturday (Dec 9) simply minutes earlier than begin of the races, a lot to the disgust of the a whole bunch of runners current.
Organisers described the course as “unsafe” following torrential rain that swept over the UK this week.
Such was the last-minute nature of the choice, rivals in the under-13 women’ race have been on the beginning line when the assembly was cancelled, with many deciding to run anyway.
Oxford City’s John Exley stated: “I used to be outraged. There was nothing that was any extra harmful than the same old cross-country course. The programs have been all as final 12 months and SEAA (South of England Athletics Association) authorized.”
Dispelling rumours {that a} medical 4×4 automobile acquired caught in the mud, the 75-year-old stated this was not the case. “The 4×4 was our personal course setting-out Land Rover, though it was pencilled in for transporting the primary aiders or injured athletes the place required.”
Exley added: “We spent a number of hours organising the programs and it was fairly troublesome with out the Land Rover and cancellation got here simply 5 minutes earlier than the primary race. The under-13 women, who have been on the beginning line, have been so disgusted that all of them set off and ran the course anyway. Then most of the opposite athletes additionally went spherical their respective programs.”
The South of England have been swift to take to social media to announce the cancellation, describing the venue as an “unsafe course”.
The Horspath course adjoining to the BMW Mini automobile plant is at all times difficult and might be very muddy however has been used for greater than 50 years in all situations.
This information follows final month’s cancellation of the London Youth Games at Parliament Hill in north London. On that event the space working legend Dave Bedford accused present cross-country organisers of “having misplaced their means” following what he calls an “inexplicable cancellation”.
Bedford blasted: “I concern we’ve stealthily ushered in an period the place the default place is to cancel, somewhat than go forward.”
See the Dip Finish column in the December situation of AW journal for extra.