Derry Cross Country cancelled after 25 years over league exclusion

City of Derry Spartans AC has announced the cancellation of this year’s Derry Cross Country, bringing an end to a 25-year association with one of the North West’s longstanding fixtures on the athletics calendar.

The event, formerly known as the North West Cross Country, had been scheduled to take place at Thornhill College on Saturday, December 12.

The club confirmed the cancellation with “great regret and disappointment”, citing a recent decision by Athletics Northern Ireland (ANI) to exclude the race from the NI Cross Country League as the key factor behind the move.

According to City of Derry Spartans, the anticipated reduction in athlete participation resulting from the exclusion would make it almost certain that staging the event would lead to a significant financial loss — a risk the club says it cannot afford to take.

The decision marks a significant setback for an event which has been a regular part of the Northern Ireland cross country calendar for a quarter of a century.

Since the introduction of the NI Cross Country League in 2010, the Derry race has been part of the competition, with the Spartans maintaining a philosophy of delivering an event “for runners, by runners”.

The Spartans expressed their disappointment at Athletics Northern Ireland’s decision, highlighting the club’s longstanding commitment and contribution to the development of the sport over the past 25 years.

In a statement on social media the club said: “Countless hours of voluntary work have gone into making the Derry Cross Country a successful, competitive and welcoming event for athletes of all ages and abilities. We have always taken great pride in providing a quality racing experience while promoting cross country running in the North West and beyond.

“We are extremely disappointed with the decision taken by Athletics Northern Ireland, particularly given the history, commitment and contribution our club has made to the development of cross country running over the past quarter of a century.

“We sincerely hope that fellow clubs, athletes and supporters will understand the difficult position we have been placed in and the reasons behind our decision.”

In announcing the news, City of Derry Spartans paid tribute to the athletes, clubs, volunteers, officials and supporters who had helped make the event a success throughout its history.

Despite the disappointment, the club insisted that its commitment to cross country running remains undiminished and expressed hope that the Derry Cross Country could return to the racing calendar in the future.

Atheltics NI has been approached for comment.