Meath Cross Country Regulations

Appeals

Any appeals, accompanied by a fee of €20.00 (refundable in the case of a successful appeal) must be submitted in writing within 20 minutes of the finish of the race to which they refer. Only Officers of the Club concerned may submit appeals.

All appeals will be dealt with on the day. The ruling of the Appeals Committee shall be final.

The Appeals Committee shall, in the first instance, be composed of the County Chairman, the County Secretary and a representative of the County Competition Committee. In the case of a conflict of interest on any particular matter an alternate shall replace the conflicted member for the determination of that issue. The alternate shall be either Martin J. Heery or Paddy Mangan, as appropriate. In the event that any member of first instance is unavailable on the day of competition they shall be substituted by the Vice County Chairman, the County Treasurer or the County Registrar, as appropriate.

Juvenile

Juvenile athletes shall compete in their own age groups. Juvenile athletes may move up one age group to compete, except that juvenile athletes may not move up an age group in order to compete in Under 9 competition.

All juvenile teams shall comprise of a minimum of 4 scoring members in competition up to and including Under 14. In juvenile competition from Under 15 to Under 19 then teams shall comprise a minimum of 3 scoring athletes. Where there are less than 3 such scoring teams in a competition then the best scoring groupings of a lesser number of athletes may be awarded championship placings and medals.

In juvenile competition the first twelve finishing athletes in each competition shall qualify by right for the Meath county team in Leinster Cross Country Inter-County competition. A further 3 places on the Meath county team may be filled by athletes who, while not competing on the day, would, in the opinion of the juvenile selectors, be an asset to the overall team. If no such athletes exist then those athletes placing 13th, 14th and 15th in the Meath Cross Country Championships may be allocated places on the county team if sufficient places are available.

In the event of a county team qualifying for the National Cross Country Competition then the first eight finishing county athletes, whether on the county team or not, shall qualify by right for the Meath county team in National Cross Country Inter-County Competition. A further 2 places on the Meath county team may be filled by athletes who, while not competing on the day, would, in the opinion of the juvenile selectors, be an asset to the overall team. If no such athletes exist then those athletes placing 9th and 10th in the Leinster Cross Country Championships may be allocated places on the county team if sufficient places are available.

Junior

Minimum age of athlete to be eligible: Under 17

Maximum age of athlete to be eligible: Under 20

Team Competition

Men’s and Women’s Competitions, teams of 3 scoring members.

Novice

Minimum age of athlete to be eligible: 18yrs of age in the year of competition

Team competition

An athlete may only score on one team (Novice, Overall Masters or Over 50 Masters). A Masters athlete competing on a Novice team must be so declared in advance.

In Men’s Competition, teams of 4 scoring members.

In Women’s Competition, teams of 3 scoring members.

Intermediate

Minimum Age of athlete to be eligible: 18yrs of age in the year of competition

Team competition

In Men’s Competition, teams of 4 scoring members.

In Women’s Competition, teams of 3 scoring members.

Senior

Minimum age of athlete to be eligible: 18yrs of age in the year of competition

Team competition

Men’s and Ladies Competition

The format is Grade A made up of teams of 4 and Grade B made up of teams of 3. Clubs can only compete in one grade and have to declare in advance of the race if they are competing in Grade B. If clubs make no declaration then they are deemed to be competing in Grade A.

Masters

Minimum age of athlete to be eligible: Over the age of 35 on the day of competition

Team competition

An athlete may only score on one team (Masters O/35 or O/50 Masters)

Teams of 3 scoring member in both ladies O/35 & O/50 Master Races

Teams of 4 scoring members in men’s Master O/35 race.

Teams of 3 scoring members in men’s O/50 race

Overall Masters Competition

Minimum age of athlete to be eligible: Any eligible Master may score.

Over 50 Masters Competition

Minimum age of athlete to be eligible: Over the age of 50 on the day of competition

In all cross country or road races only the individual winner of the grade (Novice, Intermediate or Senior) is ineligible to compete in that grade again except in the case of senior. In the case of winning the higher grade (intermediate or senior) then an athlete is ineligible to compete in novice and so on.

Athletes who had broken their grade previously are on attaining their 60th birthday now eligible to run Novice & Intermediate without the need to apply for re-grading.