Less than a month after the conclusion of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series, top-level action will get under way again this weekend with the Cardiff Cross Challenge, the first Gold standard meeting of the new World Athletics Cross Country Tour.
It marks the start of a six-month stretch of high-quality competitions because just as the 2021-2022 Cross Country Tour nears its conclusion, the World Athletics Indoor Tour will begin, with the first Gold level fixture slated for 28 January in Karlsruhe.
As announced last month, the Cross Country Tour has replaced the former Cross Country Permit series. As with the Continental Tour and World Indoor Tour, competitions within the Cross Country Tour have gold, silver or bronze status.
The development of these tours is part of a concerted effort by World Athletics to create a logical long-term global calendar of international events. It will also ensure more top-level competition opportunities and exposure for athletes in all areas of the sport.
Fourteen competitions currently feature on the 2021-2022 Cross Country Tour Gold calendar. The tour takes in many of the stops that formed part of the Cross Country Permit series, including the Cross Internacional de Soria, Cross de Atapuerca, Campaccio and Cinque Mulini. They now sit alongside new additions to the tour, including the CrossCup de Hannut, the Cardiff Cross Challenge and the John Ngugi Classic in Eldoret, Kenya.
2021-2022 Cross Country Tour Gold calendar:
16 Oct – Cardiff Cross Challenge, Cardiff (GBR)
24 Oct – Cross Internacional Zornoza, Amorebieta (ESP)
31 Oct – Cross Internacional de Soria, Soria (ESP)
14 Nov – Cross de Atapuerca, Atapuerca (ESP)
21 Nov – Cross of Italica, Seville (ESP)
28 Nov – Cross Internacional de La Constitucion Alcobendas, Alcobendas (ESP)
19 Dec – Cross Internacional de Venta de Banos, Venta de Banos (ESP)
6 Jan – Campaccio International Cross Country, San Giorgio su Legnano (ITA)
9 Jan – Elgoibar Juan Muguerza Cross Country, Elgoibar (ESP)
16 Jan – Gran Premio Caceres Campo a Traves, Serradilla (ESP)
23 Jan – CrossCup de Hannut, Hannut (BEL)
30 Jan – Cinque Mulini, San Vittore Olona (ITA)
6 Feb – Cross das Amendoeiras em Flor, Albufeira (POR)
12 Feb – John Ngugi Cross Country Classic, Eldoret (KEN)
Full Cross Country Tour calendar (including Gold, Silver and Bronze meetings)
Heading into its seventh season, and its second in a three-tier structure, the 2022 World Indoor Tour includes seven Gold standard meetings, all of which are among the top indoor meetings in the world. The Millrose Games and the Müller Indoor Grand Prix, both of which were unable to go ahead last year, will be back for 2022. In total, 31 meetings feature in the 2022 World Indoor Tour.
2022 World Indoor Tour Gold calendar:
28 Jan – Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe (GER)
29 Jan – Millrose Games, New York City (USA)
13 Feb – New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, Boston (USA)
17 Feb – Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais, Lievin (FRA)
19 Feb – Müller Indoor Grand Prix, Birmingham (GBR)
22 Feb – Copernicus Cup, Torun (POL)
2 Mar – Villa de Madrid, Madrid (ESP)
Full World Indoor Tour calendar (including Gold, Silver and Bronze meetings)
World Athletics
