Cross Country Handbook

 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

 

Refer to student eligibility in the BC School Sports Handbook.

Junior High and Middle Schools must be members of BCSS and compete in the Senior division if they wish to compete in the BCHS Cross Country Championships.

Individuals do not play up in Cross Country/Track & Field

Students enrolled in grade 7 BCSS member schools are NOT eligible to compete in the Provincial High School Championships.

Students MUST compete for the member school at which they attend (are registered).

WHAT CONSTITUTE A TEAM?

A team is composed of 5 members and 2 alternates only. Only the designated team members can score in the meet.

If fewer than five contestants participate from a school, they may compete for individual honours.

QUALIFICATION

Zones for Cross Country are identical to those established for the BC High School Track & Field Championship. The berths for the 2000 BC High School Cross Country Championships are:

  • 8 berths - Fraser Valley (AGM 2010)
  • 3 berths - Bby - New West - Richmond
  • 3 berths - Vancouver
  • 3 berths - Okanagan
  • 4 berths - Vancouver Island (AGM 2007)
  • 3 berths - Kootenays
  • 3 berths - North Shore
  • 2 berths - Independant
  • 2 berths - North Central
  • 2 berths - North West

Zones with three or four berths qualify the first 1-20 individuals in each race, including team members. Zones with two berths will qualify the top 1-15 individuals in each race, including team members.

TIE

(On the zonal level) In the event of two or more teams scoring the same number of points (five members only) for the last team qualification spot, the following method is used to break the tie: IAAF RULE: The placement of the last scoring runner will determine the winner.

MEETS

  1. Zone Meet - to be completed 10 days prior to the provincial meet.
  2. Provincial Meet - the Saturday prior to Remembrance Day (November)
  3. Schedule:
    Girls - 10AM
    Boys - 11AM
    Presentations: - 12PM

ALL ATHLETES MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SPONSOR WHO IS A TEACHER. IF ACCOMPANIED BY THE ZONE REPRESENTATIVE, THE DESIGNATED PERSON MUST BE APPROVED IN WRITING BY THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL PRIOR TO THE MEET. Athletes without a sponsor/teacher will not compete and be sent home immediately.

COACHES MEETING

  • To start at 9AM sharp
  • All coaches must sign in with meet management
  • To distribute team envelopes with score sheet
  • To go over any problems that may occur on the course.

CHANGING FACILITIES AND WASHROOMS

These should be available near or on the site of the competition.

STARTING LINE

The starting line should be clearly marked with whiting. At either end there should be two fluorescent flags to indicate the line.

Runners should line up in single file behind their team captain and pay attention to the starter.

Only minimal instructions should be given at the line Start command: "set" and the gun.

BOYS - Minimum distance 6500 meters, Maximum distance 7200 meters

GIRLS - Minimum distance 4000 meters, Maximum distance 5000 meters

** The BCHS Executive MUST approve the course

TERRAIN

  1. The terrain shall be suitable for off track running. It shall wherever possible avoid black top, asphalt or concrete. Trails and grass or dirt surfaces are the best. Uneven terrain in acceptable.
  2. The course should be circular rather than out and back.

MEASUREMENT OF THE COURSE

The course should be measured along the middle of the trail.

MARKINGS

The course shall be clearly marked in white chalk or lime lines. As well, the course may be marked in surveyor's fluorescent tape, preferable orange in colour.

SPOTTERS - 10-12 people

  1. Spotters should be stationed every 500 meters on the course. As well, there should be additional spotters at key turns or interchanges.
  2. Spotters should direct runners with arm signals. Spotters should control traffic.
  3. Spotters should be equipped with hand flags to distinguish them from the general public.

TIMING

  1. The timing of each race shall consist of running time only.
  2. It is recommended that there be at least one back-up timer.

RECORDING TIME

  1. There should be at least two people recording times on paper.
  2. Periodic verbal checks should be made in order to eliminate errors.

FINISH LINE

  1. The finish line shall be wide enough to accommodate six runners.
  2. The finish line shall be marked with whiting.
  3. Fluorescent orange flags shall mark the finish line.

FUNNEL

  1. The funnel shall be at least 50 meters long.
  2. The funnels shall be composed of pinions and rope.
  3. Athletes should be funnelled well away from the finish line.

OPERATION

FINISH JUDGE

  • Shall call out the correct order of finish
  • Should be audible enough for the steward to understand
  • A megaphone should be used if necessary
  • Finish line judge must not leave the finish line until all runners are in

STEWARDS - 10 people

  • An adequate number of people should be provided for the funnel.
  • Stewards should help the athletes remain in order and move down the funnel as quickly as possible.
  • Steward may, on occasion, have to physically assist athletes down the funnel.

TONGUE DEPRESSOR STEWARDS - 5 people

  • Tongue depressors should be used at the finish line
  • Each depressor shall be clearly numbered and colour coded for each of the boys and girls races.
  • Depressors should be handed out in groups of 50 by one person
  • The steward shall approach the athletes in the funnel - he should not stand back waiting for the athletes to pass by him.
  • If the athlete has dropped their depressor once it has been put into their possession, the steward should not pick it up. It is the athletes' responsibility to return it as a proof of position.

TEAM SCORING

  • Coaches should write their results down on their team envelopes
  • Full names of the athletes as well as position should be recorded
  • Team totals should be recorded in the bottom right hand corner
  • Tongue depressors MUST be included in the envelope when it is handed in. Failure to do so will mean disqualification of the team.

INDIVIDUALS

Individual athletes shall report to a recorder who is in charge of individual entries.

RECORDING - 8 people

  • 4 people should be recording results on a master sheet that was drawn up in advance for 1-50, 50-100, 101-150, 151-200 positions.
  • One recorder should record individual results
  • One recorder should be arranging the envelopes in order, checking the totals against the tongue depressors and then putting the team results on a master sheet. These sheets will then be photocopied.

DUPLICATION OF RESULTS

  • Copies of results should be made available at the site. 250 copies are recommended
  • Results should be circulated after the awards have taken place

AWARDS

  1. Medals
      Team Boys Team Girls Ind'l Boys Ind'l Girls Total
    Gold 7 7 1 1 16
    Silver 7 7 1 1 16
    Bronze 7 7 1 1 16
      21 21 3 3 48
  2. Ribbons - In each event ribbons will be awarded for positions 4 through 20.
  3. Rosettes - Rosettes will be awarded in each event for the top ten teams
  4. Certificates - One for each participant

COMMISSION SCRIPT FOR PRESENTATIONS

  1. Present Individual
    Awards 20-11 girls
    10-1 girls
    20-11 boys
    10-1 boys
  2. Present Team Rosettes
    10-5 girls
    4-1 girls
    10-5 boys
    4-1 girls

PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. If available, good action shots should accompany preliminary information on the tournament. This should be sent to the Commissioner prior to the tournament
  2. Photos taken during the meet should be forwarded to the Commissioner with the results for publication.
  3. The top 3 individuals in each race will be included in the following spring track program.
  4. The top 3 teams will also be included in the program.

PUBLIC RELATIONS/MEDIA

Papers: Vancouver Sun, Vancouver Province, Local Papers
Radio: CBC, CKWX, CKNW
TV: Global, CBC, CityTV, Shaw Cable

HOSPITALITY

Optional, but preferable

If the host zone would like to put on hospitality then they should seek support from their community.

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