With the summer athletics now complete, this means that winter cross country season starts soon! If you are a member of Keilor Little Athletics Centre for the 2023/24 season, then you membership for cross country is paid as part of your fees. If you are not a member of KLAC, you can sign up via our website by hitting the JOIN/TRIAL button immediately below:
Nominations now open for cross country relay teams - 8 June - U9 to U17
On Saturday 8th June there is no regular cross-country, but instead there are LAV cross-country relays, open to all athletes age U9 to U17 (sorry to younger athletes - but you get this morning off).
We invite ALL interested U9 to U17 athletes to nominate, no matter how slow or fast you may think you are - to us, it is very much the more the merrier.
To nominate, please hit the button below, and then fill in the nomination form. The relays will be held at Cruden Farms.
Races begin at 9am and are generally completed by 11am. If we are the host centre, we require parent participation by a small number of parents to stand at checkpoints on the course and direct the kids where to run. If you are interested in helping with training during the week or marshalling when we host the event at Keilor please let us know – we are always looking for volunteers.
The provisional dates for XC and more details are below., and via the the information sheet found via the link below
What is cross country?
Cross-country season begins 4th May and runs through to 19th August. Unlike track and field in the summer, the venue for cross-country events changes weekly with locations including the Aberfeldie athletics track in Essendon, our track at Keilor, Coburg, Essendon, Bundoora. There are also regional and state championships for cross country with the dates published below.
Cross-country involves athletes running just one event, with distances listed below for the various age groups.
Cross country distances:
U6 Boys & Girls 500m
U7-8 Boys & Girls 1000m
U9-10 Boys & Girls 1500m
U11-12 Boys & Girls 2000m
U13-17 Boys & Girls 3000m
CROSS-COUNTRY EVENTS ARE NEVER CANCELLED FOR WET OR COLD WEATHER
So please ensure that your athletes are dressed appropriately, which can include long black pants, and warm black tops under the Keilor top. Commonwealth Bank name patches are still required with the Coles badge above the LA Vic logo. Races start at 9am and are usually completed by 11am.
Northern Metro Region (NMR) and Little Athletics Victoria (LA Vic) host region and state events for cross-country over the same distances.
Keilor members who have joined for the preceding summer track and field season can compete in cross-country without paying additional registration fees. In addition athletes who did not register for the summer season can join for the cross-country season only, at a reduced fee of just $90 - Click the join button above..
Cross country training
Cross-country training is held at 5pm every Tuesday at our track - and like cross-country, is never cancelled for wet weather. If it is cold - please dress warmly!
Cross-Country Dates (these will also be found in the Keilor Calendar)
9:00am Saturday 4th May - Keilor
9:00am Saturday 131h May - Bundoora Park
9:00am Saturday 18h May - Essendon
9:00am Saturday 25th May - Coburg
9:00am Saturday 8th June - Cross country relays, location TBA. U9 to U17 only
9:00am Saturday 15th June - Keilor
9:00am Saturday 22nd June - Essendon
9:00am Saturday 29nd June - Bundoora
9.00 Saturday 13th July - Regional Cross Country Championships - location TBA
9:00am Saturday 20th July - Hawkestowe Park Picnic Area
9:00am Saturday 27th July - Keilor
9.00am Saturday 3rd August - Bundoora Park
TBA Saturday 12th August LAVic State Cross Country (U9-17) - Location TBA
9:00am Saturday 17th August Presentation Day, Essendon
Venues (unless otherwise stated)
Keilor - Keilor LAC - Stadium Park Drive, Keilor Park
Essendon - Essendon LAC Corio Street, Aberfeldie
DV/ Whittlesea - 1069 Plenty Road, Bundoora, except for 25th June (Plenty Gorge Parklands)
Coburg - Coburg LAC, Harold Stevens Athletic Track
Who are our cross-country managers?
Rachel and Matt Pellow are our hard-working cross-country managers - they can be texted at 0400 073 717 if you have any questions.