Cross country heading for crisis

Several years ago, the sport of cross country running on the Isle of Man was at a very low ebb. Small fields for the races were commonplace, with only the really keen and committed cross country enthusiasts keeping the sport going. Even the senior men’s races were only attracting a handful of competitors.

What was desperately needed at that time was for someone with drive, ambition and a genuine enthusiasm for cross country to come along and take the sport by the scruff of the neck and give it a major shake-up. It needed fresh ideas, it needed a new image, and it needed an infectious enthusiasm spreading right through the sport at all levels. And along came Graham Davies with the brand new concept of the Manx Gas Cross Challenge.

The rest is history. Over the past few seasons, we have come to expect fields of between 100 and 150 competitors for most events, a major sponsor (Manx Gas) was secured, some new ideas (such as the Short Course race and the Workplace Challenge) were introduced, and the emergence of outstanding individuals such as Keith Gerrard, John Halligan, Gemma Astin, Sarah Astin and others has helped to give cross country a very high media profile.

Everything in the garden has been rosy for the past few years – until now. Graham no longer has the time to be involved with cross country, and he deserves the grateful thanks of everyone who has enjoyed taking part in the Manx Gas Cross Challenge over the past few seasons. He has done a wonderful job and has put in place a great structure for cross country racing on the island for us all to enjoy.

Unfortunately, there has been no handover of responsibility for promoting this series and at present there is nobody officially doing the job. The first two rounds this season have gone ahead thanks to the host clubs and the efforts of a number of people helping to ‘muddle through’, but we are fast approaching crisis point. I for one will be unable to assist in any capacity with the next round at Glen Lough as I will be flat out with Millennium Relay work (it is the closing date for entries that weekend and we have 2 days to research and work out all the handicaps – a really major job). Most other people who have helped out so far this season are already fully committed with their own club work.

What is desperately needed – urgently – is for someone to come forward and offer to take on a similar role for cross country as Graham has filled for the past few years. Preferably this will be someone who is not otherwise involved in athletics administration, who has the time and enthusiasm to continue and to develop the work that Graham has been doing. Although the various athletics clubs on the island host individual rounds it needs someone to co-ordinate the series to pull it all together and maybe implement some new ideas – reintroducing the Workplace Challenge is one thing that springs to mind.

The stark reality is that if nobody steps forward to take this on in the near future I don’t think the Cross Challenge series will happen next season – we will probably just have the clubs organising their own events as ‘one-offs’. After all the hard work that has gone into resurrecting cross country over the past few years it would be a tragedy if this was to happen.

Can you help – or do you know anybody who might be interested in taking this job on? There will be plenty of support from people already involved in athletics, so whoever takes it on wouldn’t be on their own. The structure is already in place – it just needs someone to take charge and steer the ship.

If you can help, the Isle of Man AA would be delighted to hear from you – probably Bridget Kaneen would be the best person to contact in the first instance. I would also be pleased to speak to anyone interested as I have a reasonable idea of what is involved. This matter will no doubt be one of the main items for discussion at the Annual Meeting of the IOM Athletics Association at the Ascot Hotel in Douglas on Thursday 15th November at 7.30pm. Please come along if you can.