With T-minus one day to go until the World Cross Country Championships gets underway in Aarhus, Denmark, athletes from across the globe have been doing their final preparations, which includes checking out the wacky course.
Naturally, the course and its quirks have already been a huge topic of discussion across social media.
Here are just a few of the course features racers will encounter at #WorldCross2019 this weekend pic.twitter.com/2ArOTYWi97
— Kyle Merber (@TheRealMerb) March 28, 2019
And while I’m on an @Aarhus2019 role: here’s the mud section, not flat but about the flattest on the circuit! Only 10m in length but no escaping it, & the cumulative effect of the punches this course will keep raining down on folk, will destroy anyone not in GREAT shape! pic.twitter.com/ReC1xJKjc2
— Tim Hutchings (@TimHutchings1) March 28, 2019
A strong Great Britain & Northern Ireland squad of 24 cross specialists arrived on the Jutland peninsula a couple of days ago and have had plenty of time to get their heads around what is quite possibly, the most spectacular cross country course we’ve seen.
GB athletes include Inter Counties champion Matt Willis, who we spoke to just last week about his journey to the top so far. The team will be headed up by Stockport Harrier and European Cross senior team silver medallist, Jessica Piasecki, who seemed rather excited to be named captain. Check out the full GB team here.
🗣️ “I couldn’t ask for any more than to be named captain of such a strong team.”
🎽 @JessCoulson90 has been named as 🇬🇧 team captain for @Aarhus2019! Read her reaction here 👉 https://t.co/FR5RuAC8at pic.twitter.com/3lIgZ2RKee
— British Athletics (@BritAthletics) March 27, 2019
In stark contrast to the last World Cross Championships in the blistering heat of Uganda, tomorrow, athletes will have to navigate a unique course which includes a steep grassy incline up onto the roof of the Moesgaard Museum, yes, you read that correctly, a museum.
Every single person in Aarhus I have spoken to has said “I tried to take a picture of how steep the roof is, but no photo does it justice.”#IAAFworlds
— Michelle Sammet (@michellesammet) March 28, 2019
But, the fun doesn’t stop there, whilst raising the roof on multiple laps of the course, athletes will also encounter specially crafted sections of sand, water and muddy goodness-maybe some duck tape around the spikes might be necessary?
No avoiding the water-splash about 2/3 of way around the 2km loop @Aarhus2019 – everyone will get wet! Needless to say, steep hill sweeps down to this, & a steep climb starts when heading out of the other end…! Do we call this course “The Beast” or “The Bastard”…? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/JX1xWMzE8q
— Tim Hutchings (@TimHutchings1) March 28, 2019
Let’s not forget that there are also rumours of spectators dressing as Vikings in certain fan zones around the course, what more could you want?
Ofcourse, all of this commotion surrounding the championships has been a very valiant effort to revive what has been a dwindling event over the past few years. Off the back of IAAF announcements to alter the infamous Diamond League structure in 2020, it seems there’s a wave of motivation to rejuvenate certain aspects of the sport, to maintain spectator and competitor figures.
The full timetable of the event can be found here.
