The Irish National Senior Men and Women's Inter Clubs Cross Country Championships are slated for Sunday, 2nd March in Rathdrum Co. Wicklow.

The ambitious race programme consists of the Women's Junior Race 6k - 1.00 pm; Junior Men 8k - 1.30 pm; Senior Women 8k - 2.15 pm and the Senior Men's 12k race at 2.45 pm.

Fionualla Britton, from Wicklow has won the last three Junior Women's races and will no doubt be excited about racing in her own backyard. It will be difficult to match the intensity of last year's races, which qualified complete teams to the World Championships held in Dublin. This year, the Athletics Association of Ireland (AAI) has not committed to sending a full complement to the World stage.

The World Cross Country Championships will be held in Lausanne, Switzerland on 20th - 30th March. According to the AAI, the selection policy for the World CC Championships will see the first two (2) athletes across the line in the National Senior Men and Women's Inter Clubs Cross Country Championships to be held in Rathdrum Co. Wicklow on 2nd March gaining automatic selection for the Short Course teams for the World Cross Country Championships. Also, the first two (2) Irish Men and Women across the line at the Rás na hÉireann International meeting to be held in Dunleer, Co. Louth on 16th March will also gain automatic selection for the Short Course teams at the World Cross Country Championships. The complete teams will be announced on the day following the Rás. The winner of the National Junior Men and Women's Inter Club Championships will also be automatically selected for the World Junior Cross Country Championships. Sonia O'Sullivan (Ballymore/Cobh AC) has announced she will not compete in the IAAF World Indoor Track Championships but is available for the World Cross Country Short Course Championships. Presently, she plans on competing in the Rás na hÉireann.

Click here for a map of the 2003 Inter Clubs Cross Country Course.

Click here for the location of the 2003 Inter Clubs Cross Country Championships.

Click here for Pat Diskin's 2003 Inter Clubs webpage.