Cappakeel to host opening day of Laois Athletics Cross Country Championships
Oughaval AC and Emo Rath AC will host the opening day of the 2026 Championships
The Laois County Championships for Novice and Even Ages Cross Country will take place at Cappakeel this Sunday, September 27.
The championships, organised by Laois Athletics, will get underway at 11.30am, with Oughaval AC and Emo Rath AC hosting the event.
There will be races for boys and girls from U10 through to U18, as well as Novice Men and Novice Women competitions. The U10 races, for athletes born in 2017 or 2018, will cover 800 metres, while the U12 competitors will run 1,400 metres. The U14 races are over 2,000 metres, with the U16 competitions covering 3,000 metres.
The U18 girls will run 3,500 metres, while the U18 boys will compete over 5,000 metres. The Novice Women’s race will also cover 3,500 metres, with the Novice Men running 5,000 metres.
There will be medals for the first 10 finishers in the U10 competitions, while medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in the U12, U14, U16 and U18 races. Team medals will also be presented, with the top three teams receiving medals subject to the required number of athletes scoring.
The U18 ladies race will run simultaneously with the Novice Ladies race, while the U18 Men’s competition will likewise take place alongside the Novice Men’s race. Novice athletes must be aged 18 or over on December 31 in the year of competition.
All athletes taking part must be registered with Athletics Ireland, while competitors are required to wear a race number and their club singlet. Entries for the championships are being taken through Popupraces.ie.
Sunday’s event is the first of four stages in the Laois Athletics 2026 Cross Country Championships.
Day 1 – Sunday, September 27: Novice & Even Ages, hosted by Oughaval A.C. and Emo Rath A.C.
Day 2 – Sunday, October 11: Intermediate & Juvenile Uneven Ages, hosted by Ballyroan Abbeyleix & District A.C.
Day 3 – Sunday, November 1: Masters & Juvenile Development Races, hosted by St Michael’s A.C.
Day 4 – Sunday, November 29: Senior Cross Country, hosted by St Abban’s A.C.
The venue for Sunday’s event is Cappakeel, R32 Y8D4, with the first championship race scheduled to get underway at 11.30am.