Runners try out the course for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019 (© LOC)
Following a test race on Wednesday (7) which passed over the roof of Moesgaard Museum, the IAAF approved the course for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019.
The two-kilometre loop has 75 metres of elevation, looping through grass and open woodland and passing through sand pits and mud. The course peaks as it takes the runners up the steep, grassy roof at Moesgaard Museum.
Two-time world cross-country champion Annette Sergent-Petit of France was one of the runners who put the challenging course to the test.
“I enjoyed the course very much,” said Sergent-Petit, winner of the 1987 and 1989 world cross-country titles. “It is a real cross-country course with a lot of up- and downhill as it is very intense with curves and you must concentrate all the time. There is not much time to recover.
“The roof is brilliant and mixes culture and sport,” she added. “To be on the roof of the culture is a good symbol. It is an interesting event set-up. After having run the course today, I’m now actually motivated to register for the recreational race.”
IAAF technical delegate Luis Saladie was also pleased with the course.
“With the approval of the Danish proposal for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2019, we can now take cross country running back to its roots,” said Saladie. “Cross country is about running beyond the limits. Together with the organisers, the city of Aarhus and Sport Event Denmark, we will for sure stage an event that will go down in history.”
Mikkeller announced as title partner
Organisers of the event announced Mikkeller as the title partner of the championships.
The micro-brewery, which was founded in 2006 by former international runner Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, accounts for more than 200 race communities around the world.
“We hope that as many of them as possible will come along for this once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Bjergsø, who in 2014 established the Mikkeller Running Club together with Søren Runge. “We are looking forward to it! In 1994, I ran my one-and-only World Cross Country Championship. Here, 25 years later, I’m now partnering with the IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2019.”
The organisers of the World Cross Country Championships are looking forward to the cooperation with the worldwide running community.
“With the various initiatives in the field of running, Mikkeller has been a refreshing addition to the continued development of running,” said Jakob Larsen, Director of the Danish Athletics Association. “In 2014 the Danish Athletics Federation staged a ‘game-changing’ World Half Marathon Championships, resulting in the great acknowledgment from IAAF. Now we repeat the success together with Mikkeller, and again together with Sport Event Denmark as in 2014. Aiming for the same in 2019 is ambitious, but we think the partnership with Mikkeller is an excellent start of the journey.”
Registration for the recreational races at the World Cross Country Championships opens on April 4 and there will be several opportunities. For more information, visit the LOC’s website.
LOC for the IAAF
