EMAA XC Selection Race for the British & Irish Masters XC International
Geoff Newton found himself at Betley Court Farm near Crewe for the England Masters Selection Race
“The 80+ veteran category is almost non existent in local competition. Almost as rare as rocking horse poo! – Fair enough, 80+ competitors are generally thin on the ground. Perversely, races which don’t award any veteran prizes at all sometimes include the 80+ category in the results if they use the right software, whereas those races with 60+ or even 70+ category awards never include the 80+ in results. It’s nice to have an excuse for running slowly.
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Meaningful competition in 80+ only happens at a national or international level or in monster races like Great North Run. Last year for the first time the M80+ category appeared in the British & Irish Masters Cross Country International. The standard in these races in all the categories is about as high as it gets. To be selected to run for England it is necessary to take part in the selection race. In the older age categories (55+), there are teams of four.
.Geoff only needed to finish in the top three of four M80’s to qualify for the England Masters team
The first three to finish in each category are automatically selected. The fourth place is up to the discretion of the selectors. If there is an outstanding candidate who is unable to take part in the selection race they may be selected instead of the fourth finisher in the selection / trial race. Younger categories have teams of five with four automatically selected.
.The older men’s age categories were put into the race with the senior women
This year the selection race was piggy backed onto the North Staffs Cross Country League races at Betley Court Farm near Crewe, held on Saturday 27 September 2025. Male veterans under 65 ran with the senior men in the League over 8km.
.Geoff soon moved into top position in his category
The senior women’s race in the league hosted all the female veteran categories plus the male veteran categories over 65. This latter race was held over 4.8km. All age categories are in 5 year bands. The younger age categories up to and including 50+ have teams of 5 with four automatically selected.
.It was an undulating 4.8km course
The courses were almost entirely undulating pasture, well decorated with cow pats, but this year almost free of mud. This year I was one of seven M80+ entries, but on the day only four turned up. Peter Giles was confident enough of the sole discretionary place to give the trial a miss, and Phil Brennan and Mike Barnes were the others who failed to appear on the day. This made qualification relatively straightforward. Just finish in the first three of four M80’s.
.Geoff was over a minute ahead of the next best M80 competitor
The 4.8km course comprised one short lap (1.6km ) and one long lap (3.2km). I am a relatively slow starter but was soon ahead of Michael Johnson and Paul Newby and caught Richard Bloom early on the long lap, finishing over a minute clear. I recorded a time of 24.57 for the 4.8 km course.
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If the master’s selection race had been a stand alone event, it would have been a lonely run for us M80’s, but on this occasion, there were plenty of young women in the league race of a similar standard to run against, even if they appeared in a different set of results. League race competitors had a different timing chip to the vet competitors. If the masters runners also qualified for the league they wore both chips.
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The British and Irish Masters XC International will be on Saturday 15 November 2025 at Roundhay Park in Leeds, where I ran in the “National” many years ago.”
By Geoff Newton