Sebastian Coe impressed with the innovative concept of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2019

Photo credit: Lars Møller

When he’s not dealing with cyber attacks, Seb Coe views sites of upcoming events and responds to concerns about how to evolve the sport. Cross Country is one of his focuses, as the World Cross has been the focus of many countries’ withdrawing support due to the changes needed in the event. We hope Aarhus 2019 will implement some of the changes needed and build on the excitement from Kampala.

Sebastian Coe impressed with the innovative concept of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2019

Sebastian Coe, President of the IAAF, saw for the first time today the innovative course of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2019 and discussed with the local organisers various solution to a boost of the event. The Danish Athletic Federation together with the City of Aarhus and Sport Event Denmark are up for epoch-making changes in the championship, and the IAAF is thrilled.

“It is really, really exciting because it will showcase our sport in an innovative, modern, exciting setting but also show that cross country is a tough sport, and it returns it to what I will describe a traditional cross country course with the surrounding landscape,” said Sebastian Coe, president, IAAF, after he examined the innovative course of the event today.

The IAAF World Cross Country Championships are one of the world’s oldest running events. The event will be staged in March 2019 on Danish soil on and around the Museum of Moesgaard in Aarhus. The course will include running across the sloping grass roof of the museum.

The local organisers, the Danish Athletic Federation (DAF), the City of Aarhus and Sport Event Denmark are currently developing an innovative concept for the event. The organisers of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships aim to boost the championships to focus on cross-country running nationally and internationally.

“We will put cross country running on the agenda and we will invite the Danes and recreational runners to participate in the celebration of cross running in the days leading up to the championships – and at the world cross country championships race day. At the same time we will be introducing a nationwide school Olympics cross country-tournament with the finals in the same week,” says Jakob Larsen, director of the Danish Athletic Federation.

The Danish visions have already attracted much attention from both the IAAF and the international World of Running.

“There is great focus on how Denmark intends to plan and stage the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2019, especially internationally. Thanks to the Danish Athletic Federation, the visions make a big impression on the IAAF with the revolutionary thoughts on the new concept,” says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark, the national sporting event organization partners the event together with the City of Aarhus.

Facts on the IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2019

Mud is our Tattoo & It’s in our Nature

• · Name: IAAF World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019
• · Date: March 2019
• · Place: Moesgaard Museum, Aarhus
• · Organisers: The Danish Athletic Federation, Sport Event Denmark and the City of Aarhus
• · Sales of entries: December 1 2017
• · Distance: 10 km

Photo credit: Lars Møller