Cross Country & Harrier League:

From around late September until early March, the club competes in cross country competitions locally and across the country. These are team competitions where the cumulative finishing positions of e.g the first six senior men from an individual club count towards the overall team position. At each individual event there are different races for men, women and younger age groups.
Locally, the club competes in the Start Fitness North East Harrier League. This is a series of six cross country fixtures located around the North East of England. The team position in each fixture contributes points which go towards deciding the overall winner of the Harrier League. In recent years both the senior men and women have lifted the Harrier League trophy for their respective competitions. The league is unique in having a ‘handicap’ system, where (based on your previous finishing position) an athlete will run from the ‘slow’, ‘medium’ or ‘fast’ pack, with a time delay between each pack starting.
Additionally, the Sherman Cup/Davison Shield is a local one-off competition, where the winner of the Sherman Cup (male) and the Davison Shield (female) is decided by the combined results of all of the different age-group races (including the veteran athletes). Gateshead has also tasted success in recent years for both trophies.

In addition to these local fixtures, there are the one-off North East Counties Cross Country Championship (competing against teams from across the wider north-east region), the Northern Cross Country Championships (competing against teams from across the north of England) and the English National Cross Country Championships (competing against teams from across the country).
If you wish to compete in the Harrier League you should inform the relevant club individual (see below) by the Thursday immediately prior to each fixture. For the individual championships usually an email will be sent out requesting names of athletes who wish to compete. Again, contact the relevant individual if you wish to be added to mailing lists for these competitions.

Cross Country Contacts:

Senior Men’s Cross Country Captain (for Senior Men/Veteran Men/Under 20 Men):

Steven Medd, email: StevenMedd@GatesheadHarriers.com

Senior Women’s Captain (for Senior Women/Veteran Women/Under 20 Women):

Lisa Atkinson, email: LisaAtkinson@GatesheadHarriers.com

Younger age groups:

Gordon Bell, email: GordonBell@GatesheadHarriers.com

Road and Cross Country Relays:

There are relays nearly all year round. However, from around late September until April, the club competes in road and cross country relay competitions locally and across the country.

The season starts in September / October with the 4 (women’s) and 6 stage (men) Northern and National Road Relay Championships (National is always at Sutton Coldfield). This is followed in November with the National Cross Country Relays Championships at Berry Park, Mansfield.

In the new year, the club competes in the Durham Cathedral Relays, January; NECAA Royal Signal Road Relays Championships in February (4 women, 6 men person teams), Elswick Good Friday Relays and the Northern and National 6 (women) 12 (men) stage Road Relays Championships (National is always at Sutton Coldfield).

Additionally, there are relays Gordon Smith relays, Wallsend (May time) and Summer Durham Cathedral Relays in August.

If you wish to compete in any of these events you should inform the relevant club individual (see below). Although, communication will be sent to all EA registered club athletes.

Cross Country Contacts:

Senior Men’s Relays Captain (Senior/Veteran/U20 Men):

Marc Elliott, email: MarcElliott@GatesheadHarriers.com

Senior Women’s Captain (Senior/Veteran/U20 Women):

Lisa Atkinson, email: LisaAtkinson@GatesheadHarriers.com

Younger Age Groups:

Gordon Bell, email: GordonBell@GatesheadHarriers.com

The club competes in the mixed senior Northern League Track & Field Championships

Saturday 6th May Northern Seniors League (1) Leeds
Sunday 4th June Northern Seniors League (2) Hexham
Sunday 9th July Northern Senior League (3) Morpeth
Saturday 5th August Northern Senior League (4) Middlesbrough
Saturday 19th August Play off match Doncaster or Leigh

The club competes in the YDL.

Sunday 30th April YDL (1) Hull
Sunday 28th May YDL (2) Darlington
Sunday 25th June YDL (3) York
Sunday 23rd July YDL (4) Sheffield or M’boro

The club competes in the YDL.

Saturday 22nd April YDL (1) Preston
Saturday 20th May YDL (2) Leeds
Sunday 18th June YDL (3) Sport City Manchester
Saturday 15th July YDL (4) Preston

The club competes in the NEYDL.

Sunday 30th April NEYDL (1) Jarrow
Sunday 21st May NEYDL (2) Whitley Bay
Sunday 25th June NEYDL (3) Whitley Bay
Sunday 16th July NEYDL (4) Whitley Bay