Cross de l'Acier

(Redirected from Cross de L'Acier)

The Cross de l'Acier (English: Cross of Steel) was an annual cross country running competition held in late November in Leffrinckoucke, France. First held in 1990, it was one of the foremost competitions of its type in France. Ten races were held at the event for athletes of varying abilities.[1] Around 2200 runners took part in the day's event in 2010.[2] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and disagreements with the National Athletics League, it was announced that the race would be discontinued in 2022 after two years absence.[3]

Cross de l'Acier
The Fort des Dunes, an old military fortification, is the race venue
DateLate November
LocationLeffrinckoucke, France
Event typeCross country
Distance9.95 km for men
6.55 km for women
Established1990
Official siteCross de l'Acier
Participants135 (2019)

The course of the competition was held around the Fort des Dunes – part of a set of military fortifications used in the First World War known as the Séré de Rivières system.[4] The men's international elite race covered 9.95 km while the women's race took place over 6.55 km.[1] These races were often used by French athletes to gain selection for the national team at the European Cross Country Championships, which is held a month after the event.[4] The elite competition held permit status from European Athletics.[5]

Over its history, the cross attracted elite runners of the highest calibre and former winners include multiple world record breaker Haile Gebrselassie, World Cross Country champions Zola Budd and Joseph Ebuya, and track world champions Fernanda Ribeiro and Linet Masai.[6] Although many of the competition's most successful runners hail from East Africa, the race also features prominent European runners: Paulo Guerra and Mo Farah both won the European Championships after winning in Leffrinckoucke a month previously.[7]

Past senior race winners

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Olympic champion Fernanda Ribeiro took the women's title in 1995.
 
Haile Gebrselassie won the men's race in 2001.
Edition Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
1st 1990   Bruno Levant (FRA)   Nancy Pattee (BEL)
2nd 1991   Thierry Pantel (FRA)   Albertina Dias (POR)
3rd 1992   Wilson Omwoyo (KEN)   Albertina Dias (POR)
4th 1993   Vincent Rousseau (BEL)   Zola Budd (RSA)
5th 1994   Paulo Guerra (POR)   Fatuma Roba (ETH)
6th 1995   Worku Bikila (ETH)   Fernanda Ribeiro (POR)
7th 1996   Tom Nyariki (KEN)   Margarita Marusova (RUS)
8th 1997   Tom Nyariki (KEN)   Jackline Maranga (KEN)
9th 1998   Hailu Mekonnen (ETH)   Jackline Maranga (KEN)
10th 1999   Hailu Mekonnen (ETH)   Naomi Mugo (KEN)
11th 2000   Luke Kipkosgei (KEN)   Ayelech Worku (ETH)
12th 2001   Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)   Tereza Yohannes (ETH)
13th 2002   Hailu Mekonnen (ETH)   Mestawet Tufa (ETH)
14th 2003   John Yuda (TAN)   Gelete Burka (ETH)
15th 2004   Tibebu Yenew (ETH)   Isabella Ochichi (KEN)
16th 2005   Dennis Ndiso (KEN)   Teyba Erkesso (ETH)
17th 2006   Mohammed Farah (GBR)   Dorcus Inzikuru (KEN)
18th 2007   Imane Merga (ETH)   Linet Masai (KEN)
19th 2008[8]   Imane Merga (ETH) 28:15   Abebu Gelan (ETH) 18:20
20th 2009   Imane Merga (ETH)   Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)
21st 2010[6]   Joseph Ebuya (KEN) 28:08   Linet Masai (KEN) 21:40
22nd 2011   Joseph Ebuya (KEN) 28:10   Feyse Tadese (ETH) 21:09
23rd 2012   Cornelius Kangogo (KEN) 28:14   Waganesh Mekasha (ETH) 21:23
24th 2013   Cornelius Kangogo (KEN) 28:07   Hiwot Ayalew (ETH) 22:30
25th 2014[9]   Birhan Nebebew (ETH) 28:58   Senbere Teferi (ETH) 23:33
26th 2015   Alfred Ngeno (KEN) 30:06   Dera Dida (ETH) 24:13
27th 2016   Selemon Barega (ETH) 26:12   Beyenu Degefa (ETH) 21:48
28th 2017   Birhanu Balew (BHR) 30:53   Margaret Chelimo (KEN) 23:38
29th 2018   Solomon Berihu (ETH) 30:41   Letesenbet Gidey (ETH) 25:25
30th 2019   Berihu Aregawi (ETH) 30:04   Aberash Belay (ETH) 25:01

References

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  1. ^ a b Cross de l´Acier plays host to world champion Ebuya. European Athletics (2010-11-27). Retrieved on 2010-11-29.
  2. ^ Sourice, Frédéric (2010-11-29). ATHLÉTISME - Ça va chauffer entre Imane Merga et Joseph Ebuya, au cross de l'Acier ![permanent dead link] (in French). La Voix du Nord. Retrieved on 2010-11-29.
  3. ^ Guillard-Dettin (CLP), Adrien (2022-04-23). "Course à pied: le Cross de l'Acier tire sa révérence". La Voix du Nord (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  4. ^ a b Armand, Patrick (2010-11-29). Le Kénya brille sur la neige Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine (in French). Nord Éclair. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  5. ^ European Athletics Cross Country Permit Races Archived 2011-03-12 at the Wayback Machine. European Athletics (2010). Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  6. ^ a b Ramsak, Bob (2010-11-29). Ebuya and Masai take comfortable victories at Cross de l’Acier. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  7. ^ Palmares Archived 2012-03-02 at the Wayback Machine. Cross de l'Acier. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  8. ^ Vazel, Pierre-Jean (2008-12-01). Jida beats Kigen again, as Ethiopians dominate in Leffrinckoucke. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  9. ^ Mills, Steven (2014-11-30). Toroitich maintains momentum in Alcobendas – cross-country round-up. IAAF. Retrieved on 2015-03-28.
List of winners
  • Palmares. Cross de l'Acier. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
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