WTF: World Athletics proposes that cross country return to the 2024 Olympics as a mixed gender 4 x 2.5km race

So can we just add a mountainous 100 mile trail race too? That would be far better because it would be a far better story for non-runners than “fast dudes run for 30 minutes on grass”. I’m serious.

Brianruns10 wrote: Cross is a winter sport

Not uniformly.

Hoka One One Napali wrote:

So can we just add a mountainous 100 mile trail race too? That would be far better because it would be a far better story for non-runners than “fast dudes run for 30 minutes on grass”. I’m serious.

Broadcasting nightmare

I hate mixed gender relays in general. I see BTC is doing them tonight. They are not creative or inclusive. They are sloppy and in some cases pointless. Like what is a woman going to do racing three men? What is the point? To get left behind completely? And what is one man going to do blowing by three women? At least if you're going to insist on doing it, then make all the women run the same leg and the men run the same leg.

Hoka One One Napali wrote:

So can we just add a mountainous 100 mile trail race too? That would be far better because it would be a far better story for non-runners than “fast dudes run for 30 minutes on grass”. I’m serious.

Yeah just look at the millions of people tuning in to watch the western state endurance race every year....

Droddy & Stinson's Communal Bong wrote:

You really think anyone's not going to lead with the two male runner legs in this scenario?

I doubt anyone would lead with the 2 male legs. Much better to lead with 2 woman and give your faster guys targets in front to chase rather than have girls be 1 min in front and have a couple of fast dudes chasing her down.

It would be mildly interesting to see who would be doubling back (i.e. if you have a 5000m final in 2 days do you really want to be running this?) or stepping up (is 2.5k XC better for 5000m guys or 1500m guys?).

The mixed gender stuff though always makes the woman look bad. If a 14:30 female and a 13:00 guy are racing, that guy is going to either be putting absurd distance on her OR eating up absurd leads.

The argument that this will somehow be more attractive to the "casual fan" is ridiculous. The average person isn't going to give a sh!t about cross country whether it's a relay or a 10k. They might watch it if it happens to be on, the same way that I occasionally watch curling if it comes on right after a popular event. Nobody is tuning in specifically to watch cross country except hardcore running fans- a group that almost 100% prefers a regular 10k race.

Dear lord, I'd love to race my relay team against yours! ?

I disagree, it is the Olympics where casual sports fans will watch badminton, skeleton sledding, curling or any other obscure sport that is only visible during that time frame. If you have a relay where each athlete is only running for 6-8 minutes that is something that might be compelling enough to get casual fans engaged. It takes runners that they don't know and gives them a national identity to support.

If it is a 10k individual race you will lose casual fans who don't want to see just a big pack of runners they don't know cruising along for 28 minutes.

What this is good for is our foot would be in the door as a sport. We could always request modifications later.

What would make it even better is if these were torch races.

YARLY wrote:

2.5 miles isn't a joke distance. I've long felt that having 5k xc be the distance in high school, and moving up to 8k in college prohibited speed types from competing. The advantage is still to the person with more endurance but it makes things interesting.

Who’s talking about 2.5 miles? 2.5km = ~1.55 miles. And it’s not so much the distance (or lack thereof) that makes it a joke as the fact that nobody races 2.5k, there’s no historical precedent and so it’s tougher to judge the strength of the performance. If someone tells me they’ve run an impressive time for 2.5 K, I’m gonna narrow my eyes and think “run a real distance and get back to me.”

I disagree with this. I tune in to watch the cross country skiing relays every olympics. They’re super exciting. I’ve even started watching them on you tube. I’ve never cross country ski’d in my life.

Dr Yuengling wrote:

The argument that this will somehow be more attractive to the "casual fan" is ridiculous. The average person isn't going to give a sh!t about cross country whether it's a relay or a 10k. They might watch it if it happens to be on, the same way that I occasionally watch curling if it comes on right after a popular event. Nobody is tuning in specifically to watch cross country except hardcore running fans- a group that almost 100% prefers a regular 10k race.

Agreed.

Whenever I read a XC/Track talk about "Keeping the Classics" I get concerned. That has killed our sport and not allowed innovation to compete. Just look at Baseball vs Basketball right now. baseball failing miserably because they wanted to keep tradition and play in their parks. Basketball, new innovative and adapting and thriving. Always push the envelope.

This is why LRC isn't always good for the sport. Founder immediately starting a thread to bash an idea to add to it. I agree, to some extent, that I'd rather see cross on its own with team scoring, but the purists are in the minority. The mixed gendered relays are exciting. It would look similar to Great Edinburgh or what we're seeing at the Big Friendly/BTC. They are fun to watch even if you think it's a watered down version of the sport. I'm all for trying something that might get people to tune in. It would be good to see this site promote the sport a bit more instead of being so negative all the damn time.

I'm just playing... wrote:

With regard to your comment about the Africans... I think if they put a tough enough course you could limit the dominance and level the field somewhat. I'm not saying you have to make it Leadville or Western States, but you wouldn't want to put them on a flat golf course either.

Man, those Africans eat (or "eats"?) hills and mud for breakfast, if you try to make a course specially tough for them you'll be simply killing the other competitors.

Even reading about it is boring me.

I wouldn't watch what is likely to be a bunch of second tier athletes running in single file over a vague distance.

Tram Tracks wrote:

Even reading about it is boring me.

I wouldn't watch what is likely to be a bunch of second tier athletes running in single file over a vague distance.

You just described the sit and kick Olympic 10k

I like the idea of cross country in the Winter Olympics. The primary reason is the additional exposure for the sport. The Olympics keep our sport alive as well as provide funding. Winter Olympic exposure provides this, plus it makes the Winter Games more interesting. It is a win/win. The weather conditions & course also give opportunities for strength runners & CC specialists.

If added to the summer games I’m for that as well, although as an additional not a replacement event.

Hardloper wrote:

Baron Pierre de Indoortan wrote:

No, that would be the illogical place for XC, because the winter games are reserved for sports that require a snow or ice surface to be played on: speed and figure skating, nordic and alpine skiing, ice hockey, curling, various sledding disciplines, etc.

I don't know why people have such a hard time grasping this, and why this meme about XC being in the Winter Games comes up again and again.

What you don't grasp is the Winter Olympiad can add whatever sports it wants. It's not like someone will sue them if they include XC in the winter games.

It is true that the IOC can change the charter to remove the snow/ice/sliding requirement. However, the IOC has made it pretty clear that the sports it wants to add are sports attractive to younger people and that show well on tv. Not sure XC fits either bill.

Also the IOC has been on a mission to keep the number of athletes in check. Adding a sport would mean reducing the number of athletes in other established sports.