The Cross Internacional de Atapuerca is an annual cross country running competition that takes place in Atapuerca, Spain. Established in 2004, it takes place in early November and is among the first major competitions of the cross country season. In its initial years, it was usually the first permit meeting in the European Athletic Association's cross country season,[1] and it now begins the IAAF Permit Meeting series, having replaced the Cross de Soria event in 2010.[2]

Cross de Atapuerca
Datelate October
LocationAtapuerca, Spain
Event typeCross country running
Distance9 km (men's)
8 km (women's)
Established2004
Official siteCross de Atapuerca
Participants246 (2019)
271 (2018)
The course of the race passes through the archaeological site in Atapuerca.

The Cross de Atapuerca has attracted high calibre athletes, including World Cross Country Champions Gebregziabher Gebremariam and Leonard Komon, and Linet Masai.[3][4] Around 2500 athletes took part in the 2009 race, which was broadcast on Teledeporte, the sports channel of Spain's state broadcaster TVE.[1][5] It is part of the Spanish cross country running circuit and was ranked as the country's second best meet in 2008.[1][5]

The distances for the professional senior competitions are 9 km for men and 8 km for women. In addition to the elite races, a separate mass race is held for amateur runners. The Cross de Atapuerca also features a number of different categories and distances based on age: four levels for children, youth (under 16s) and junior (under 18s) competitions, and finally a masters race for runners over 35.[6]

The course of the race traces a path through the fields around the town of Atapuerca and passes through the Archaeological Site of Atapuerca before looping back to complete a circuit.[7]

Past elite race winners

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The 2008 winner Alemayehu Bezabeh became European champion in 2009.
Edition Year Men's winner Time
(h:m:s)
Women's winner Time
(h:m:s)
I 2004   Jesús Antonio Núñez (ESP)   Nieves Zarza (ESP)
II 2005   Isaac Viciosa (ESP)   Sara Valderas (ESP)
III 2006   Hicham Chatt (MAR)   Marta Domínguez (ESP)
IV 2007   Elijah Kipterege (KEN) 24:23   Simret Sultan (ERI) 13:13
V 2008   Alemayehu Bezabeh (ESP) 23:40   Margaret Muriuki (KEN) 14:11
VI 2009   Gebregziabher Gebremariam (ETH) 24:41   Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 14:53
VII 2010   Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) 24:33   Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 22:58
VIII 2011   Imane Merga (ETH) 27:21   Linet Masai (KEN) 24:20
IX 2012   Imane Merga (ETH) 28:07   Hiwot Ayalew (ETH) 25:01
X 2013   Imane Merga (ETH) 28:59   Hiwot Ayalew (ETH) 26:11
XI 2014   Imane Merga (ETH) 27:39   Belaynesh Oljira (ETH) 25:26
XII 2015   Imane Merga (ETH) 25:02   Belaynesh Oljira (ETH) 24:52
XIII 2016   Aweke Ayalew (BHR) 25:05   Senbere Teferi (ETH) 24:48
XIV 2017   Getaneh Molla (ETH) 24:45   Senbere Teferi (ETH) 25:21
XV 2018   Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 25:10   Senbere Teferi (ETH) 25:51
XVI 2019   Ouassim Oumaiz (ESP) 25:54   Senbere Teferi (ETH) 25:38
XVII [8] 2021   Aron Kifle (ERI) 25:33   Rahel Daniel (ERI) 25:03
XVIII [9] 2022   Thierry Ndikumwenayo (BDI) 27:58   Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 25:39
XIX 2023   Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 26:00   Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 25:21
XX 2024   Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 25:37   Daisy Jepkemei (KAZ) 25:00

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Spain's Bezabeh claims second at Cross de Atapuerca; Monteiro takes bronze in women's race[permanent dead link]. European Athletics (2009-11-08). European Athletic Association. Retrieved on 2009-11-16.
  2. ^ IAAF Cross Country 2010 / 2011 season to begin and end in Spain. IAAF (2010-10-22). Retrieved on 2010-10-24.
  3. ^ Valiente, Emeterio (2008-11-10). ‘Hurricane’ Bezabeh defeats World XC silver medallist Komon in Atapuerca. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-11-17.
  4. ^ Valiente, Emeterio (2009-11-08). Gebremariam and G. Dibaba secure Ethiopian double in Atapuerca. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-11-09.
  5. ^ a b Dominguez to kickstart her Cross Country season at European Athletics permit race in Burgos[permanent dead link]. European Athletic Association (2009-11-07). Retrieved on 2009-11-16.
  6. ^ Programa Archived 2009-10-26 at the Wayback Machine. Cross de Atapuerca. Retrieved on 2009-11-16.
  7. ^ Circuito Archived 2009-10-26 at the Wayback Machine. Cross de Atapuerca. Retrieved on 2009-11-16.
  8. ^ World Athletics. (2021, November 14). Worldathletics.Org. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7172162
  9. ^ "Chebet and Ndikumwenayo victorious in Atapuerca | REPORT | World Athletics".
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