New mixed relay joins the programme at Berry Hill Park on Saturday for the popular autumnal clubs event.

The cross-country season gets into full swing on Saturday (Oct 31) when more than 1000 teams descend on Berry Hill Park in Mansfield for the English National Cross Country Relays.

It is the 40th edition of an event first held at Crystal Palace in 1985 and it has been at Mansfield since 1989. This year it is sponsored by SportsShoes with Nike and it doubles as the UK Club Championships.

Tonbridge and Belgrave Harriers return as the defending champions in the senior races. Tonbridge won the men’s 4x5km by 25 seconds last year, thanks to an anchor leg of 14:44 from James Kingston, and Jack and Ted Higgins also ran. Belgrave won the women’s 3x3km for the third year in a row. Kate Axford ran the fastest women’s lap in the race, 9:25, and Sarah Astin also ran. Western Tempo’s Jacob Cann ran the fastest men’s lap of 14:26, but his club finished fourth.

READ MORE: 2025 Mansfield coverage

Last year’s other age-group winners were Aldershot, Farnham & District (U20 men and U17 women), Salford (U20 women), Blackheath & Bromley (U17 men), Bracknell (U15 boys), Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow (U15 girls), Shaftesbury Barnet (U13 boys) and Brentwood Beagles (U13 girls). The younger age groups have been renamed this year, to U14 and U16 in place of U13 and U15, and U18 in place of U17.

The new event is a senior mixed 4x1600m relay, with teams of two men and two women. Under-20s can compete too.

Which athletes will turn up is hard to predict, but the relays are the first chance of the winter for the leading clubs to meet on the mud. They are also a build-up to the trials in Liverpool at the end of November for the GB team for the European Cross Country Championships.

The course was altered last year because of development work in the park. The 2026 courses are essentially the same, with a couple of log hazards in the wooded section.

Timetable (all times local)

• 10.50am – Junior women/U20 (3x2.5km, ages 18 and 19)
• 10.50am – Under-18 women (3x2.5km, ages 16 and 17)
• 11.26am – Under-14 boys (3x2km, ages 12 and 13)
• 11.50am – Under-14 girls (3x2km, ages 12 and 13)
• 12.15pm – Mixed relay (4x1.6km, over-18s)
• 12.40pm – Junior men/U20 (3x3km, ages 18 and 19)
• 12.40pm – Under-18 men (3x3km, ages 16 and 17)
• 1.06pm – Under-16 girls (3x2km, ages 14 and 15)
• 1.30pm – Under-16 boys (3x2km, ages 14 and 15)
• 1.50pm – Senior women (3x3km)
• 2.40pm – Senior men (4x5km)

Ages as at August 31, 2027, the age-group cut-off for the 2026-27 season

Getting there
There is no parking in the park and spectators and athletes must pre-book parking online at £6 because none can be bought on the day. The car parks are the Mining Remediation Authority (next to the park, no shuttle needed), West Notts College, the Crematorium and Linney’s. Shuttle buses run from 8.30am to 4.30pm. Allow at least 15 to 22 minutes in total, because the buses run every 10 to 15 minutes and the journey takes five to seven.

Coaches need a £10 permit for King George V car park on Blackscotch Lane and should approach via The Avenue because of roadworks. Race numbers can be collected from 9am. The event will be streamed on the SportsShoes.com channel, as you can see below.