How do I enter the Australian Cross Country Championships, and when is the 2027 event?

2027 event: the 2027 Australian Athletics Cross Country Championships are on Saturday 21 August 2027 at Victoria Park, Ballarat, Victoria, with Mixed Relays on the Sunday. Entries close for all athletes at 12:00 noon on 3 August 2027, and Australian entries are made through state senior athletics associations. The 2027 Technical Regulations were marked "not available yet" on the event page, so the answers in this FAQ come from the 2026 regulations.

How entry worked in 2026:

• Under 11 to Open entries must be submitted by the Member Association (state or territory body), Masters entries by Australian Masters Athletics, and university entries by UniSport Australia or a Member Association.
• The entry fee was $55 (including GST) and entries closed at Australian Athletics at 12:00 noon on 4 August 2026. States close earlier, and athletes must follow their own state's deadline.
• Athletes must be registered members of a Member Association, a member of a Masters Athletics State Association, or a bona fide school student (attending a school or registered for home schooling in the Member Association's jurisdiction). They must also be eligible under World Athletics rules to represent a member country.
• Athletes representing a state must be selected or approved by their Member Association.
• It is not a participation event: athletes must meet the national cut-off time for their age group, and a separate championship is only run for an age group with at least three confirmed athletes.

Sources: 2026 Australian Cross Country Championships Technical Regulations (sections 6 and 22) and the 2027 event page at https://www.athletics.com.au/event/2027-australian-athletics-cross-country-championships/