EXCCH Velenje 2011 Video - English version
EXCCH Velenje 2011 Video
Words of Praise Coming In
Foto: Tadej ŽivkoOn Sunday evening, when all the runners, their coaches and international officials gathered at the closing banquet in the Red Hall in Velenje and danced all night, the organisers could relax and congratulated themselves. They have managed to successfully carry out already the second European cross country championships. This time they were record-full championships. First with a record number of 479 competitors coming from 33 European countries. Second there was also a record number of spectators that gathered despite low temperatures in some thousands. To make their presence worthwhile the course itself was “to blame” since its structure enabled spectators to watch runners throughout the entire race. No doubt this was one of the reasons for a great atmosphere at the venue.European Cross Country Championships Behind Us
Foto: Tadej ŽivkoOn Sunday, 11 December, European Cross Country Championships took place for the second time in history in Velenje. A record number of 479 runners gathered. The peak of the day were no doubt the two senior competitions, where the European champion title was won by the Belguim Atelaw Bekele and Fionnuala Britton from Ireland. Bekele started the run really fast and gained a big advantage before the followers, the advantage that he kept also in the hardest last two laps and was enough to become the new European champion. Britton finished her last year’s championships rather sadly on the fourth place and therefore wanted a victory this year. She also was practically in the lead throughout the entire race and thus made her dream come true.European Cross Country Championships Closed
Foto: Tadej ŽivkoWith the closing ceremony the 18th SPAR European Cross Country Championships officially closed. The championships broke many records, one of the biggest being in the number of participants. The first two names of the championships are Fionnuala Britton and Atelaw Yeshetela Bekele, the new European cross country champions among senior men and women. Great Britain and Northern Ireland swept away the competition by winning twelve medals all together, six of them gold, five silver and one bronze. The Slovenian runners also reached the set goals and successfully concluded the competitions. The President of the organising committee Mr Marjan Hudej solemnly handed over the flag at the closing ceremony to the next year’s organisers of the 19th European Cross Country Championships, which is going to be held in Budapest, Hungary.
Results: Junior Women Junior Men U23 Women U23 Men Senior Women Senior Men
