Cross Internacional de Itálica

The Cross Internacional de Itálica is an annual cross country running competition that is held every January in Santiponce, near Seville, Spain. Inaugurated on December 19, 1982, the race course is set in the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Itálica. As one of only two Spanish competitions to hold IAAF permit meeting status, it is one of the more prestigious races on the Spanish cross country circuit.

Cross Internacional de Itálica
The race course passes alongside Itálica's ancient amphitheatre
DateMid-January
LocationSantiponce, Spain
Event typeCross country
Distance9.9 km for men
9.1 km for women
Established19 December 1982
Official siteCross Internacional de Itálica
Participants110 (2020)
99 (2019)

The competition comprises three general categories of race: children's and junior races, the mass participation ("popular") race, and the professional international races.[1] The men's international race was a 10 km race until 1999 when it was increased to roughly 11 km. The distance of the women's international race (currently 8 km) has also fluctuated, varying between 5.5 km and 6.6 km in its early years.[2] The course of the race loops through the ancient streets of Itálica, passing alongside ruins throughout.[1] The red clay ground usually makes for a dry running surface, although rain has occasionally made this a particularly difficult, muddy course in previous editions.[3][4]

The international fields for the Cross de Itálica frequently feature some of the most successful cross country athletes. Past winners include Paul Tergat, Kenenisa Bekele, Gelete Burka, Paula Radcliffe and Florence Kiplagat. Indeed, in six separate years (1994, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2009) one of the winners of the Cross de Itálica has gone on to win at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

Past senior race winners

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Charles Kamathi scored consecutive wins through 2000 and 2001.
 
Kenenisa Bekele on his way to a third Cross de Itálica victory in 2007 – a course record.
 
The 2007 women's race was won by Ethiopian Gelete Burka
Edition Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
I 1982   José Alonso (ESP) ? Not Held
II 1983   Juan Barón (ESP) ? Not Held
III 1984   Fernando Mamede (POR) ? Not Held
IV 1985   Fernando Mamede (POR) ? Not Held
1986 Not Held Not Held
V 1987   Paul Kipkoech (KEN) ? Not Held
VI 1988   Paul Kipkoech (KEN) 28:48 Not Held
VII 1989   Domingos Castro (POR) 28:28 Not Held
VIII 1990   Ondoro Osoro (KEN) 28:21 Not Held
IX 1991   Ondoro Osoro (KEN) 28:33   Andrea Wallace (ENG) 17:39
X 1992   Khalid Skah (MAR) 28:05   Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) 17:17
XI 1993   Fita Bayisa (ETH) 27:53   Catherina McKiernan (IRL) 17:11
XII 1994   William Sigei (KEN) 28:04   Yelena Romanova (RUS) 17:54
XIII 1995   Paulo Guerra (POR) 28:49   Catherina McKiernan (IRL) 17:43
XIV 1996   Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 28:59   Annemari Sandell (FIN) 17:57
XV 1997   Paulo Guerra (POR) 29:57   Elena Fidatov (ROM) 20:26
XVI 1998   Paul Tergat (KEN) 27:57   Jackline Maranga (KEN) 19:15
XVII 1999   Paul Tergat (KEN) 30:56   Zahra Ouaziz (MAR) 21:34
XVIII 2000   Charles Kamathi (KEN) 20:30   Gete Wami (ETH) 21:15
XIX 2001   Charles Kamathi (KEN) 31:48   Paula Radcliffe (ENG) 21:31.7
XX 2002   Abraham Chebii (KEN) 30:38   Mónica Rosa (POR) 21:22
XXI 2003   Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 31:32   Merima Denboba (ETH) 21:42
XXII 2004   Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 31:01.6   Merima Denboba (ETH) 21:43
XXIII 2005   Terefe Maregu (ETH) 31:22   Werknesh Kidane (ETH) 28:43
XXIV 2006   Abebe Dinkesa (ETH) 31:03   Bezunesh Bekele (ETH) 21:32
XXV 2007   Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 31:05   Gelete Burka (ETH) 21:14
XXVI 2008   Moses Kipsiro (UGA) 31:01   Priscah Cherono (KEN) 25:49
XXVII 2009   Moses Kipsiro (UGA) 30:37   Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 26:14
XXVIII 2010   Leonard Komon (KEN) 31:14   Linet Masai (KEN) 25:35
XXIX 2011   Leonard Komon (KEN) 30:38   Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 26:02
XXX 2012   Geoffrey Kipsang (KEN) 30:53   Linet Masai (KEN) 25:42
XXXI 2013   Jairus Birech (KEN) 31:56   Mercy Cherono (KEN) 26:48
XXXII 2014   Paul Tanui (KEN) 31:32   Hiwot Ayalew (ETH) 27:18
XXXIII 2015   Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) 32:28   Emily Chebet (KEN) 27:15
XXXIV 2016   Tamirat Tola (ETH) 30:57   Faith Kipyegon (KEN) 24:56
XXXV 2017   Aweke Ayalew (BHR) 31:36   Senbere Teferi (ETH) 25:52
XXXVI 2018   Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 30:54   Agnes Jebet (KEN) 25:51
XXXVII 2019   Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 27:48   Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) 28:01
XXXVIII 2020   Tadese Worku (ETH) 27:32   Margaret Chelimo (KEN) 28:37
XXXIX 2021   Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 28:33   Norah Jeruto (KEN) 24:22
XL 2022   Thierry Ndikumwenayo (BDI) 28:51   Yasemin Can (TUR) 32:31
XLI 2023   Ronald Kwemoi (KEN) 29:09   Edinah Jebitok (KEN) 32:39

Winners by country

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Country Men's race Women's race Total
  Kenya 16 15 31
  Ethiopia 9 8 17
  Portugal 5 1 6
  Uganda 4 0 4
  Burundi 2 0 2
  England 0 2 2
  Ireland 0 2 2
  Morocco 1 1 2
  Spain 2 0 2
  Bahrain 1 0 1
  Eritrea 1 0 1
  Finland 0 1 1
  Romania 0 1 1
  Russia 0 1 1
  Turkey 0 1 1

References

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General
Specific
  1. ^ a b Circuito Archived 2010-01-20 at the Wayback Machine. Cross Internacional de Italica. Retrieved on 2010-01-30.
  2. ^ Civai, Franco & Gasparovic, Juraj (2010-01-18). Cross Italica. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2010-01-30.
  3. ^ Minshull, Phil (2001-01-15). Kamathi lays down the law at the Cross de Italica. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-01-30.
  4. ^ Valiente, Emeterio (2010-01-15). Gebremariam and Masai head stellar line-up in Seville - preview. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-01-30.
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