Grand Prix 2023-24 Season
There are a total of 8 races in the season. All races start at 7.00 p.m with exception of the Fairbairn Cup in which the first runner will set off at 6.45 p.m.
Tuesday 29th August – Blyth 10k
Tueday 3rd October – Grand Prix Race #2
Tuesday 7th November – Grand Prix Race #3
Tuesday 5th December – Grand Prix Race #4
Tuesday 9th January – Grand Prix Race #5
Tuesday 6th February – Grand Prix Race #6
Tuesday 5th March – Grand Prix Race #7
Tuesday 26th March – Fairbairn Cup
There will be a buffet at the Cullercoats Crescent Club following the Fairbairn Cup for all runners and volunteers.
Entry Info
Teams of 8 @ £200 per team (8 x £25.00)
Entries must be received by midnight on Tuesday 8th August 2023
There will be a limit of 240 runners per session. If this is exceeded teams will be required to withdraw runners until the limit is reached.
IMPORTANT – Each runner/team will be issued with a race number at
the Blyth 10k event. This number will be used for the entire season (so do not throw away!). Wearing an incorrect number, not clearly displaying numbers of front of top, or use of a homemade number, will result in disqualification from that event.
All enquiries to event handicapper: nspgrandprix@gmail.com
Please remember organisers give their time freely and without expectation of favour. Please follow their instructions/requests at all times as they will be made on a holistic view of the event flow and safety of all; on the night refusal will result in entrant being withdrawn from that event.
Organisers reserve the right to refuse entry without explanation.
Handicaps and Points Classification
The GP is a series of timed training sessions based on a handicap system.
Handicaps are amended after each session and are based on your performance.
The first event is a blind handicap based upon your season performance and stated times (on entry form) – these are checked online, so be honest!
The final individual points classification is based on points from your best 6 sessions from events 1-7 plus your event 8 points.
At each session, the first 4 runners in each team will score in the Team merit awards.
Awards
For each session, training top to the first 3 finishers
At the end of the series: Awards to the first 3 individuals overall and award to
the first team overall.
The fastest Male and Female athlete over the standard course (events 2-7)
awards
New course record – special award
Dave Kitching special award to recognise outstanding contribution to the event.
Routes
Blyth 10k
The Blyth 10k route starts in a similar location to Blyth Links Parkrun at the Blyth Links Car Park. It is an out and back course that follows the footpath along the links to Seaton Sluice where you follow Collywell Bay Road before turning left to go aroud the Headland at Old Hartley and up the short hill to the Delaval Arms. You then head back down Beresford Road before turning onto Collywell Bay Road to follow the same route back. When you react Blyth South Beach you run along the promenade and then around the Bandstand to finish just before the Dave Stephens Centre.
Grand Prix – Races 2-7
The Grand Prix route starts near to the Briardene Car Park and is an out and back along the coast to High Point Bay. On the outward part you follow the pavement and run to Spanish City Plaza where you then continue up to the coast to High Point. Here you drop down into the bay, run along the bottom and then up the ramp at the far end. The return follows a similar route except you will drop down to run the full length of the Northern Promenade before running up the slope to finish where you started. The route is approximately 5.5 km long
Fairbairn Cup
The route is similar to the main Grand Prix route except that it starts at the St Mary’s Headland Car Park. The route is just over 5 miles (8.3 km) long.
