One month from now one of the longest established FISU World University Championships will again bring together the world’s student-athletes when the 2022 FISU Championship Cross Country takes place. The city of Aveiro, in the northern region of Portugal, along with the University of Aveiro will host this 22nd edition of the event on 12 March.

Site visit to Aveiro cross country courseThe FISU World University Championship Cross Country returns to Portugal for the second time having been hosted in Acoteias in 1996. 26 years ago, 169 athletes competed and participant numbers are expected to be similar in 2022 in Aveiro, possibly even approaching the record of 175 that competed in Jena, Germany in 2000.

Cross country runners coming to Aveiro, commonly known as the Venice of Portugal, will compete on a new course being built not only for the championships but also to rehabilitate a parcel of land. Next to the Ria de Aveiro, this course will provide athletes a unique natural setting in which to run, and one which is also closely tied to the city’s history. Once the championship is complete, this area will provide new leisure space for the nearby university community.

While Portugal is hosting the FISU World University Championship Cross Country for the second time, this is an event with a long history. The first was hosted back in 1978 in Lausanne, Switzerland and it has been held every two years since, other than in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when it was scheduled to be in Marrakech, Morocco. The most recent edition was also in Switzerland, in 2018 in St. Gallen, where 20 countries sent athletes. Europe, Africa, and North America have all previously hosted the championship which includes women’s and men’s races of 10km and a mixed relay of 12km.Athletes at St. Gallen 2018 FISU World University Championship Cross Country

The athletes are busy training, a brand new course is near set to go, and average high temperatures in March in Aveiro are approximately 16C. These great conditions set up well the world’s university cross country athletes for a great competition when they come together in one month’s time at the 2022 FISU World University Championships Cross Country.

WRITTEN BY DOUG MCLEAN