Österreichische Staatsmeisterschaften Crosslauf

Austria's national cross country titles are decided on grass-and-dirt loops that move around the country, with recent hosts ranging from Vorarlberg and Carinthia to Lower Austria and Burgenland. The Austrian Cross Country Championships are held annually in late autumn as a running event for the country's elite, juniors, masters, and younger age groups. The program uses cross-country races rather than road races, with common distances around 10 km, 5 km, and 4 km, plus children's and school races. At St. Margarethen in Burgenland, the races use the recreation area by the swimming lake on a relatively flat course already tested in state championships. The women's race is about 5.2 km, while the men choose between a short 3.4 km race and a 9.1 km long race. The long men's race and women's race award national championship titles; the men's short-course winner plus junior and masters winners are Austrian champions. Medals go to gold, silver, and bronze. U20 and U23 athletes can also medal in the overall competition, and strong runners arrive from road running, track, triathlon, and mountain running. The move from spring to late autumn makes it the closing highlight of the Austrian athletics season and can also decide places for the European Cross Country Championships.