History
> DEFUNCT EVENT<
The International Cross Country Championships was an annual international competition in cross country running. It was created in 1903 by the International Cross Country Union and it marked the first time that an annual international championship had been held for the sport.
It began its life as a contest between the four Home Nations of the United Kingdom. The event became increasingly international over its history, beginning with the admittance of the first non-UK country in 1907 (France), the addition of several other Continental European countries in the 1920s, and then the introduction of Tunisia in 1958 which saw an African team compete for the first time.
More info on Wikipedia
PARTICIPATION FIGURES
England and Scotland contested all 59 editions.
>> Wales 57 (1903-14, 1921-22, 1924-39, 1946-72), France 53 (1907-14, 1920, 1922-24, 1926-39, 1946-72), Ireland 52 (1903-12, 1914, 1920-22, 1924-32, 1938-39, 1946-72), Belgium 42 (1923-26, 1929-39, 1946-72), Spain 26 (1929-30, 1935, 1949-65, 1967-72), Switzerland 13 (1929, 1950, 1957, 1961, 1963, 1965-79, 1972), Northern Ireland 12 (1933-39, 1968-72), Morocco 12 (1959-66, 1968-69, 1971-72), Netherlands 9 (1950-51, 1953, 1957, 1964-65, 1967, 1970-71), Tunisia 9 (1958, 1962-63, 1965-66, 1968-70, 1972), Portugal 8 (1955-59), 1963, 1966, 1971), United States 7 (1966-72), Italy 6 (1929, 1965-66, 1970-72), Algeria 6 (1965-66, 1968, 1970-72), New Zealand 4 (1965, 1967, 1969, 1971) West Germany 2 (1965-66), South Africa 2 (1962, 67), Luxembourg 2 (1929, 1950) Canada 2 (1969-70), Poland 2 (1970-71), Finland 2 (1971-72), Yugoslavia (1953), Gibraltar (1966), Libya (1968), Australia (1970)
MOST INDIVIDUAL MEDALS
7 Gaston Roelants (BEL), 4-3-0
6 Alain Mimoun (FRA), 4-2-0
6 Jack Holden (ENG), 4-2-0
6 Frank Sando (ENG), 2-3-1
MOST MEDALS (Including Team podiums)
18 Marcel Vandewattyne (BEL) 4-8-6
17 Jack Holden (ENG), 12-4-1
16 Alain Mimoun (FRA), 8-6-2
16 Gaston Roelants (BEL), 6-5-5
15 Frank Sando (ENG) 8-5-2
11 John Suttie Smith (SCO) 0-4-7
10 Bill Cotterell (ENG), 4-5-1