The Portuguese Air Force (FAP) will organize between 10 and 14 October, the 58th edition of the Cross Country World Championship, postponed proof of 2020, and which will take place at the Air Base (BA) Nº11, in Beja, the largest unit in that branch of the Armed Forces.
The competition, the first that is disputed in our country, will join 300 athletes from 32 countries, who will compete in the male sectors, female and in a mixed relay, having Portugal a team composed of 22 cutting specialists, representing the three branches of the Armed Forces and also the GNR and PSP.
Under the supervision of the International Military Sports Council (CISM-International Military Sports Council), the organization is the responsibility of the FAP and the Physical Education and Military Sports Commission of the Directorate-General for National Defense Resources, which has the sponsorship and support of the Municipality of Beja.
The tests will be divided into three parts.: or short male 10 kilometers, the feminine of 8 kilometers and the introduction of a new test, the mixed courier with 2 two men and two women where each one runs two kilometers.
Starting by remembering that BA 11 already received in 2001 the Orienteering World Championship, FAP Brigadier General Luís Graça, organization president, revealed that “we will count on the collaboration of the other twelve units in the, in total 120 military in the various areas of logistics”, justified. “They will be in Beja, 400 people, 300 athletes and 100 staff elements, of 32 countries, believing that the test will be a success, taking into account the organizational capacity of FAP and BA11, of big events”, adding that the unit “will maintain all the operational capacity of the squadrons stationed there”, finished.
The competition will be open to the outside, as the organization invited athletes from the clubs of the Associação de Atletismo de Beja to attend one of the days of the competitions and on the day 13 will hold a School Cross Country where they will participate 150 students from 9th to 12th from schools in Beja.
Closing the Mayor of Beja, he explained that “we have great expectations in this organization because in addition to involving clubs and students from the municipality, It is also a great initiative to promote the territory”, concluded.
Paulo Arsénio recalled that Beja “only doesn't have a Navy, all other components exist in the city”, revealing that the autarchy “will provide an afternoon of culture to the part of the caravan, while five groups of 40 people, will meet other neighboring counties”, finished the mayor of Bejense.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
