Dublin to host Euro Cross Country Championships

Dublin will host the 2009 European Cross Country Athletics Championships.

The European Athletics Council have awarded the Christmas event to the Santry Demense course, after fighting off competition from Carcasonne and Bidgosh.

The Championships will take place on Sunday, December 13, 2009, and Athletics Ireland's High Performance Chairman Liam Hennessy said it's fantastic for the sport in Ireland.

Athletics Ireland have also launched the inaugural National Athletics Awards with Waterford Crystal

The country's top athletes at international and club level are to be honoured for the first time next month.

Athletics Ireland are launching the National Athletics Awards, which will take place at Dublin's Crowne Plaza Hotel on November 17th.