INTERLAND SELECTION CRITERIA

The Interland is a triangular International Match involving France, Belgium and ourselves, where the host country fields two teams, which this year will place at the Julie Rose Stadium in Ashford, Kent on Saturday 21st June 2008. The match is an A and B string affair for virtually all track and field disciplines for M35’s and W35’s. Older athletes can apply, if you are good enough you will get the nod.

I have been granted funds that will allow me to provide Friday night accommodation for athletes who reside well in excess of 100 miles from Ashford. As this in the vast majority of cases, will be athletes from the Scotland/North, Midlands and Wales/far West, the hotel is at Harlow Essex, so that most of you can avoid the M25 and the Dartford Crossing on the Friday night. Dinner, Bed and Breakfast will be provided, but you will be expected to share in twin bedded rooms. The last leg to Ashford will be undertaken on the Saturday morning.

However, apart from the above accommodation, each selected athlete will have to bear their own costs, in travelling to and from Ashford. As the first event, save for two throws events, is not until approximately Noon, people should be able to get there and back in a day, albeit rather a long one for most. The dress code however is mandatory, all athletes are required to compete in the latest British Masters kit supplied by Bourne Sports including the mid blue shorts – if you do not have such kit, or cannot borrow it, then you cannot be considered. You may well be unfunded, but you are representing your country and must therefore dress accordingly.

Selection will be based on current form, with the absolute cut off date being Friday 6th June, although a fair number of selections will need to be made before this, to enable the hotel accommodation to be fully confirmed. This should allow you to have done the County Championships and Senior League fixtures as well as some Masters Area Club Leagues and Championships. If you wish to be selected for this fixture, please forward your full details – NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER followed by EVENT(S) and time/height/distance and what competition and where achieved, by E-MAIL/ POST [with an SAE for reply] to me. Add note, if you expect accommodation.

I will endeavour to contact the leading athletes from last year and this years Indoor season, but I will not ‘wet nurse’ you, if you think you are in this category you still need to put fingers to keyboard/pen to paper, to ensure you are considered. No one has a divine right to selection, current form will be the ultimate decider, not ranking or age.

Please be reminded, we need four athletes per event, both Men and Women, 2 in GBR and 2 in GBA, with a max. of two events each plus relays, so there are 156 Slots to fill.

The Weight Throw will be included this year, but we will have to wait awhile before we can include the Womens Steeplechase. As we found in Clermont-Ferrand the French have different ideas on most things, whatever President Sarkozy says.

The full timetable will be forwarded to e-mailable athletes, or posted on the BMAF website, in due course.

Maurice Doogan

tfsec@bmaf.org.uk