World Athletics moves cross country, combined and race walking events to three-tier World Tour format

World Athletics (WA) on Tuesday announced that it had converted cross-country, combined events and race walking meetings into a three-tier World Tour format. The decision was made to simplify the calendar for international events.

The World Athletics Cross Country Tour, Combined Events Tour and Race Walking Tour will replace the existing challenge and permit series.

World Athletics announced that a combined amount of $400,000 would be on offer for the best performers. This includes a new pool of $75,000 for the best male and female cross country runners.

The development of these tours is part of a concerted effort by World Athletics to ensure more top-level competitive opportunities and exposure for athletes in all departments of the sport.

Athletes who compete in Cross Country Tour meetings will also earn world cross country ranking points.

One-day series of world’s best cross country, combined events and race walking meetings to move to three-tier World Tour format from next month.

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) September 14, 2021

One of World Athletics' primary goals is to improve opportunities for elite athletes around the world: Sebastian Coe

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has stated that World Athletics' new structure of cross-country, combined events and race walking meetings will benefit elite athletes around the globe.

According to Coe, the new formats will "improve competitive and earning opportunities" for athletes and also "create new avenues for fans" to watch their favorite athletes in action.

All gold-level Cross Country Tour meetings will be shown on the World Athletics YouTube Channel, with the governing body also working to ensure a similar level of coverage for next year’s Combined Events and Race Walking Tours.

"One of our primary goals at World Athletics is to improve competitive and earning opportunities for elite athletes around the world and these new tour formats are designed to do just that," said, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.

"They will also create new avenues for fans to watch our leading athletes, either in person or via broadcast or livestream. My thanks goes to World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon and Competition Director, Jakob Larsen, for the work they have been doing on the global competition calendar and the one-day meetings and the team they have now put in place to drive this critical area forward," added Coe.

In order to support the restructure of the global one-day competition calendar, World Athletics also made a few staff appointments. Pierce O’Callaghan has been appointed as Head of Competition Management, while Luca Verrascina has joined World Athletics as Competition Manager.