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The Lotto Cross Cup de Hannut is an annual cross country running competition that takes place in Hannut in the Belgian province of Liège. It holds permit meeting status from the European Athletic Association and attracts top athletes from Europe and Africa.[1]
| Lotto Cross Cup de Hannut | |
|---|---|
| Date | January/February |
| Location | Hannut, Belgium  |
| Event type | Cross country |
| Distance | 9.5 km for men 6.5 km for women |
| Official site | Lotto Cross Cup |
Typically held in January or February, the competition was created as a men's only event in 1941 and in its first decade a number of Belgian champions competed, including Gaston Reiff and Marcel Vandewattyne. It became increasingly international in nature and the 1950s saw Olympic medallists top the podium, such as Derek Ibbotson, Gordon Pirie and Franjo Mihalić. Despite the growth of foreign competition, Gaston Roelants (the 1964 Olympic steeplechase champion) was dominant at the competition in the 1960s and two more Belgian Olympians, Emiel Puttemans and Vincent Rousseau, extended the national-level success from the mid-1970s through to the 1990s. A women's race was introduced in 1977 and attracted high level foreign competition from 1990 onwards.[2]
The quality of the competition at the race declined in the 1990s, but this trend was reversed when it became part of the Lotto Cross Cup series of Belgian races, which also includes an international meeting in Brussels.[3] Having been held every year since 1941, bar 1945–1946, the Lotto Cross Cup de Hannut is one of the longest running competitions of its type in Belgium.[3] Since 2000, the senior races have seen an increase in participation from (and victories by) Kenyan and Ethiopian runners in both the men's and women's sections.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
The event currently holds four principal races each year: a men's race of 10.5 km, a women's race of 6 km, a junior men's race of 6.5 km, and a junior women's race of 4.5 km. There are also a series of younger age-category races, masters races for older runners. Aside from these, there are two further recreational events bearing the names of top Belgian runners of the past: the "5 km Véronique Collard" for women and the "10 km Leon Schots" for men.[11] The courses for the competition take place on a series of three loops of vary lengths, which are set in the grounds surrounding the Stade Lucien Gustin (the stadium of the local athletics club FC Hannut Athlétisme).[12] It is usually a flat and grassy course, although occasionally muddy in wet weather.[13] The current race director is Jos Van Roy.[14]
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Early men's race
| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (m:s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1941 | P Willems (BEL) |
|
| 2nd | 1942 | Eduard Schroeven (BEL) |
|
| 3rd | 1943 | Gaston Reiff (BEL) |
|
| 4th | 1944 | Eduard Schroeven (BEL) |
|
| Not held due to World War II | |||
| 5th | 1947 | Gaston Reiff (BEL) |
|
| 6th | 1948 | Emile Renson (BEL) |
|
| 7th | 1949 |  Raphaël Pujazon (FRA) |
|
| 8th | 1950 | Lucien Theys (BEL) |
|
| 9th | 1951 | Marcel Vandewattyne (BEL) |
34:02 |
| 10th | 1952 | Marcel Vandewattyne (BEL) |
|
| 11th | 1953 | Marcel Vandewattyne (BEL) | |
| 12th | 1954 |  Ken Norris (GBR) |
|
| 13th | 1955 | Gordon Pirie (GBR) |
43:05 |
| 14th | 1956 | Derek Ibbotson (GBR) |
|
| 15th | 1957 | Ken Norris (GBR) |
36:29 |
| 16th | 1958 |  Franjo Mihalić (YUG) |
33:52.8 |
| 17th | 1959 | Marcel Vandewattyne (BEL) |
32:38 |
| 18th | 1960 | Hedwig Leenaert (BEL) |
35:51 |
| 19th | 1961 | Rhadi Ben Abdesselam (FRA) |
39:27 |
| 20th | 1962 | Gaston Roelants (BEL) |
37:48.2 |
| 21st | 1963 | Tim Johnston (GBR) |
32:07.7 |
| 22nd | 1964 | Gaston Roelants (BEL) |
32:41.2 |
| 23rd | 1965 | Gaston Roelants (BEL) |
31:49.0 |
| 24th | 1966 | Gaston Roelants (BEL) |
32:20 |
| 25th | 1967 | Gaston Roelants (BEL) |
26:38.4 |
| 26th | 1968 | Lachlan Stewart (GBR) |
27:08 |
| 27th | 1969 | Gaston Roelants (BEL) |
27:25 |
| 28th | 1970 | René Goris (BEL) |
26:56 |
| 29th | 1971 | Willy Polleunis (BEL) |
|
| 30th | 1972 | Gaston Roelants (BEL) |
|
| 31st | 1973 | Emiel Puttemans (BEL) |
24:10 |
| 32nd | 1974 | Emiel Puttemans (BEL) |
24:04 |
| 33rd | 1975 | Emiel Puttemans (BEL) |
24:33 |
| 34th | 1976 | Eddy Van Mullem (BEL) |
28:13 |
Men's and women's race
| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (m:s) | Women's winner | Time (m:s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35th | 1977 |  Detlef Uhlemann (FRG) |
21:22 | Sonja Castelein (BEL) |
|
| 36th | 1978 | Valdur Koha (FRG) |
? | ||
| 37th | 1979 | Alex Hagelsteens (BEL) |
Lucienne Michaux (BEL) |
||
| 38th | 1980 |  Fernando Mamede (POR) |
26:23.3 | Maria Steels (BEL) |
|
| 39th | 1981 | Léon Schots (BEL) |
Véronique Collard (BEL) |
||
| 40th | 1982 | Jacques Boxberger (FRA) |
? | ||
| Not held in 1983 as fixture moved from November to February† | |||||
| 41st | 1984 | Eddy De Pauw (BEL) |
35:06.1 | Francine Peeters (BEL) |
|
| 42nd | 1985 | Nathaniel Muir (GBR) |
Betty Van Steenbroeck (BEL) |
||
| 43rd | 1986 | Vincent Rousseau (BEL) |
Betty Van Steenbroeck (BEL) |
||
| 44th | 1987 | Roger Hackney (GBR) |
39:29 | Ria Van Landeghem (BEL) |
17:35 |
| 45th | 1988 | Vincent Rousseau (BEL) |
Véronique Collard (BEL) |
||
| 46th | 1989 | António Pinto (POR) |
32:12 | Marleen Renders (BEL) |
21:06.0 |
| 47th | 1990 | Richard Nerurkar (GBR) |
33:39 | Véronique Collard (BEL) |
20:01 |
| 48th | 1991 | Vincent Rousseau (BEL) |
 Marcianne Mukamurenzi (RWA) |
||
| 49th | 1992 | Vincent Rousseau (BEL) |
27:35 | Lieve Slegers (BEL) |
16:54 |
| 50th | 1993 | Vincent Rousseau (BEL) |
Ingrid Delagrange (BEL) |
||
| 51st | 1994 | Ruddy Walem (BEL) |
Ingrid Delagrange (BEL) |
||
| 52nd | 1995 |  Laban Chege (KEN) |
Selina Chirchir (KEN) |
||
| 53rd | 1996 | Benoît Zwierzchiewski (FRA) |
34:12 |  Elena Fidatov (ROM) |
19:34 |
| 54th | 1997 | Mohammed Mourhit (BEL) |
35:15 |  Getenesh Urge (ETH) |
20:22 |
| 55th | 1998 | Mohammed Mourhit (BEL) |
29:56 | Elena Fidatov (ROM) |
18:38 |
| 56th | 1999 | Ovidiu Tat (ROM) |
33:12 | Anja Smolders (BEL) |
18:45 |
| 57th | 2000 | Tom Compernolle (BEL) |
33:44 | Veerle Dejaeghere (BEL) |
19:17 |
| 58th | 2001 | Tom Van Hooste (BEL) |
36:31 | Anja Smolders (BEL) |
19:29 |
| 59th | 2002 | Shadrack Kosgei (KEN) |
36:49 | Liz Yelling (GBR) |
19:59 |
| 60th | 2003 | Shadrack Kosgei (KEN) |
37:56 | Lenah Cheruiyot (KEN) |
20:24 |
| 61st | 2004 | Wilson Chemweno (KEN) |
35:15 | Teyba Erkesso (ETH) |
18:46 |
| 62nd | 2005 | Luke Kipkosgei (KEN) |
34:53 |  Benita Johnson (AUS) |
18:34 |
| 63rd | 2006 | Mike Kigen (KEN) |
32:51 | Girma Chaltu (ETH) |
17:49 |
| 64th | 2007 | Simon Arusei (KEN) |
35:11 | Florence Kiplagat (KEN) |
18:53 |
| 65th | 2008 | Leonard Komon (KEN) |
33:42 | Linet Masai (KEN) |
18:09 |
| 66th | 2009 | Dino Sefir (ETH) |
32:57 | Margaret Muriuki (KEN) |
18:15 |
| 67th | 2010 |  Onèsphore Nkunzimana (BDI) |
31:06 | Almensh Belete (ETH) |
19:25 |
| 68th | 2011 | Atelaw Yeshetela (BEL) |
32:17 | Gemma Steel (GBR) |
19:58 |
| 69th | 2012 | Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) |
31:22 | Valentine Kipketer (KEN) |
21:17 |
| 70th | 2013 |  Aweke Ayalew (BHR) |
30:16 | Sofia Assefa (ETH) |
20:40 |
| 71st | 2014 | Titus Mbishei (KEN) |
26:43 | Birtukan Adamu (ETH) |
20:16 |
| 72nd | 2015[15] | Dame Tasama (ETH) |
32:52 | Louise Carton (BEL) |
22:04 |
| 73rd | 2016 | Dame Tasama (ETH) |
28:27 | Birtukan Fente (ETH) |
18:53 |
| 74th | 2017 | Andy Vernon (GBR) |
26:54 | Birtukan Adamu (ETH) |
20:17 |
| 75th | 2018 | Soufiane Bouchikhi (BEL) |
29:11 | Birtukan Adamu (ETH) |
22:02 |
| 76th | 2019 |  Thomas Ayeko (UGA) |
25:27 |  Anna Gosk (POL) |
19:30 |
| 77th | 2020 | Samuel Fitwi (GER) |
30:07 | Anna Gosk (POL) |
23:27 |
| 78th | 2022 | Samuel Fitwi (GER) |
28:51 | Peruth Chemutai (UGA) |
20:43 |
| 79th | 2023 | Yann Schrub (FRA) |
28:29 |  Rahel Daniel (ERI) |
28:41 |
| 80th | 2024 | Yves Nimubona (RWA) |
28:29 | Edinah Jebitok (KEN) |
31:01 |
- Note that times are not comparable due to the variance of the race distance over the competition's history (from 7 km up to 14 km) and the effects of weather conditions.[2]
- † Note: the event was held in February between 1941 and 1975. Held once in March in 1976, it was rescheduled for November from 1978 to 1982. It reverted to its February timing in 1984, skipping 1983 altogether. It has been mostly held in late January since 1993.[2]
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