British Athletics League
Encyclopedia
The British Athletics League is a track and field
male
team
's competition, the most important in the United Kingdom
for history and number of teams.
Launched in 1969, the British Athletics League had in 2011 five different divisions, which gather a total of 38 track and field teams from all over the United Kingdom
, although most of them come from England
.
In every division there is a total of four matches per season. Teams receive points according to their athletic performances, and those points are transformed in a range of 1 to 8 points for every match, according with the matches' final table. These points are added after the four matches to determine relegations, promotions and champions.
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
male
Male
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
's competition, the most important in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for history and number of teams.
Launched in 1969, the British Athletics League had in 2011 five different divisions, which gather a total of 38 track and field teams from all over the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, although most of them come from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Competition
Since 2009, there are five different divisions (Premiership, National 1, National 2, National 3 and National 4). Each of them has eight teams in competition, except the Division 4, with only six teams. Every summer season, two teams are relegated and two teams promoted for every division. The last change in the number of divisions toke place in 2009, with the creation of the National 4 division.In every division there is a total of four matches per season. Teams receive points according to their athletic performances, and those points are transformed in a range of 1 to 8 points for every match, according with the matches' final table. These points are added after the four matches to determine relegations, promotions and champions.
Winning Teams
- 2005: Champion of First Division: Woodford Green with Essex LadiesWoodford Green with Essex LadiesWoodford Green with Essex Ladies is one of the leading British athletics clubs and is based in Woodford, London. The club topped Division 1 of the British Athletics League for the first time in 2005.-Notable current athletes:* Tiffany Porter* Joice Maduaka...
. - 2006: Champion of Premiership: Belgrave HarriersBelgrave HarriersBelgrave Harriers, founded in 1887, are one of the leading athletics clubs in Britain, with headquarters located in Wimbledon, close to Wimbledon Common....
- 2007: Champion of Premiership: City of Manchester
- 2008: Champion of Premiership: Newham and Essex BeaglesNewham and Essex BeaglesNewham and Essex Beagles are one of the leading athletics clubs in Great Britain.The club was formed in 1887 as the Beaumont Harriers but became the Beagles in July 1891. Headquarters are at the Terence McMillan Stadium in the London Borough of Newham, East London...
- 2009: Champion of Premiership: Newham and Essex BeaglesNewham and Essex BeaglesNewham and Essex Beagles are one of the leading athletics clubs in Great Britain.The club was formed in 1887 as the Beaumont Harriers but became the Beagles in July 1891. Headquarters are at the Terence McMillan Stadium in the London Borough of Newham, East London...
- 2010: Champion of Premiership: Newham and Essex BeaglesNewham and Essex BeaglesNewham and Essex Beagles are one of the leading athletics clubs in Great Britain.The club was formed in 1887 as the Beaumont Harriers but became the Beagles in July 1891. Headquarters are at the Terence McMillan Stadium in the London Borough of Newham, East London...
- 2011:
Premiership
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
 |
Birchfield Harriers Birchfield Harriers Birchfield Harriers is an athletics club, founded in 1877. Its home is at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium, England.Named after the Birchfield district of Birmingham, their previous home , at nearby Perry Barr, was Alexander Sports Ground. It still carries their badge, a running stag, rendered in... |
1969 |
 |
Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club is an athletics club based at the Cardiff International Sports Stadium, Cardiff. The club began as a cross country club, the first athletics only club in Wales. Roath Harriers runners became champions of the first Welsh Cross Country Championships, held on 7th March... |
1969 |
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City of Manchester | 1969 |
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City of Sheffield Athletic Club City of Sheffield Athletic Club The City of Sheffield Athletic Club is one of the North of England's premier clubs, with a senior men's team which is in the Premiership of the British Athletics League. They have a mix of athletes from varied cultural backgrounds from ages 8 year olds to seniors and veterans... |
1977 |
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Enfield and Haringey Athletic Club Enfield and Haringey Athletic Club Enfield and Haringey Athletic Club is an athletics club based in North London.The club has tracks in two locations:*Lee Valley Athletic Centre*New River Stadium-History:... |
1972 |
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Newham and Essex Beagles Newham and Essex Beagles Newham and Essex Beagles are one of the leading athletics clubs in Great Britain.The club was formed in 1887 as the Beaumont Harriers but became the Beagles in July 1891. Headquarters are at the Terence McMillan Stadium in the London Borough of Newham, East London... |
1975 |
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Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers | 1976 |
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Woodford Green with Essex Ladies Woodford Green with Essex Ladies Woodford Green with Essex Ladies is one of the leading British athletics clubs and is based in Woodford, London. The club topped Division 1 of the British Athletics League for the first time in 2005.-Notable current athletes:* Tiffany Porter* Joice Maduaka... |
1969 |
First Division
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
| |
Belgrave Harriers Belgrave Harriers Belgrave Harriers, founded in 1887, are one of the leading athletics clubs in Britain, with headquarters located in Wimbledon, close to Wimbledon Common.... |
1969 |
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Blackheath and Bromley Harriers | 1969 |
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City of Liverpool | 1970 |
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Crawley Athletic Club | 1985 |
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Gateshead Harriers | 2006 |
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Harrow Athletic Club | 1986 |
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Kent Athletic Club Kent Athletic Club Kent Athletic Club is one of south London's top athletics clubs. It is based at Ladywell track, Lewisham, United Kingdom.Kent AC has been based in this area of South East London since its formation in 1898 from the almagamation of two older organisations, Lewisham Hare and Hounds, founded in c.... |
2002 |
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Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Athletic Club | 1979 |
Second Division
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
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Basingstoke and Mid Hants | 2006 |
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Derby Athletic Club | 2004 |
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Exeter Harriers | 2009 |
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Herne Hill Harriers Herne Hill Harriers The Herne Hill Harriers is an amateur athletics sports club based at Tooting Bec Athletics Track in Tooting Bec, London. The club was originally founded in the Herne Hill district of London in 1889.. The club caters to all levels and ages of track, field, road running and cross country... |
1983 |
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Notts Athletic Club | 1969 |
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Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club is an athletics club based in Essex.The club has one track, which is based at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre.... |
2005 |
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Thames Valley Harriers Thames Valley Harriers Thames Valley Harriers is an athletics club based in West London, England. It was founded in 1887 and is based at the Linford Christie Stadium, which is named after Olympic 100 metres gold medallist Linford Christie. The club competes at all levels in senior and junior road racing, cross country,... |
1969 |
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Trafford Athletic Club | 1974 |
Third Division
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
| |
Cambridge Harriers | 1988 |
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Chanel Islands Athletic Club | 2008 |
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Glasgow Athletic Club | 2010 |
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Havering Mayesbrook Athletic Club | 1991 |
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Kingston Athletic Club and Polytechnic Harriers | 1969 |
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Leeds City Athletic Club | 1979 |
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Swansea Harriers Athletics Club Swansea Harriers Athletics Club Swansea Harriers Athletics Club is an athletics club based at Swansea University Athletics Centre in Swansea, Wales, UK.-History:Although athletics has taken place in Swansea since at least the late 19th century it was not until 1962 that the current Swansea Harriers was formally established... |
1971 |
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Yeovil Olympiads Athletic Club | 2009 |
Fourth Division
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
| |
Bournemouth Athletic Club | 2009 |
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Mansfield Harriers | 2010 |
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Nene Valley Harriers | 2011 |
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Reading Athletic Club Reading Athletic Club Reading Athletic Club, based in Reading, Berkshire, is one of the oldest and longest established athletic clubs in the United Kingdom. They officially formed in November 1881, however records show that they were one of the inaugural clubs that formed the governing body of athletics at that time,... |
1971 |
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Southampton Athletic Club | 1969 |
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Victoria Park and Tower Hamlets Athletic Club | 2009 |