2015 World XC and Youth Champs

Barcelona – Spain, Nov 23: Guiyang, The second day of the IAAF Council meeting presided over by President Lamine Diack saw the confirmation of the host venues for two IAAF World Athletics Series events which will take place in 2015.

2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships – Guiyang, China

The delegation from Guiyang, China, was headed by Vice-Mayor Gao Weidong and Chinese Athletics Association General Secretary Du Zhaocai and included 1996 Olympic 5000m champion Wang Junxia and 2000 Olympic 20km Race Walking champion Wang Liping.

Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province, is located in the southwest of China, on the eastern side of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. The city is situated at 1100m above sea level and has a population of 4.3 million. The average temperature in March is around 11.9C.

The city which was the venue for the 2005 and 2012 Asian Cross Country Championships is rich in history, folk culture and traditions. Guiyang abounds with artefacts from the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as the Jiaxiu Tower, Wenchang Pavilion, Yangming Cave and Qingyan Ancient Town. Vice-Mayor Gao Weidong presented President Diack with a specially embroidered banner embellished with symbols of good luck and good fortune on the occasion of the IAAF Centenary.

2015 IAAF World Youth Championships – Cali, Colombia

The delegation from Cali, Colombia, was headed by President of the Colombian Athletics Federation Ramiro Varela, Representative of the Town Council of Cali, Sports Secretary Clara Luz Roldan, and Representative of the Governor, Sports Manager Fernando Luis Martinez. Cali is situated at 1000m above sea level and has a population of 2.5 million. The average temperature in July is around 30C max.

The city which was the venue for the 2005 South American Championships and 2007 CAC Championships is known in Colombia as the capital of fiestas, street partying, dancing, and salsa, as Cali’s Salsa Clubs are among the most famous in the entire continent.

Guiyang and Cali were sole bidders, and competition dates have yet to be confirmed. —- IAAF