Road Running League changes direction after major revamp

If ever confirmation was required that the Road Running League was in severe need of a major overhaul, that came this year when a measurement error at one of the races and the subsequent internal wrangling over the outcome of this race meant that the results over who had won the competition were delayed by several weeks.

What was supposed to be the major road running event in Malta had descended to a farce.

With leading runners complaining that there was no real motivation for them to take part and the level of local distance running in apparent decline, the need for a drastic change was evident to all.

And change has indeed been served out.

This season's league, which kicks off on Sunday, will be radically different from the one that came to a close last April.

Indeed, rather than being focused exclusively on the 10k distance, this year's league will feature a five-kilometre race as well as two over cross country terrain.

Just as significant is the decision to move away from a system where the runner with the best combined times wins to one where the top finishers in each race are assigned points and the one with the highest total is the winner.

Inevitably, these changes caused quite a stir.

"For every decision you take you will find people complaining. It is accepted that there will be complaints if you don't change but there will be even more if you do change," is the somewhat philosophical view of Tony Chircop, Athletics Malta president.

"I'm hearing that some are complaining because we've included cross country races," he went on.

"We did this because we've heard from athletes who would like to take part in the World Cross Country Championships. We're all in favour of that but to do so we need to know who the best cross country runners are and for them to get decent times."

In truth, the inclusion of cross country is just one of the reasons that raised the doubts of those opposed to the changes.

"I don't agree with the changes that have been made," says Jonathan Balzan, winner of the last Road Running League.

"I think that the same distances should have been kept as this was fairer on the athletes. Similarly, I don't agree with the cross country race because apart from the heightened risk of injury we don't train for such races.

"Also, the points system has killed off any incentive to achieve better times. An athlete who knows that he has the beating of those chasing him will run purely to win and not to improve the time."

Giselle Camilleri, the top woman in the last edition of the Road Running League, insists that "the fact that there are races over varying distances is a good idea."

"The fact that points will decide the winners will make races much more exciting although I have my doubts as to whether these will raise the overall level. I also liked the introduction of cross country as it will allow us to gain experience on this terrain as well," she said.

Joelle Cortis is another who agrees with the changes made.

"Personally I liked the varying distances. I think that this will make the championship more competitive.

"However, as with anything else, you will find those who are in favour and others who are opposed. Personally, I think that this is a good idea but the organisers should listen to what the athletes have to say at the end of the season."

And this is the crucial point.

Although it remains to be seen whether the changes made were the right ones, there's no discussing that something had to be done to stop road running's decline. These changes are, in other words, a step in the right direction but definitely not the end of the road.

The only certainty at this stage is that it will be interesting to see how matters will unfold over the coming weeks in the hope that eventually this leads to a mature discussion over what further steps forward should to be taken.