British Athletics League
 | This article needs to be updated. (September 2020) |
The British Athletics League is a men-only track and field team competition in the United Kingdom. For women there is the completely separate UK Women's Athletic League.
Launched in 1969,[1] the British Athletics League in 2013 had 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.
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 took place in 2009, with the creation of the National 4 division.[2]
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[]
This table lists the top placed clubs from the top division: [3] [4]
Teams in 2016[]
Premiership[]
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
 |
Birchfield Harriers | 1969 |
|
|
1970 | |
|
City of Sheffield and Dearne Athletic Club | 1977 |
|
Newham and Essex Beagles | 1975 |
|
1969 | |
|
Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers | 1976 |
|
|
Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow AC | 1979 |
|
Woodford Green with Essex Ladies | 1969 |
National Division One[]
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
|
2006 | |
|
Blackheath and Bromley Harriers Athletic Club | 1969 |
|
|
Enfield & Haringey Athletic Club | 1972 |
|
2009 | |
|
|
1986 | |
|
Herne Hill Harriers | 1983 |
|
Southampton Athletic Club | 1969 |
|
Thames Valley Harriers | 1969 |
National Division Two[]
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1979 | |
|
1969 | |
 |
Cardiff AAC | 1969 |
|
1985 | |
|
2002 | |
|
Kingston Athletic Club and Polytechnic Harriers | 1969 |
|
1969 | |
|
Swansea Harriers AC | 1971 |
National Division Three[]
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
|
1992 | |
|
2015 | |
|
1991 | |
|
|
2010 | |
|
|
2014 | |
|
2005 | |
|
1974 | |
|
Yeovil Olympiads Athletics Club | 2009 |
National Division Four[]
| Country | Club | First Appearance in BAL |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2016 | |
|
City of Portsmouth | 2015 |
|
& Combine | 2004 (Derby)/2010 (Mansfield) |
|
Unknown | |
|
Reading Athletic Club | 1971 |
|
|
Unknown |
References[]
- ^ 2011 League Information, BAL events' program, British Athletics League, p. 15.
- ^ BAL Website.
- ^ "AMAZING STATS FROM THE 40 YEARS OF THE BRITISH ATHLETICS LEAGUE". British Athletic League. British Athletic League. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ^ "British leagues and club competitions". GBR Athletics. Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ^ "British Athletics League". www.bal.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-08-03. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
External links[]
- Athletics competitions in England
- Annual track and field meetings
- Track and field in the United Kingdom
- Track and field organizations