NZ Secondary Schools Cross Country and Relay Championships 2026

The NZ Secondary Schools Cross Country and Relay Championships gather school runners from across New Zealand at Trentham Memorial Park in Upper Hutt, near Wellington, for a weekend of cross-country racing in June. The event includes individual cross-country championships and regional team relay championships, functioning as both a school title meet and a team competition. The competition focuses on parkland cross-country, distinct from road running, with students competing on behalf of their schools and regions. The event is referred to as the NZSSAA Cross Country Champs in official materials and features the operational structure of a large school championship, including online entries, published participant lists, a health and safety plan, and event merchandise such as black or gray hoodies and black shirts.