Pictured (L-R) launching the 2018 Novosco 10k Grand Prix is Lee Glover, Novosco; 2017 Novosco 10k Grand Prix second place finalist, Ann Terek; and Glenn Grant, owner of electronic timing chip company ChampionChip Ireland.

Stormont 10k is to be part of a major series of 10km running races staged throughout 2018, it has been announced.

It’s one of 17 races in this year’s Novosco 10k Grand Prix which is back bigger and better, with the addition of two major races.

New to the line-up this year is the Crossgar 10k and the Saintfield 10k. These fixtures form the now 17-race series which kickstarts with the SPAR Craic 10k on Saturday, March 17 in Belfast and ends with the Seeley Cup 10k taking place in Belfast’s Ormeau Park in November.

The total prize fund this year is worth over £8,500.

Sponsored by managed cloud provider Novosco and organised by Glenn Grant, owner of electronic timing chip company ChampionChip Ireland, the Grand Prix, now in its third year, features hundreds of individual runners of all ages and ability as well as 6-person club teams. The 17-race series of 10-kilometre running races is staged throughout Northern Ireland over nine months.

Uniquely, each race is timed and age-graded using an aggregate scoring system meaning the Grand Prix is carefully designed to be mindful of gender, age and ability. Each runner’s ranking is updated in an overall leaderboard after each race. Runners must complete six of the 17 races to feature on the leaderboard.

Novosco Managing Director, Patrick McAliskey said:

“Once again we’re delighted to support a growing Novosco 10k Grand Prix. We’re pleased to see a strong running culture emerging among newcomers, seasoned competitors and athletics clubs across Northern Ireland, and indeed within the IT sector.

“With the addition of two new races to the 2018 series, the Novosco 10k Grand Prix now features seventeen races staged across Northern Ireland over nine months – that’s just shy of two 10-kilometre races per month meaning as familiar faces get accustomed to the series we’re introducing new fixtures to refresh it and make it more challenging.”

Event organiser, Glenn Grant, owner of electronic timing chip company ChampionChip Ireland, said:

“With the addition of two new race fixtures we’re able to extend the reach of the Novosco 10k Grand Prix, bringing it to new parts of Northern Ireland and encouraging new runners in those areas to put their best foot forward. To earn your place on the 2018 leaderboard you need to finish six of 17 races, so by extending the geographic reach of the Grand Prix we hope to introduce this to more runners eager to make their mark on the final standings.”

Cash prizes are awarded to the top 20 finalists at the end of the 2018 Grand Prix as well as prizes for the top four ranking clubs. New this year, a cash prize will also be awarded to the top three runners across the finish line on race day at each of the 17 races.

The 2018 Novosco 10k Grand Prix is supported by NI Running, Forestside Shopping Centre and Athletics Northern Ireland.

For more information and to register, visit novosco10kgrandprix.com.