England Athletics Competition Conference
The England Athletics Competition Conference is back on 30 November 2025.
This free, in-person conference is the perfect opportunity for competition and race organisers to learn, connect and share best practice. The day will include guest speakers from across the sport, sharing expertise and their own experiences of running successful, athlete-first competitions.
Please book your place as we can only have a limited number of attendees at the venue.
Book your free placeAgenda and draft timings
- 10:30 – Tea and coffee
- 11am – Welcome and scene setting
- 11:15 – 12:00 – Officials
- 12 - 12:30 – State of the Nation
- 12:30 – 13:30 – Lunch
- 13:30 – 14:30 – Facilities
- 14:30 – 15:15 – Field Event Task Group
- 15:15 – 15:30 - Break
- 15:30– 16:00 – funetics Multi Challenge
- 16:00 – Wrap up
- 16:15 – Closing remarks
- 16:30 - Finish
Agenda items
| Session and key themes | Speaker(s) | Session format | Key takeaways |
|---|---|---|---|
| Officials: Strategies to increase the number of trained officials (45 mins) | Adie Pottinger, Fiona Hancock, Jack Lambert, Stuart Paul | Panel session and open Q&A | Competition providers understanding of what makes a great officials' experience |
| State of the nation: Participation trends and insights (30 mins) | Darren John | Presentation of statistics (statistics available ahead of the Conference) | Information for competition providers to review their format |
| Facilities: Understanding and shaping facility use (45 mins) | Facility operator supported by Ed Hunt | Presentation and table discussion | Thinking of competition from a facility owner perspective - how can we work collaboratively and get the best value |
| Field Event Task Group: Rethinking field events (45 mins) | Clive Poyner, Carol Jackson and Nick Ridgeon | Group overview and table discussions | How can competition providers work to embed some of the key findings into their events |
| funetics Multi Challenge: format and the future (30 mins) | Dean Hardman supported by Ryan Chard | Speaker with Q&A | Review competition formats for U10/U12 athletes, and how it could encourage more volunteers, and be included before traditional competitions |
Previous Competition Conference resources:
Video: Competition Conference 2022 roundup. Watch on YouTube.
The importance of competition — an athlete’s perspective
The importance of competition — an athlete’s perspective. Watch on YouTube.
Presentation slides for download
- Download the Competition Conference slides (PDF 5MB)
- Download the State of the Nation in English Track and Field Conference Overview (PDF 935kB)
- Download the Young People Development Programmes and Pathway document (PDF 3MB)
- Download the Dynamic New Athletics Project Report (PDF 1MB)
Additional Information
Athlete feedback links
- Clash of the Clubs
- Video: Mica Moore talks about the bright future of DNA
- Video: DNA U20 Clubs Castellon athlete voices
Digital
England Athletics have partnered with Roster Athletics to provide an, innovative digital platform which will help transform competition for our sport. Through our collaboration England Athletics have adopted the full suite of products available on the Roster Athletics competition management platform for all our Championships and are pleased to be able to offer full use of the system to all our affiliated clubs, events promoters, and associations. To find out more about the Roster Athletics platform or to book your free demo speak to Nicky Kellett our Digital Projects Manager at the conference.
Upcoming events
Access the full list of licensed cross country and track and field events in England