British Athletics League

The British Athletics League is a track and field male team's competition, the most important in the United Kingdom for history and number of teams.

Launched in 1969,^[1] the British Athletics League had in 2013 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 toke 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^[3]

• 2005: Champion of First Division: Woodford Green with Essex Ladies.
• 2006: Champion of Premiership: Belgrave Harriers
• 2007: Champion of Premiership: City of Manchester
• 2008: Champion of Premiership: Newham and Essex Beagles
• 2009: Champion of Premiership: Newham and Essex Beagles
• 2010: Champion of Premiership: Newham and Essex Beagles
• 2011: Champion of Premiership: City of Manchester
• 2012: Champion of Premiership: Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers

Teams in 2013^[4]

Premiership

Country	Club	First Appearance in BAL
	Birchfield Harriers	1969
	Herne Hill Harriers	1983
	City of Manchester	1969
	City of Sheffield Athletic Club	1977
	Enfield and Haringey Athletic Club	1972
	Newham and Essex Beagles	1975
	Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers	1976
	Woodford Green with Essex Ladies	1969

First Division

Country	Club	First Appearance in BAL
	Basingstoke and Mid Hants	2006
	Cardiff AAC	1969
	City of Liverpool	1970
	Glasgow City	2009
	Southend Athletic Club	2005
	Thames Valley Harriers	1969
	Kent Athletic Club	2002
	Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Athletic Club	1979

Second Division

Country	Club	First Appearance in BAL
	Blackheath & Bromley Harriers & AC	1969
	Derby Athletic Club	2004
	Crawley Athletic Club	1985
	Gateshead Harriers & AC	2006
	Notts Athletic Club	1969
	Harrow Athletic Club	1986
	Southampton Athletic Club	1969
	Trafford Athletic Club	1974

Third Division

Country	Club	First Appearance in BAL
	Nene Valley Harriers	2010
	Exeter Harriers	2009
	Victoria Park and Tower Hamlets Athletic Club	2009
	Havering Mayesbrook Athletic Club	1991
	Kingston Athletic Club and Polytechnic Harriers	1969
	Bristol & West Athletic Club	1969
	Swansea Harriers Athletics Club	1971
	Reading Athletic Club	1971

Fourth Division

Country	Club	First Appearance in BAL
	Bournemouth Athletic Club	1992
	Mansfield Harriers	2010
	Yeovil Olympiads Athletics Club	2009
	Bedford & County Athletic Club	1979
	Channel Islands Athletic Club	2008
	Cambridge Harriers	1988

References

External links

• British Athletic League