The New Year Sprint

The New Year Sprint is an open 110m race, with a handicap starting system, that has taken place around New Year's Day annually since 1870. Professional and amateur sprinters compete in this the 143rd meeting, for a £4000 first prize.

Musselburgh Racecourse, in Musselburgh, 6 miles east of Edinburgh, usually hosts racing of the equestrian variety, but it's also open for this historic event for two days each year.

Heats and supporting events take place on Friday 31 December 2011, and the  New Year's Sprint Final takes place on New Year's Day itself this year at around 1.45pm (times TBC). Musselburgh racecourse opens for horse-racing at 10.45am with the first race in the traditional Christmas National Hunt horse-racing at 12.20pm. The Sprint is due to be broadcast, along with the National Hunt, on Channel 4.

In the event that the National Hunt meeting is cancelled, the second day's running will be held alongside the new year's National Hunt meeting a week later. Cancellation of that horse race meeting will not result in a further postponement of the running.

Prize money

The New Year Sprint is a professional event, but the meeting has been sanctioned by the Scottish Athletic Federation and British Athletics Federation for competition by amateurs, who may keep any prize money won.