diff --git a/rowers/templates/list_courses.html b/rowers/templates/list_courses.html
index d247a90a..bd99a4f7 100644
--- a/rowers/templates/list_courses.html
+++ b/rowers/templates/list_courses.html
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
     </p>
     {% if location %}
     <p>
-      <a href="/rowers/list-courses/?nearby=true">Filter nearby courses</a>
+      <a href="/rowers/list-courses/?nearby=true">Filter courses closest to you</a>
       {{ city }} {{ country_name }} {{ time_zone }}
     </p>
     <p>
diff --git a/rowers/views/racesviews.py b/rowers/views/racesviews.py
index 04642d57..e4826a76 100644
--- a/rowers/views/racesviews.py
+++ b/rowers/views/racesviews.py
@@ -9,6 +9,71 @@ from rowers.scoring import *
 
 from django.contrib.gis.geoip2 import GeoIP2
 
+# distance of course from lat_lon in km
+def howfaris(lat_lon,course):
+    coords = course.coord
+    distance =  geo_distance(lat_lon[0],lat_lon[1],coords[0],coords[1])[0]
+
+    return distance
+
+# get nearest races
+def getnearestraces(lat_lon,races):
+    newlist = []
+    counter = 0
+    for race in races:
+        if race.course is None:
+            newlist.append(race)
+        else:
+            c = race.course
+            coords = c.coord
+            distance =  howfaris(lat_lon,c)
+            if distance < 100:
+                newlist.append(race)
+                counter += 1
+
+    if counter>0:
+        races = newlist
+    else:
+        courseraces = races.exclude(course__isnull=True)
+        orders = [(c.id,howfaris(lat_lon,c.course)) for c in courseraces]
+        orders = sorted(orders,key = lambda tup:tup[1])
+        ids = [id for id,distance in orders[0:4]]
+        for id, distance in orders[5:]:
+            if distance<100:
+                ids.append(id)
+
+        for id in ids:
+            newlist.append(VirtualRace.objects.get(id=id))
+        races = newlist
+
+    return races
+
+def getnearestcourses(lat_lon,courses):
+    newlist = []
+    counter = 0
+    for c in courses:
+        coords = c.coord
+        distance =  howfaris(lat_lon,c)
+        if distance < 100:
+            newlist.append(race)
+            counter += 1
+
+    if counter>0:
+        courses = newlist
+    else:
+        orders = [(c.id,howfaris(lat_lon,c)) for c in courses]
+        orders = sorted(orders,key = lambda tup:tup[1])
+        ids = [id for id,distance in orders[0:4]]
+        for id, distance in orders[5:]:
+            if distance<100:
+                ids.append(id)
+
+        for id in ids:
+            newlist.append(GeoCourse.objects.get(id=id))
+        courses = newlist
+
+    return courses
+
 # List Courses
 def courses_view(request):
     r = getrower(request.user)
@@ -21,9 +86,9 @@ def courses_view(request):
     except:
         lat_lon = None
         city = {
-            'city': None,
-            'country_name': None,
-            'time_zone': None,
+            'city': '',
+            'country_name': '',
+            'time_zone': '',
         }
 
 
@@ -31,13 +96,7 @@ def courses_view(request):
     nearby = request.GET.get('nearby')
 
     if nearby and lat_lon is not None:
-        newlist = []
-        for c in courses:
-            coords = c.coord
-            distance = geo_distance(lat_lon[0],lat_lon[1],coords[0],coords[1])[0]
-            if distance < 100:
-                newlist.append(c)
-        courses = newlist
+        courses = getnearestcourses(lat_lon,courses)
 
 
 
@@ -686,9 +745,9 @@ def virtualevents_view(request):
     except:
         lat_lon = None
         city = {
-            'city': None,
-            'country_name': None,
-            'time_zone': None,
+            'city': '',
+            'country_name': '',
+            'time_zone': '',
         }
 
     # default races
@@ -766,19 +825,10 @@ def virtualevents_view(request):
         form = VirtualRaceSelectForm()
 
     nearby = request.GET.get('nearby')
-    if nearby and lat_lon is not None:
-        newlist = []
-        for race in races:
-            if race.course is None:
-                newlist.append(race)
-            else:
-                c = race.course
-                coords = c.coord
-                distance =  geo_distance(lat_lon[0],lat_lon[1],coords[0],coords[1])[0]
-                if distance < 100:
-                    newlist.append(race)
 
-            races = newlist
+    if nearby and lat_lon is not None:
+        races = getnearestraces(lat_lon,races)
+
 
     if is_ajax:
         return render(request,'racelist.html',