Great Britain will once again top the medal table at the European Championships in Portugal on December 14.
Innes Fitzgerald will aim for his third European Under-20 title on December 14 in Lagoa, Portugal. Meanwhile, British winners Scott Beattie and Kerry Hughes will be looking to make their mark in the senior race with January’s World Championships in Tallahassee at stake.
From the muddy and relatively flat fields at Sefton Park last weekend Liverpool Cross Challenge trials event, the team now heads to the Portuguese course, where much of the surface is described by organizers as “beaten dirt and sand trails” and “technically demanding”.
Winding around a man-made lake, it will feature two obstacles on each lap, a challenging climb and some easier climbs. The organizers add: “The diverse terrain provides a balanced yet demanding test of endurance and skill for all participants.”
The course certainly didn’t take Jakob Ingebrigtsen off because The Olympic 5000m champion and multiple Eurocross winner has been named in a strong Norwegian team in Lagoa.
Traditionally the strongest team, however, is the Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland team, and on Tuesday (November 26) they lined up as follows:
Senior women. Phoebe Anderson; Abby Donnelly; Izzy Fry; Kari Hughes; Megan Keith; Poppy Tank:
Senior men. Scott Beattie; Jacob Cann; Joe Hudson; Calum Johnson; Rory Leonard; Richard Slade
Mixed relay. Holly Dixon, Ava Lloyd, Jack Higgins, Callum Elson
U23 women. India Barwell; Rebecca Flaherty; Megan Harris; Emily Parker; Mia Waldman; Bee Wood
U23 but. Will Barnicoat; Jenson Connell; Joel Doye; Sam Hodgson; Matthew Ramsde; Finley Proffitt
U20 women. Innes FitzGerald; Isabel Holt; Beth Lewis; Eliza Nicholson; Zara Redmond; Lizzie Wellstead
U20 men. Michael Clarke; Johnson Hughes; Alex Lennon; Quinn Miele-Ingram; William Rabjohns; Miles Waterworth
There were few surprises. One notable omission is George Cootie, behind Eurocross U20 silver medalist Nils Laros, who showed good form last weekend when he was 10th in the United States at the NCAA Supercross Championships.
All eyes will be on FitzGerald and Barnicoat in Lagoa as they go for their third titles in the Under-20 Women’s and Under-23 Men’s races respectively. FitzGerald won big Liverpool Cross Challenge while Barnicoat missed the event but showed good form when fourth in the mile race Cardiff Cross Challenge this month.
Megan Keith also missed out for Liverpool, but the former European Under-23 champion has been named in the senior women’s squad alongside trial winner Kerry Hughes. Instead of racing in Liverpool, Kate was fourth in a high-profile race in Spain, beaten by Italy’s Nadia Battocletti.
Abby Donnelly, fifth in Liverpool, is also in the Lagoa women’s team after a 2:24 marathon in Frankfurt a few weeks ago. Phoebe Anderson, the under-23 Euro Cross winner in Turkey 12 months ago, completes a strong senior women’s team with Izzy Fry and Poppy Tank.
Beattie is joined in the men’s team by Liverpool’s runner-up and training partner Rory Leonard.
The European Championships in Portugal will also be used as Britain’s trial for the World Championships in January the top two senior men and women earn automatic selections to Tallahassee if they finish in the top 12. The same will be true of the top U20 athletes if they finish in Portugal’s top six.
It remains to be seen how many Brits will be interested, though, as FitzGerald initially told AW this month that Tallahassee wasn’t particularly high on his list of priorities.
READ MORE. Coverage of the Liverpool Cross Challenge
The team also includes only 16-year-old Beth Lewis, who won the under-17 women’s race at Liverpool and finished second behind FitzGerald at Liverpool and Cardiff. There will also be high hopes for the mixed relay team, with Cardiff’s Jack Higgins and Holly Dixon trial winners joined by Ava Lloyd and Calum Elson.
Sarah Benson, Team Leader, “The test held in Liverpool clearly demonstrated the depth and quality of British cross-country. We are excited to have selected a team that mixes proven performers with up-and-coming athletes making their UK and Northern Ireland debut. Our goal is to be on the podium at these championships and give emerging athletes a platform to advance to future senior world championships, including the world’s biggest championships.
