The British Cross Country Trials took place over the weekend at Sefton Park, in Liverpool & it was the first chance for many of the athletes that were out in Iten, Kenya for the UKA/London Marathon Altitude Training Camp, to test their legs in competition & evaluate the effects of the training over in Africa. At stake were places in the European Cross Country Championships, which take place in Velenje, Slovenia on 11th December 2011.
Conditions on the day were windy but dry & the athletes lined up knowing that competition would be the strongest for some years. In the men's race, Andy Vernon out-sprinted Mark Draper in the home stretch to take his second successive Liverpool Cross Challenge (9.8 km) in 29'19secs. Andy Baddeley made a return to off-track affairs after a couple of years racing exclusively on the flat & was pleased to battle it out to 4th.
In the women's event, Hatti Dean put in a commanding performance to hold off Gemma Steel with a 4 second cushion, whilst Steph Twell made her return to competition after a 10 month absence following her horrific ankle injury sustained in a race in February & finished 5th - a result, which will have been very welcome since there was uncertainty whether competition would even be possible a few weeks ago.
In the junior events, Jonny Hay dominated the men's u23 race, whilst Jessica Judd was beaten into second place by another athlete from Mick Woods' training group, Emelia Gorecka, however Jessica was the first past the line in the u17 category.
For a complete report of the day's events, click here to go to the
UK Athletics on-line review
With the athletes now back to training after a couple of days training, the teams have now been named & will fly out to Slovenia next Friday, harbouring realistic hopes of medals - Good luck guys!!!.
AVIVA GB & NI TEAM
SENIOR MEN
Andy Baddeley (Andy Hobdell) - Harrow; Mark Draper (Andy Hobdell) - Bedford & County; Ryan McLeod (John Nuttall) - Tipton Harriers; Frank Tickner (Self) - Wells AC; Andy Vernon (Nic Bideau) - Aldershot, Farnham and District; James Walsh (Mike Baxter) - Leeds City
SENIOR WOMEN
Elle Baker (Dave Turnbull) - Stockport; Julia Bleasdale (Nic Bideau) - Hillingdon; Hatti Dean (Bud Baldaro) - Hallamshire Harriers; Freya Murray (Steve Jones) - Edinburgh AC; Gemma Steel (John Nuttall) - Charnwood AC; Emily Wicks (Keith Donkin) - AFD
UNDER-23 MEN
Philip Berntsen (Keith Anderson) - Winchester; Matthew Gillespie (Amanda Gillespie) - Shettleston; Mitch Goose (Tim/Pauline Ash) - City of Norwich; Matthew Graham (Andrew Craycraft) - Kirkintilloch; Derek Hawkins (Lawrie Spence) - Kilbarchan AC; James Wilkinson (Phil Townsend) - Leeds City AC
UNDER-23 WOMEN
Lauren Howarth (Bud Baldaro) - Leigh; Emma Pallant (Mick Woods) - AFD; Lily Partridge (Self) - AFD; Naomi Taschimowitz (Charlotte Fisher) - Taunton; Stephanie Twell (Mick Woods) - AFD; Hannah Walker (Bud Baldaro) - Birchfield
JUNIOR MEN
Kieran Clements (Steve Benson) - Ipswich; Niall Fleming (Mick Woods) - Shaftesbury Barnet; Richard Goodman (Geoff Williams) - Shaftesbury Barnet; Jack Goodwin (Simon Goodwin) - Bedford & County; Jonny Hay (Mick Woods) - AFD; Mark Shaw (Steve Shaw) - New Marske
JUNIOR WOMEN
Beth Carter (Mick Woods) - AFD; Emelia Gorecka (Mick Woods) - AFD; Annabel Gummow (Chris Wooldridge) - Bristol & West; Katie Holt (Alan Morris) - City of Stoke; Gemma Kersey (Eamonn Martin) - Basildon; Laura Muir (Alan Mackintosh) - Dundee Hawkhill
