17-Strong British Team Heading To The World Mountain Running Championships

British Athletics has today announced the team to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the upcoming home World Mountain Running Championship in Betws-y-Coed, Wales on September 19. The 17-strong team contains trial winners Robbie Simpson and Sarah Tunstall alongside previous world medallist Emma Clayton who will be seeking medals in the mountains at the up and down Championships, to be held in the UK for the third time.

Simpson, fourth at the recent uphill European Championships in Portugal, will duel with fellow Scot Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett), who he beat by over a minute at the trial event last weekend. Both will contest with the best in the world as they seek individual and team honours. The duo will be joined by Tom Adams, Tom Addison (Billy Proctor), Ben Mounsey and Chris Smith, as the team seek to make the most of home advantage in Snowdonia.

Clayton, a silver medallist at the championships in the last up and down event in 2013, will once again have her eyes on the top prize. A bronze medal in Porto Moniz at the European Mountain Running Championships in July has given the Yorkshire woman great confidence as she heads into her next major international for Britain.

She will be joined by Tunstall, who showed her class to win the trial last Saturday. The Kendal athlete will be joined by GB debutant Emily Collinge and Hatti Archer (Bud Baldaro) who returns to a British team for the first time since the European Championships over 3000m steeplechase in 2012.

Max Nicholls (Peter Brenchley) and Jacob Adkin (Gregor Nicholson), 5^th and 6^th respectively at the European Championships last month will be aiming high in the junior men’s race. They will be joined by John Spill and Jacob Boyle who will both make their maiden appearances in a British vest next month.

A trio of athletes has been selected for the junior women’s event including trial winner Heidi Davies, former European champion Georgia Malir (Henderson) and Scarlet Dale (Colin Gemson) who is added to the fold for the first time.

Sarah Rowell, the Team Leader commented after selection:

“There were some really strong performances and great racing at the Trials last weekend and all those selected have a unique opportunity to compete at a home World Championships.

“This is a very strong British team we are sending to the World Mountain Running Championships in Wales. We will be looking to make the most of home advantage and the teams will be targeting both individual and team medals.”