The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team will be represented by 29 athletes for the European Off-Road Running Championships in La Palma, Spain on 1-3 July.
For the first time at the European edition of the event, the mountain running and trail races will take place at the same event across three days of action in the Spanish mountains.
Following the trial events in Scotland recently, the teams for the uphill and up-and-down mountain running races have been assembled.
After their fine performances at the trial, Scout Adkin (coach: Angela Mudge, club: Ambleside), Kate Avery (Shildon) and Holly Page (Lewis Walker, Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds) will compete in both the senior women’s uphill only and up-and-down races.
For Adkin, who was second at last year’s Nations Cup, this will be her first British vest and it is well deserved after she dominated both trial races. As for Avery, this will be her first mountain running call-up after representing GB & NI on the track and cross country previously. Page competed at 2019 European U20 Championships in the 3000m steeplechase, and also earns her first mountain running cap.
In the uphill only race, the trio will be joined by Kirsty Dickson (Carnethy Hill Racing Club), while in the up-and-down race, Hannah Russell (Billy Proctor, Helm Hill) completes the quartet lining up for the British team.
Chris Richards (Duncan Richards, Helm Hill) will compete in both the senior men’s uphill only and up-and-down races after two solid performances at the trials.
In the uphill only team, he is joined by the reigning European uphill champion Jacob Adkin (Robbie Simpson, Keswick), Dan Haworth (Matlock) and Joe Steward (Harry Kelly, Salford). Meanwhile, in the up-and-down team, prolific GB & NI international Andy Douglas (Sophie Dunnett, Inverclyde), Matt Knowles (Sophie Dunnett, Lancaster and Morecambe) and Max Nicholls (Peter Brenchley, Tonbridge) complete the quartet.
In the junior mountain running races, double trial winners Finlay Grant (Dark Peak) and Eve Whitaker lead the full teams in the uphill only and up-and-down races.
Following the trail trial at the Three Peaks race in April, six athletes have been selected for the 47.4km trail race which will take place on Saturday 2 July.
The top three in the men’s race at the trials, Brennan Townshend (Keswick), Billy Cartwright (Matlock) and Ricky Lightfoot (Ellenborough) will all compete in El Paso. Lightfoot won the world trail gold medal back in 2013, while for Townshend, this is his first British vest.
In the women’s team, the first British woman across the line at the Three Peaks was Sharon Taylor (Helm Hill), and she will be joined by Eleanor Davis (Preston) and Nichola Jackson (Keswick).
Team Leader, Anne Buckley, said, “This is a very strong team of mountain and trail runners that we are taking to the first European Off-Road Running Championships, and it is great to see these athletes competing at the same event alongside each other.
We’ve seen some very competitive trial races over the last few weeks, with many athletes battling for a place on the team. We have some experienced athletes who have earned another vest, and it is also fantastic to see so many new faces securing their place on the team for these Championships. I wish them all the best of luck in their preparations, and I’m looking forward to seeing the team compete out in La Palma.”
The British team for the European Off-Road Running Championships:
Trail
Senior Men:
Billy Cartwright (Matlock)
Ricky Lightfoot (Ellenborough)
Brennan Townshend (Keswick)
Senior Women:
Eleanor Davis (Preston)
Nichola Jackson (Keswick)
Sharon Taylor (Helm Hill)
Mountain Running
Senior Men - Uphill Only:
Jacob Adkin (Robbie Simpson, Keswick)
Daniel Haworth (Matlock)
Chris Richards (Duncan Richards, Helm Hill)
Joe Steward (Harry Kelly, Salford)
Senior Women - Uphill Only:
Scout Adkin (Angela Mudge, Ambleside)
Kate Avery (Shildon)
Kirsty Dickson (Carnethy Hill Racing Club)
Holly Page (Lewis Walker, Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds)
U20 Men – Uphill Only:
Charlie Allmond (Sarah McCormack, Ambleside)
Edward Corden (Michael Doyle, Stockport)
Finlay Grant (Dark Peak)
Ben O’Dowd (Eden Runners)
U20 Women – Uphill Only:
Louisa Brown (Alex Chambers, Garscube)
Isla Hedley (Innes Oglivie, Fife)
Charlotte Rawstron (Gordon Agar, Skyrac)
Eve Whitaker (Harrogate)
Senior Men – Up-and-Down:
Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett, Inverclyde)
Matt Knowles (Sophie Dunnett, Lancaster and Morecambe)
Max Nicholls (Peter Brenchley, Tonbridge)
Chris Richards (Duncan Richards, Helm Hill)
Senior Women – Up-and-Down:
Scout Adkin (Angela Mudge, Ambleside)
Kate Avery (Shildon)
Holly Page (Lewis Walker, Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds)
Hannah Russell (Billy Proctor, Helm Hill)
U20 Men – Up-and-Down:
Edward Corden (Michael Doyle, Stockport)
Fraser Gilmour (Robert Hawkins, Victoria Park City of Glasgow)
Finlay Grant (Dark Peak)
Ben O’Dowd (Eden Runners)
U20 Women – Up-and-Down:
Georgia Bell (Leven Valley)
Isla Hedley (Innes Oglivie, Fife)
Amelie Lane (Wharfedale)
Eve Whitaker (Harrogate)
