Albufeira hopefuls head for Liverpool
Those with aspirations of making the GB & NI team for the forthcoming Euro XC champs will need to step-up this Saturday and show their mettle. The first of this winter’s McCain Cross Challenge series kicks-off in style at Liverpool’s Sefton Park…
With automatic selection places up for grabs for the first three in each age-group, the racing for those places will no doubt be fierce – none more so than in the senior men’s race, where there is no clear favourite as the cross country season gets into full swing.
Scott Overall is perhaps one man who can lay claim to that favourite tag after some impressive recent results on the road and country. The Blackheath man’s gutsy effort at the Great South Run, coupled with a handy international XC win only last weekend in Portugal, will certainly ensure that he is in the mix.
Scott Overall
2009 Liverpool winner Andy Vernon is a consistent XC performer, and after championship success at U23 level (Euro silver in 2008) the Aldershot runner will be ready for this one. ECCA relay short-stage fastest man Ryan McLeod has also been in sharp form recently, and when added to UK XC stalwarts Frank Tickner, Tom Humphries, Mark Draper and Mike Skinner, the battle for Euro berths should be a great race.
Into that mix should also be thrown U23 contenders Mitch Goose, James Wilkinson and perhaps most notably Nick Goolab. The Belgrave man knows what it takes to perform at the highest domestic and international level, having won the 2009 and ’10 junior National XC, and finished second at last year’s Euro XC in Dublin.
The women’s race will be an interesting affair on many levels. One unfortunate aspect is the absence of Freya Murray. The young Scot seems to have picked up an injury on the back of her awesome run at that Great South 10 miler last month. Equally, Steph Twell sits this one out, hoping that the selectors will give her a berth on the girls team when assessing form and capability of performing on the international stage.
Hayley Yelling (57) at last years Euro trial in Liverpool
One athlete who will be there is the 2009 Liverpool winner Hayley Yelling-Higham. Her surprise return from ‘retirement’ at last year’s race was then superseded by her absolutely brilliant performance in Dublin, which saw the Windsor powerhouse lead from the gun and take an emphatic, and highly popular, European Cross title.
This preview from UKA has sister-in-law Liz Yelling listed a a contender too. However, though Liz returned pretty successfully from injury to win the Brighton 10k last weekend, those with a keen-eye on her Facebook page will see that she has had a cold all week and may decide against the foray north.
Others to watch will be young-guns Jess Sparke and Gemma Steel, both of whom have been in sharp form over the last few weeks. Of course these trails races always throw-up some surprises and there could well be one or two in the women’s race.
For additional Liverpool previews head on over to the excellent assessment from young Tom Gayle at the athleticos site
