Vernon and Jones take on the Challenge
A four nation international match comprising elite trail and fell running competitors will highlight the first ever Karrimor Great Trail Challenge in the Lake District on Sunday 17 June…
Nova International Release
The contestants from England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland will compete over a testing 10 kilometres course in Keswick, also acknowledged as one of the world’s most picturesque amongst fell and mountain runners.
British internationals Steve Vernon and Andi Jones are leading names who have already committed themselves to the Challenge, where they are expected to lead the English squad.
Vernon is a former English National Cross Country champion and last June won the UK Mountain Running Challenge and European trial, which was staged in Keswick, before a month later taking 13th position at the Euro Championships in Turkey.
Jones has previously placed fourth at the World Marathon Running Championships and has a seventh finish under his belt in the 2011 European Mountain Running Championships. Last summer he also became the first contestant to win five Snowdon Races over a testing course in North Wales and a few weeks later switched back to road running where he was one of the top European finishers in the BMW Berlin Marathon.
Andi Jones at the 2011 Euro MR Champs
“Many athletes will be using this as a run out before competing for Great Britain at the European Mountain Running Championships three weeks later in Turkey,” said Peter Riley, elite athlete manager for the event.
The team race will comprise three runners with the first two counters across the line from each nation and scoring the lowest number of points declared overall champions. The open race for senior and junior men plus senior women will again see three competitors in each side with the same formula used. Junior women will compete over 5.5 kilometres in their race.
While the presence of elite athletes will see them fully test themselves in the competitive element of the Karrimor Great Trail Challenge, it will also cater for runners and walkers of all abilities over the age of 15.
The Karrimor Great Trail Challenge will also incorporate marathon, half marathon and 10km distances around a course where ascents will reach a height of 399 metres and offer fantastic views of Keswick and its surrounding areas.
