29th January 2018

FULL TEAM TO REPRESENT THE BRITISH SQUAD AT THE WORLD TRAIL CHAMPIONSHIPS

A full team of 12 will represent Britain at the IAU / ITRA World Trail Championships over the 50 mile / 80km course in the Spanish region of Penyagolosa on 12 May this year.

Tom Owens and Beth Pascall have both been part of medal winning teams at these championships in the past so they will bring that experience to the table at the 2018 edition.

Owens was fourth individually back in 2015 as he led the team to a bronze medal and has been one of the British teams most consistent performers over the last few years.

On this occasion, he will be joined by Jon Albon who won the World Skyrunning Championships back in 2017 while Rob Sinclair earns his first international cap after a string of outstanding results last year when he recorded course records across a number of established trail races in the UK.

Pascall was a top-ten finisher at the last edition of these Championships and she too was part of a bronze medal winning women’s team. The six-strong team includes Katie Kaars Sijpersteijn who won the prestigious Lakeland 50 last July, setting a course record along the way.

Team Leader Adrian Stott said: 

“Selection for this event was very difficult, reflecting the real strength in depth we have in ultra-trail running in this country at the moment.

“We have a talented mix of established names and some new faces earning their debuts on the back of some very impressive performances in 2017. So we feel we have individuals capable of high placings, and solid teams that are able to mix it with the Spanish, French and Americans who traditionally do well in the team competition, which is a key element of the championship.”

The British Athletics team for the IAU / ITRA World Trail Championships in Penyagolosa, Spain on 12 May 2018:

Women

Rachel Campbell

Sally Fawcett

Katie Kaars Sijpersteijn

Holly Page

Beth Pascall

Sarah Moorwood

Men

Jon Albon

Tom Evans

Tom Owens

Rob Sinclair

Ryan Smith

Andy Symonds *(subject to fitness)