Charlie Hulson (coach: Chris Jones; Club: Liverpool) and Kate Avery (Terrence Mahon; Shildon) will hope to continue their excellent starts to the British Athletics Cross Challenge season on the second leg in Milton Keynes tomorrow (Saturday, 10 November).

Hulson showed he was returning to his best when he took victory in Cardiff last month, but will once again be under pressure from defending champion Mahamed Mahamed (Peter Haynes; Southampton AC), who won on this course last year.

Alex Teuten (Roderick Lock; Southampton AC) makes his Milton Keynes and 2018/19 Cross Challenge season debut, while former series champion Adam Hickey (Eamonn Martin; Southend) will once again be in the mix.

Fresh from a strong second-place performance in Cardiff’s season opener last month, Avery will aim to back that performance up with a win in Milton Keynes, but will have last year’s winner in Buckinghamshire, Jess Judd (Mick Judd; Chelmsford), who was fourth in Wales, for company once again.

Defending senior women’s champion Gemma Steel (Liz Nuttall; Charnwood) and IAAF World Cross Country duo Claire Duck (Mike Baxter; Leeds City) and Rebecca Murray (Alex Stanton; Bedford & County) make their season bows, while twice 2010 European Cross team silver medallist Sonia Samuels (self; Sale Harriers Manchester) also competes.

Matt Willis (Wrexham) heads the men’s U20 field with Jake Heyward (James Thie; Cardiff) and Rory Leonard (Morpeth) representing Wales and England respectively in Burgos, Spain for the Cross de Atapuerca on Sunday. Willis, the former U17 series winner, faces notable competition from a fellow former series champion, Oliver Barbaresi (Menai), who came home third in Wales last month.

Cari Hughes (Andrew Walling; Swansea) and Khy Mhlanga (Mick Judd; Herts Phoenix) will do battle once again in the women’s U17/U20 race, with Grace Brock (self; Cornwall) representing England in Burgos. World U20 Championship 1500m finalist Francesca Brint (Dudley Walker; Sale Harriers Manchester) will also hope to be in contention.

With current U17 leader Cera Gemmell (Henry Muchamore; Team East Lothian) absent, under-15 champion Lily-Jane Evans-Haggerty (Victoria Park City of Glasgow) and European U18 Championship 800m gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson (Margaret Galvin; Leigh) will be hopeful of instantly catching her in the standings on their first outings of the season.

Mohamed Ali (Steve Mann; Ealing Southall & Middlesex) and Matt Stonier (Peter Mullervy; Invicta East Kent) will go head-to-head once again in the men’s U17 race, but both will face stronger competition in the form of Luke van Oudtshoorn (Mick Woods; Aldershot, Farnham & District). Archie May (Jason Marchant; Dartford Harriers) was third in Cardiff behind Ali and Stonier and will once again hope to muscle in on the action.

Holly Weedall (Andrew Carter; Vale Royal AC) will hope to pick up where she left off in Cardiff by claiming a second win of the season in the U15 girls race, while U13 athletes Josie Robertson (Newbury) and William Rabjohns (Poole AC) will hope to continue their perfect starts.

The action kicks off from 11:30 with the Under-11 Girls race and concludes at 14:10 with the senior men’s race.

Start lists can be found here under the Milton Keynes tab.