NOTTINGHAM HOSTS CROSS CHALLENGE FINAL AND INTER-COUNTIES CHAMPS THIS SATURDAY

The British Athletics Cross Challenge Final and the UK Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships heads to Wollaton Park in Nottingham on Saturday 9 March.

With the series getting underway in November 2023 in Cardiff, the countries best cross country athletes have competed to reach the grand finale. With the added bonus of this acting as part of the Trials for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships later this month, there is a lot up for grabs across the day.

Abbie Donnelly (coach: Rob Lewis, club: Lincolnshire) will be the overwhelming favourite to claim the women’s crown in Nottingham. After winning in London back in January to confirm her place on the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for Belgrade on 30 March, she enters this race as the Cross Challenge leader after a strong winter season. She also claimed bronze in the senior women’s race at the European Cross Country Championships back in December, so she’ll have her eyes on the prize this weekend.

She will face a field including Niamh Brown (Tim Eglen, Surrey) who was third overall in London, and sits in seventh in the overall Cross Challenge standings, with Scotland East’s Alice Goodall (Mark Pollard) another athlete who could be in contention near the front of the field.

In the senior men’s race, Scotland’s East’s duo of Scott Stirling (John Pentecost) and Jamie Crowe (Derek Easton) could be battling it out for the 2023/24 crown. Stirling leads the rankings heading into the Final, but Crowe – winner in Renfrew – was just one point further back after four races. Yorkshire’s Angus McMillan (Don McMillan) has also enjoyed a consistent series and could feature on Saturday.

Innes Fitzgerald (Gavin Pavey, Devon) has shone throughout the cross country season, most notably on her way to European gold in December. Added to that, she triumphed at the Cross Challenge fixtures in Cardiff, Liverpool and London, so she will be the favourite for victory in Nottinghamshire.

She will face a strong field including fellow GB & NI internationals Jess Bailey (Matthew Long) and Lizzie Wellsted (Essex), while Natasha Phillips (Scotland East), winner in Renfrew, is also a contender in the line-up.

In the U20 men’s race, Cross Challenge leader Logan Beagley (Scotland East) will be looking to repeat his winning ways from the Scottish fixture, and he will face opposition from the likes of Quinn Miell-Ingram (Wendy Miell-Ingram, Oxfordshire) and Dorset pair Mark Ruby (Mark Pauley) and William Rabjohns (Mark Pauley).

U17 Cross Challenge leaders coming into the Final, Zara Redmond (Scotland West) and Iwan Thomas (Neil Thomas) lead the way in their respective fields, while Olivia Forrest (Paul Forrest), who has won all four U15 girls Cross Challenge fixtures during the series, will be a strong favourite at Wollaton Park.

With no Evan Grime on the start lists in the U15 boys contest, it opens the door for others to claim the Final victory, with Scotland West’s Calum Dick (Angela Carson) second overall after four fixtures.

Competing on home ground, Maisie Mullett (John Skevington, Nottinghamshire) and Adam Paget (Nottinghamshire) are the leaders in the U13 races heading into the Final event.

The event will be live streamed in the British Athletics TV YouTube page.

Entry lists and results can be found via the link. 

For more event details, please click HERE.