7th July 2017
Previewing the European Mountain Running Champs
16 British mountain runners represent the nation at the European Uphill Championships in Kamnik, Slovenia on Saturday 8 July.
Trial winners Sarah Tunstall and Andrew Douglas (coach: Sophie Dunnett) spearhead the senior teams at the championships in which the British team have a successful history.
Douglas was fifth at these championships in 2015, the last time it was an uphill event, and fourth last year when it was ‘up and down’ in Italy – they alternate each year. The Scottish athlete, alongside Chris Smith, who has also been selected for the 2017 event, were part of the silver medal winning team two years ago, so they will be targeting a similar result this time around. Joining the duo in the senior men’s team will be Chris Arthur and Chris Farrell.
Tunstall is no stranger to the British team set-up having won medals at both world and European championships in the past, and will be seeking to be part of a senior women’s team looking to defend their title from the 2015 championship. Joining her will be Victoria Wilkinson, Rebecca Hilland and Katie Walshaw who add further depth to a strong senior women’s team
In the junior races, Anna MacFadyen will lead the women’s team, just a few months since she competed for the British team at the World Cross Country championships. The Forres-athlete will be joined by Heidi Davies who was ninth at the 2015 equivalent of the championships, as well as Lancaster and Morecambe’s Scarlet Dale (Colin Gemson) and Buxton’s Helen Thornhill.
After a breakthrough run up Skiddaw at the trials event last month, Christopher Richards (Martin Cox) earns a call-up to his first British team, with Josh Boyle, Joseph Dugdale and Elliott Matier adding to the men’s junior quartet.
The full British Athletics team for the European Mountain Running Championships in Kamnik, Slovenia on 8 July 2017:
Senior Women:
Rebecca Hilland
Sarah Tunstall
Katie Walshaw (Kath Farquhar)
Victoria Wilkinson
Senior Men:
Chris Arthur
Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett)
Chris Smith (Philip O’Dell)
Chris Farrell
Junior Women:
Scarlet Dale (Colin Gemson)
Heidi Davies
Anna MacFadyen
Helen Thornhill
Junior men:
Josh Boyle
Joseph Dugdale
Elliott Matier
Christopher Richards (Martin Cox)