As we look back on a brilliant 2022 season in the sport, today, we turn our attention to September to December 2022 as GB&NI’s off-track teams impressed in the mountains and on the cross country terrain.

World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Jess Bailey (coach: Matthew Long, club: Leven Valley) and Rebecca Flaherty (Karen Glerum, Bingley) won junior women’s gold and silver in the up and down race, and also sealed team gold. Also, the senior women won a second team silver of the Championships in the mountain running races, while the junior men also reached the podium with a team bronze.

Jon Albon (Isfjorden IL) secured individual bronze in the men’s short trail race, and both the men’s and women’s teams bagged bronze medals over the distance.

On day one, the Great Britain and Northern Ireland senior women’s team claimed a superb silver medal in the uphill only race.

European Cross Country Championships, Turin, Italy

Great Britain and Northern Ireland topped the medal table at the 2022 European Cross Country Championships at the Piemonte-La Mandria Park in Turin with ten medals overall including individual gold medals for Charles Hicks [U23 Men] and Will Barnicoat [U20 Men].

With team titles for the U23 men and women, and the U20 men, it was a superb day for the GB & NI squad overall. There were silvers for Emile Cairess [Senior Men], who enjoyed the best placing by a British senior man at the Euro Cross since Mo Farah won silver in 2009, Megan Keith [U23 Women], Zakariya Mahamed [U23 Men] and the senior women’s team, while Alexandra Millard [U23 Women] marked her GB & NI debut with an individual bronze in the U23 women’s race.

IAU 50km European Championships, Avila, Spain

Great Britain and Northern Ireland struck double team gold at the IAU 50km European Championships in Avila, Spain, as they also claimed two individual medals.

Alison Lavender (coach: Andrew Walling, club: Oswestry) and Andrew Davies (Stockport) earned podium places in the women’s and men’s races respectively as their teammates packed well behind them to secure team gold.

IAU 24 Hour European Championships, Verona, Italy

There were a number of personal bests and a couple of national records for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland contingent at the IAU European Championships in Verona, Italy over the weekend.

The women’s and men’s teams finished fourth overall in the team standings, with Joasia Zakrzewski and Daniel Lawson the top British finishers in fifth place.