THE BATTLE FOR WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPS PLACES COMMENCES THIS WEEKEND

The British Mountain Running Championships take place on the up and down course on Moel Eilio in Snowdonia on Saturday. The event couples as the trials for November’s World Mountain Running Championships and the final round of the British Athletics Mountain Running Challenge.

With places in the squad for the world championships – which will be held in Argentina later in November – up for grabs, the event is all set to host some fast and furious races.

In the senior men’s race, WMRA World Cup leader Andy Douglas (Sophie Dunnett; Inverclyde) will be a strong favourite to earn selection for another British team, while European (uphill) champion Jacob Adkin (Robbie Simpson; Keswick) will also have his eye on capturing another British vest in 2019.

Max Nicholls (Peter Brenchley; Tonbridge) who was part of last year’s silver medal winning team at the European (up and down) championships enjoyed a solid run at the 3 Rifugi relay in Italy back in August, so comes into this with good form.

2015 world silver medallist Emmie Collinge (Alta Valtellina) goes into this race as the favourite having won the European title in 2016 and was the country’s top finisher in the senior women’s race at those championships again in 2018, placing seventh.

However, the race will be competitive as British Athletics Mountain Running Challenge leader Hatti Archer (Bud Baldaro; Hallamshire) brings her best on the up and down terrain. Emma Gould (William Laye; Mercia Fell) was an individual bronze medallist in last year’s Europeans so will be searching for a place on the team for the worlds.

Others to look out for include Kate Maltby (Christopher Frapwell; Bristol & West) who makes a return to mountain running, Heidi Davies (Brecon) who has bene racing well in Italy over the summer, Phillipa Williams (Sheffield RC) who won the England trial race earlier this year.

Joe Dugdale (Copeland), who won individual gold at the European championships last year, will look to book another place on the team for Argentina, but will face strong competition from fellow members of that gold-medal winning squad.

Matty Mackay (Steve Duxbury; Rossendale), Euan Brennan (Andrew Henderson; Ilkley) and Ben Bergstrand (Martin Peevor; Middlesbrough) will all feature in the British Championships in Wales, and will be seeking a place on that strong team.

Nevertheless, Joe Hudson (Alan Buckley; Keighley & Craven) won the England trial ahead of Brennan and Bergstrand earlier this year, and Wales’ Mike Spill (Menai) will be one to watch; he was the first Briton home as he finished fifth in the International U18 Youth Cup in Italy last month.

In the junior women’s contest, ones to watch out for include Eve Pannone (Derek Hurton; Eden Runners) who was sixth at the European Championship, Lauren Dickson (Andrew Henderson; Lasswade), Eden O’Dea (Deeside), and Scottish athletes Pippa Carcas (Sandy Cameron; Edinburgh) and Rosie Davidson (Ayr Seaforth) who were eighth and ninth respectively in the International Youth Cup.

More information on the event can be found here: https://www.uka.org.uk/competitions/mountain-running/