Originally scheduled for Prestwold Hall, this weekend’s big domestic cross-country event is now 15 miles away at Wollaton Park amid parking problems and World Cross selection anticipation
This winter’s cross-country season has been a moving feast. A World Championships that was due to take place in Croatia in February was abandoned and moved to Serbia in late March. The English National at Weston Park last month was postponed – possibly to a new date in September – due to flooding. Adding to the disruption, the UK Inter-Counties on Saturday (March 9) was up-rooted from its original home in Prestwold Hall near Loughborough to Wollaton Park in Nottingham.
So far, so good, although athletes and spectators visiting Wollaton Park this weekend have been warned that there is no parking at the venue itself because of the saturated ground. Due to this, public transport from Nottingham city centre is advised.
This weekend’s event, which will be streamed online (see link below), doubles as a British trial for the World Cross in Belgrade, Serbia, on March 30. Following selection opportunities for senior athletes at the European Championships in Brussels in December and London International at Parliament Hill in January, the Inter-Counties offers more chances for athletes who want to represent their country in Serbia this month.
Senior winners will earn automatic selection for the World Cross and, if spaces still remain in the team, then athletes finishing in the top three at Inter-Counties could fill the final places in the squad.
For under-20 athletes, meanwhile, the top three at the Inter-Counties will be automatically selected for Serbia with UKA saying they will pick at least four athletes for each of the junior races.
Wollaton Park (Mark Shearman)
Of course the event incorporates the final leg of the British Athletics Cross Challenge series plus the honour of winning de facto British cross-country titles.
Abbie Donnelly, the European bronze medallist and winner at Parliament Hill in January, leads the entries on Saturday at Wollaton Park. The Lincolnshire athlete has been in terrific form this winter and faces opposition from Niamh Brown of Surrey and Alice Goodall of Scotland East.
Jamie Crowe (Bobby Gavin)
Scott Stirling, Jamie Crowe and Angus McMillan look set to battle out the senior men’s title with Stirling leading the Cross Challenge rankings.
In the under-20 races, Innes FitzGerald won the under-17 women’s title 12 months ago by just over a minute and since then has won the European under-20 title. Like many she was thwarted in her attempts to run the English National last month so will come into this event presumably itching to race and looking to secure a place in the GB team for Serbia.
In Nottingham the Devon athlete faces Jess Bailey of Cumbria, Lizzie Wellstead of Essex and Natasha Phillips of Scotland East.
Innes FitzGerald (Getty)
There is a potentially thrilling match-up with the top east Africans later this month but the big question is: will FitzGerald accept a place in the team and fly to Belgrade, or will she try to get there on Eurostar and trains – a 1300-mile journey that would involve passing through multiple countries?
Elsewhere, Cross Challenge leaders include Logan Beagley of Scotland East (U20 men), Zara Redmond of Scotland West (U17 women) and Iwan Thomas of West Wales (U17 men), Olivia Forrest of Essex (U15 girls) and Evan Grime of Greater Manchester (U15 boys).
In the under-13 races, Maisie Mullett and Adam Paget of Nottinghamshire lead the Cross Challenge series.
Timetable
10.45am – U20 men
11.15am – U13 girls
11.30am – Senior women
12.20pm – U15 boys
12.40pm – U17 women
1.00pm – U17 men
1.25pm – U13 boys
1.45pm – U20 women
2.05pm – U15 girls
2.30pm – Senior men
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