European champion Hayley Yelling-Higham (coach: Conrad Milton) will defend her title at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Albufeira, Portugal on Sunday 12 December 2010 as one of a 36-strong Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team.
Yelling-Higham, who dominated the senior women’s race in Dublin 12 months ago, is joined by McCain Liverpool Cross Challenge and European Trials winner Louise Damen (self-coached) and former three-time European junior cross country champion Stephanie Twell (coach: Mick Woods).
Wilkinson, second overall in the senior/under-23 combined Trial race within the McCain Liverpool Challenge, is a realistic medal contender on this occasion as is Aldershot’s Emma Pallant (coach: Mick Woods) who makes a welcome return to international cross country action in the women’s under-23 team following her Trials victory; she’ll be hoping to match her team gold as a junior in 2008 with an impressive individual performance.
A number of athletes will win international vests for the first time in the full team, including senior Gemma Steel (coach: Roy Stowell) who has been in outstanding form in recent weeks, and a talented junior men’s quintet including Tonbridge duo 16-year-old Robbie Farnham-Rose (coach: Mark Hookway) and Andy Combs (coach: Mark Hookway/Mick Woods).
Luton’s John McDonnell (coach: John Stoker), who will also make his Aviva GB & NI team debut, will spearhead the junior men’s European Cross Country medal challenge following his brilliant Trials win in Liverpool.
Kate Avery (coach: Bob Ashwood), junior women’s bronze medallist in 2009, will be targeting a second successive podium finish while Aldershot’s UK junior 10,000m record holder and dominant European Cross Country Trials winner Charlotte Purdue (coach: Mick Woods) – individual silver medallist two years ago – should be a gold medal contender in an outstanding group of athletes.
AVIVA GB & NI TEAM
SENIOR WOMEN
Helen Clitheroe (John Nuttall) – Preston Harriers; Louise Damen (self-coached) – Winchester & District; Hatti Dean (Bud Baldaro] – Hallamshire Harriers; Gemma Steel (Roy Stowell) – Charnwood AC; Stephanie Twell (Mick Woods) - AFD; Hayley Yelling-Higham (Conrad Milton) – Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow
UNDER-23 WOMEN
Imogen Ainsworth (Keith Brackstone) – Bristol & West AC; Elspeth Curran (Lawrie Spence) – Kilbarchan AC; Natalie Gray (Bill Foster/Joe Franklin) – Medway & Maidstone; Emma Pallant (Mick Woods) - AFD; Emily Pidgeon (Andy Hobdell) – Stroud & District; Sarah Waldron (Dave Sunderland) – Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers
JUNIOR WOMEN
Kate Avery (Bob Ashwood) – Shildon AC; Emelia Gorceka (Mick Woods) - AFD; Annabel Gummow (Chris Wooldridge) – Bristol & West; Lily Partridge (Liz McColgan) - AFD; Georgia Peel (Mick Woods) - AFD; Charlotte Purdue (Mick Woods) - AFD
