3rd June 2016

16 Selected For European Mountain Running Championships

3 June 2016

British Athletics has today announced a team of 16 which will head to Arco in Italy for the European (Up and Down) Mountain Running Championships on Saturday 2 July.

Trials winners Andrew Douglas (coach: Sophie Dunnett) and Rebecca Hilland will headline the senior men’s and women’s teams respectively after convincing displays at the Trials in Whinlatter Forest last weekend.

Hilland earns her first GB international call-up after only taking up the discipline last year. The Bath athlete will fly out to Arco alongside a very strong senior women’s team which contains 2015 world (up and down) silver medallist Emmie Collinge. She was additionally part of the gold medal winning team in Wales alongside Sarah Tunstall, who is also selected after a third place finish at the Trials. Heidi Dent (Derek Hurton) completes the quartet who will be one of the favourites for a team podium position in the Italian mountains.

The senior men’s team is spearheaded by Douglas who has a wealth of experience in a British vest over the last few years, and is joined by Chris Smith and Ben Mounsey who were also part of the bronze medal winning team at the world championships last September. They are joined by newcomer Alex Pilcher (self-coached) who will make his international debut for the British team after a solid performance at the Trials.

Trials winners Laura Stark (Arthur Smith) and Gavin Bryson (Garry Robertson) are named in the junior teams and they will achieve their debut GB vests.

Team Leader Sarah Rowell said: “We saw some excellent racing at the Trials with a lot of new faces coming through and earning selection, as well as experienced athletes producing fine performances when it matters. Both are encouraging as we seek to build upon last year’s successes.

“We go in to the Europeans in an upbeat mood after a landmark display at the worlds in Wales last year, and we have selected teams which are capable of pushing for medals in the Italian mountains.”

The full British Athletics team for the European Mountain Running Championships in Arco, Italy on July 2nd 2016:

Senior men

Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett)

Alex Pilcher (self-coached)

Ben Mounsey

Chris Smith (Philip O’Dell)

 

Senior Women

Emmie Collinge

Heidi Dent (Derek Hurton)

Rebecca Hilland

Sarah Tunstall

 

Junior Men

Josh Boyle

Gavin Bryson (Garry Robertson)

Ciaran Lewis (James Thie)

Jake Smith (Brian O’Hare)

 

Junior Women

Scarlet Dale (Colin Gemson)

Heidi Davies (Chris Jones)

Laura Stark (Arthur Smith)

Bella Williams (Rob Lewis)