3 July 2015

Final preparations are underway for the Great Britain & Northern Ireland team ahead of the European (Uphill) Mountain Running Championships in Portugal on Saturday. The teams will seek to replicate the success from the 2014 up and down edition where they won two individual and three team medals. 

Georgia Malir (coach: Andrew Henderson), the defending European (up & down) champion in the junior women’s event, will be supported by the winner of the trials held at the second leg of the British Athletics Mountain Running Challenge, Heidi Davies as well as Elizabeth Apsley (Syd Bates) and Catriona Graves (John Bell).

2013 World (up & down) Mountain Running Championships silver medallist Emma Clayton (Henderson) will lead the senior women’s quartet who will be targeting a team place on the rostrum. 

Clayton said: “It was previously mentioned by team manager Sarah Rowell how strong this squad is, but it really is. With the World Championships being a home championship later this year, I think it’s given everyone that extra incentive to push hard and make these British squads. In the five years I’ve been on the team, it’s definitely the strongest senior women’s team there has been for an uphill championships.”

The Yorkshire athlete will be joined by GB & NI internationals Victoria Wilkinson and Rebecca Robinson, as well as Annie Conway who will be making her debut in a British vest.  

The senior men’s team includes 2014 European (up & down) silver medallist Robbie Simpson (Martin Cox) who enjoyed one of the performances of his career 12 months ago to reach the podium. He will be part of a strong team consisting of in-form Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett), Chris Smith and Nick Swinburn (Lindsay Dunn).

The junior men’s team will be led by trials winner Max Nicholls (Peter Brenchley) who will be supported by Jacob Adkin (Gregor Nicholson), Ciaran Lewis (Phil Banning) and Jack Willis (Colin Gardener/Mike Cotton) as they look to improve upon a fourth spot in the team standings last year. 

For more information and results over the weekend, follow the link: http://www.emrchportomoniz2015.com/

Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the European Mountain Running Championships in Portugal on Saturday 4 July: 

Senior Men

Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett)

Robbie Simpson (Martin Cox)

Chris Smith

Nick Swinburn (Lindsay Dunn)

Senior Women

Emma Clayton (Andrew Henderson)

Annie Conway

Rebecca Robinson

Victoria Wilkinson

Junior Men

Jacob Adkin (Gregor Nicholson)

Ciaran Lewis (Phil Banning)

Max Nicholls (Peter Brenchley)

Jack Willis (Colin Gardener/Mike Cotton)

Junior Women

Elizabeth Apsley (Syd Bates)

Heidi Davies

Catriona Graves (John Bell)

Georgia Malir (Andrew Henderson)