10 June 2013

British Athletics has announced a full team of 12 athletes for the forthcoming IAU Trail World Championships, which take place in Llanwrst, Wales, on Saturday 6 July.

After winning the UK Trail Championships, which were incorporated into the HOKA Highland Fling 53 back in April, Lee Kemp leads the British charge at this event. Joining him in the men’s team is Ricky Lightfoot, who was second to Kemp in Milngavie, and is also the former IAAF World Long Distance Mountain Running bronze medallist.

There is also local interest from Iain Ridgway, who runs for Eryri in North Wales, and he is likely to benefit from the presence of a home crowd. Matthew Williamson and Andrew James, who were third and fifth respectively at the UK Championships, make up the rest of the team, alongside Craig Holgate, who is the 2013 UK 100k Champion.

The women’s team for the 6 July event will be led by Tracy Dean, who narrowly triumphed over Fionna Cameron at the HOKA Highland Fling 53. Cameron impressed, improving by over 90 minutes compared to the last time she ran the race in 2011. Sandra Bowers filled the other spot on the UK Trail Championship podium and will be joined in the team by Joanna Zakewski, Isobel Wykes and Karen Rushton.

The course sees the athletes complete five circuits of a 15km loop, with the underfoot conditions being a mixture of trail and forest tracks, including 558 metres of climbing.

GB & NI team for the IAU Trail World Championships:

Men                                                                               Women                                               
Lee Kemp                                                                    Tracy Dean
Ricky Lightfoot                                                             Fionna Cameron
Matt Williamson                                                          Joanna Zakzewski
Iain Ridgway                                                                Isobel Wykes
Andrew James                                                            Sandra Bowers
Craig Holgate                                                              Karen Rushton