12 January 2012

After a welcome return to form at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country International Challenge as top Aviva GB & NI senior men’s finisher, Frank Tickner (Coach: Self) will look to continue his form and defend his senior men’s title at the McCain Cardiff Cross Challenge which takes place on Sunday January 15th at Blackweir Fields.

Looking to make his mark in the senior men’s field at the event in the 10.1k race, is rising star Jonny Hay (Mick Woods) who put in an impressive performance at the Bupa Great Edinburgh 3km Cross Country, beating former world 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge to the finish line for second place on his senior debut

Hay , who won the junior men’s title in Cardiff last year , opened his cross country campaign back in November winning the Junior Men’s McCain Liverpool Cross Challenge and went on to compete in the 2011 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Velenje, where his eighth place finish helped earn the Aviva GB & NI Junior Men’s team gold.

European Cross U23 silver medallist Naomi Taschimowitz (Charlotte Fisher) will race in the senior women’s 6.8k race and with the absence of Gemma Steel – front runner in the McCain Cross Challenge so far – Taschimowitz will be looking to gain some points ahead of the Cross Challenge final in Birmingham.

Annabel Gummow (Chris Wooldridge) will start as favourite in the Junior Women’s 4.6k race following a win at the Bristol Cross Challenge and a second place at Liverpool, and after missing out on the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country International Challenge due to illness, she will be eager to get back in action.

The Junior Men’s field includes Harvey Dixon and Joshua Grace (both Mick Woods) – who took second and third in the 2010/2011 McCain Cross Challenge Series behind Hay – and will be joined by Alex Hill who currently sits in fourth position on the 2011/2012 McCain Cross Challenge lead table. 

The Cardiff event is the third fixture in the 2011/2012 Cross Challenge Series, with the McCain Antrim Cross Challenge the following week on 21 January and the McCain Birmingham Cross Challenge Final on 10 March.

For full start list, click here and click on the Cardiff tab.