England squads aim to bloom in Edinburgh curtain-raiser 

England Athletics will send two teams of mixed junior and senior athletes to this Saturday’s Home Countries Cross Country International in Edinburgh; a race which will act as the curtain-raiser to the 36^th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, writes Nicola Bamford.

The competition – staged in the Scottish capital’s picturesque Holyrood Park – will set the scene for top international competition before the World’s elite mudlarks hit the venue the following day.

The ‘English rose army’ will do battle with teams from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, in an event which was first contested in Scotland’s Hamilton Park in 1903 and is returning to the UK fixture list for the first time since 1990.

The English men’s team will be headed by Steve Vernon. The 27 year-old Northern silver-medallist will hope to capitalise on his superb recent vein of form, which has seen him capture National cross-country bronze, but will face stiff opposition for the top spot in the shapes of team-mates, Dave Webb and Tom Lancashire.

Leeds City Harrier, Dave Webb took the scalp of Vernon when taking the  Northern cross-country title and was recently 10^th in Nottingham’s World Trials and UK Inter-Counties, whilst Lancashire (Bolton United Harriers and AC) will hope the Holyrood Park setting will continue to be his lucky venue; following his third-place in the Great Edinburgh International 4km, earlier this year – and the 22 year-old has been in fine form of late, with 11^th and 3^rd-place finishes at Nottingham and the Northerns, respectively.

The role of top junior man in the English men’s team may fall upon 20 year-old Ben Lindsay of Aldershot, Farnham and District AC. The St Mary’s University student was 31^st in the senior race at Nottingham after taking 4^th place in the National under20 contest; however, he may find Andrew Livingstone clipping at his heels. The Thurrock Harrier was the 52^nd senior placer at the Trials but only one position adrift of Lindsay in the regional Championships. 

Experiencing one of the breakthroughs of the winter, Macclesfield Harrier and baby of the team, 18 year-old, Tim Pattison will join the squad following his 8^th place in the under20 Trials race; a remarkable performance, coming only weeks after his 17^th and 72^nd place results in the Northern and National Championships this winter.  

The women’s outfit will be spearheaded by Kendal AC’s National runner-up, Gemma Miles. The 27 year-old Northern Champion narrowly failed to gain team GB selection for the Worlds; coming 5^th at the Trials, but will aim to use her previous Holyrood Park experience (9^th in the Great Edinburgh International XC last January) to good effect.

21 year-old Durham University student, Felicity Milton (6^th in the Trials and 25^th in her last Edinburgh outing) will provide stiff competition, in addition to Bingley Harriers’ Victoria Wilkinson, the National 11^th-placer.

Prime opposition to the senior ladies will likely come from Scotland’s Freya Murray; the Scottish 4km Champion.

Rotherham Harrier and National 6^th-placer, Rosie Edwards will hope to continue her promising winter form, which has seen the 19 year-old additionally collect silver in the Northern under20 Championships, 11^th in the British University Championships and an encouraging 18^th in the senior trials.

Kirsty Milner (18 of Trafford AC); 7^th in the under20 National and 4^th in the junior Northerns, and 17 year-old Lauren Howarth (Leigh Harriers); 5^th in the junior Trials race, 8^th in the under20 National and 10^th in the English School’s Championships will provide solid support.