Trofeo Vanoni Mountain Relay team announced
A strong team of England U23 mountain runners will compete at the 65th edition of the famous Trofeo Vanoni Mountain Relays in Morbegno, Italy on 22-23 October. The men will race in the international relay event in teams of 3 over the 3km/435m course. For the women, it is a straight, very competitive international race over 5km/248m.
Team manager Alec Duffield said
“Trofeo Vanoni is a very popular event attracting large, loud crowds and a very high calibre of athlete. It will be a great opportunity for the development athletes to gain further experience and test themselves in an intense arena.”
Men's Team
Harry Bolton (Keswick AAC)
Matt Knowles (Sophie Dunnett, Lancaster and Morecambe AC)
Will Tighe (Buxton AC)
Women's Team
Chloe Leather (Mark Bleasdale, Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton)
Eve Pannone (Derek Hurton, Eden Runners)
Rosie Woodhams (Bill Foster, Kendal)
This is Harry Bolton’s second England vest and comes after an impressive fell running season, coming 3rd in the British Fell Running Championships and winning the British U23 title. Harry competed at Vanoni last year, with his Cumbrian team coming an impressive 7th overall.
Will Tighe represented England three times at junior level and won his first U23 vest alongside Harry at last year’s World Mountain Running Nations Cup event in Chiavenna, Italy. A strong track, road, and cross-country athlete, Will came 11th at the Senior British Mountain Running Championships gaining selection for this event.
Matt Knowles (pictured) has represented Great Britain on the mountains at both the U20 World Championships in Argentina and the senior European Championships in El Paso. He has been selected after coming 9th in the British Trials for the World Championships with a very impressive junior international report so far.
This is Chloe Leather’s first England Mountain Running vest, after coming 7th at the British Trial for the World Championships recently. A strong road and cross-country runner, this event a great opportunity to test her speed on the mountains.
Eve Pannone won the British Fell Running Championships title this year and represented Great Britain as an U20 at the World Championships in Argentina and the European Championships in Zermatt.
Rosie Woodhams represented Great Britain in 2018 at the World Championships in Andorra, coming 27th and the European Championships in Skopje, coming 23rd. Rosie has also represented England at the International U18 Mountain Cup in both 2018 and 2019 and was English Schools’ Fell Running Champion in 2017.
More
Photo: Matt Knowles leading the England runners out at the WMRA U18 Mountain Running Cup, Susa in 2019. Photo by Jon Rylance