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England team announced for the British and Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships

This year’s British and Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships (JHI) in Ambleside on 3 September follows on from the very successful event in the Mourne Mountains of Northern Ireland in 2021.

31 athletes across eight teams will represent England for this year's event, with A and B teams present for U20 and U17 age categories.

Team Manager Carol Evans said:

"The event provides an important development opportunity and brings the mountain running season to a close. England have a full squad looking to benefit from the experience of competing against their peers."

U20 Men (A)

  • Isaac Battye (coach: Stuart Stokes; club: Horwich AC)
  • Will Curry (Steve Duxbury, Rossendale Harriers AC)
  • Finlay Grant (Mark Ediker, Dark Peak)
  • Will Longden (Terry Fowler, Buxton AC)

Isaac Battye is one of a number making his England debut after a strong run to finish 2nd in the trial race in Ambleside. After missing most of last season due to injury, he has made a good return to become the Greater Manchester Fell Running champion, placing 4th at the British Inter Counties Fell Championships and also finished 5th in the Fell Runners Association U19B Championship.

Will Curry had a fine run to finish 3rd in the trial and secure his England mountain running debut. He had a solid season on the fells becoming the Lancashire fell running champion. He also finished 4th in the Fell Runners Association U19B championship.

Finlay Grant missed the trial which was scheduled on the day after the iconic Snowdon race where, also representing England, he finished in a fine 8th place. Last month, Finlay also represented Great Britain (GB) in the European U20 Off Road Championships in La Palma where he just missed out on a medal, placing 4th in the uphill event. Two days later, Finlay ran an excellent race to go one better and win bronze in the up and down hill event.

Winning the trial race, Will Longden is another to gain his first England vest. Following his consistent results in the championship races, Will won both the 2022 U19B British Inter Counties Fell and FRA Championship titles.

U20 Men (B)

  • Charlie Allmond (Sarah McCormack, Ambleside AC)
  • James Bowen (Sarah McCormack, Ambleside AC)
  • Ed Corden (Mike Doyle, Stockport Harriers)
  • Euan Patton (Keith Whitelam, Dark Peak/Hallamshire Harriers AC)

Charlie Allmond has raced for both England and GB at mountain running. Running for GB in July, he finished in a competitive 13th place at the European U20 Off Road Championships (uphill only). This was just over a week after his 12th placing in the International U18 Mountain Running Cup in Italy whilst representing England. More recently, Charlie won the gold medal in the VK at the World Youth Skyrunning championships in Andorra.

James Bowen is a seasoned fell runner and secures his second England vest in mountain running following his 4th place at the trials. In 2021, James ran strongly to finish 5th in the JHI in Northern Ireland.

Ed Corden adds an England vest to his GB debut in July where he was part of the U20 team in La Palma. Here he finished in an excellent 8th place in both the uphill only event and the up and down race held only two days later.

Euan Patton has had a solid cross country and fell season and this will be his 2nd England mountain running vest. It follows on from his debut at the 2021 JHI, where he finished 2nd and was part of the gold medal winning team.

U20 Women (A)

  • Lucy Bendall (John Danahay, Buxton AC)
  • Charlotte Rawstron (Gordon Agar, Skyrac AC)
  • Isabel Richardson (Holmfirth Harriers)
  • Eve Whitaker (Joanne Day, Harrogate AC)

Lucy Bendall combines her triathlon training well with her other commitments, which resulted in her becoming both the U20 World and the European Duathlon champion this year. Her 4th placing in the trial race gives Lucy her 3rd England vest, having ran at the JHI for England in both 2019 and 2021.

Charlotte Rawstron earns her 3rd England vest after finishing strongly in 2nd place at the trial. It follows on the back of an excellent mountain running season where she won the individual bronze medal representing GB in the uphill event at the European Off Road Championships in the La Palma.

Isabel Richardson gains her second England vest and joins some of her team mates who travelled to Northern Ireland in 2021. Isabel has had a busy season on the country, fell and track coming 16th at the CAU Inter Counties, 28th at the ECCA English National Cross Country Championships, as well as finishing in 4th place at the British Inter Counties Fell Championships.

Eve Whitaker adds another England vest to close out her busy mountain running season. Last month she placed 9th at the International U18 Mountain Running Cup in Saluzzo. As part of the GB U20 team at the European U20 Off Road Champs, she followed this with a fine 6th place in the uphill event and then an excellent individual bronze medal in the up and down event.

U20 Women (B)

  • Emily Gobbins (Sally Malir, Ilkley Harriers)
  • Sophie Rylance (Jon Rylance, Ambleside AC)
  • Lex Whitaker (Joanne Day, Harrogate AC)

Emily Gobbins earns another England vest to add to that gained in 2021 where she finished in the top 10 in the JHI. In a busy cross country season, Emily placed highly in county and national events and came in 4th at the ISF World Schools Cross Country Championships.

Sophie Rylance makes her debut for England mountain running as the 2022 joint U19G FRA champion. She has raced prolifically over fell and cross country and also became the U23 Kong Winter Fell Running champion earlier in the year.

Alongside Sophie as joint U19G FRA champion, Lex Whitaker joins the squad and gains another England vest. At the 2021 JHI, Lex ran impressively to win individual gold and also led England to the team gold medal.

U17 Men (A)

  • Ewan Busfield (Jerry Hall, Derby Athletic)
  • Joe Ormrod (Steve Duxbury, Rossendale Harriers AC)
  • Charlie Pickens (Mark Goldie, Calder Valley AC)
  • Alex Poulston’s (Wirral AC)

This is Ewan Busfield’s first time representing England in mountain running. His 2nd place in the trial follows on the back of a strong cross country and track season, culminating in selection for 1500m at the ESAA English Schools Championships in July.

4th in the trial, Joe Ormrod earns his third England vest. Building on his mountain running debut in 2021 where he finished 10th in the JHI, Joe finished 2nd U17B in the 2022 FRA Championship. Last month, he finished in a creditable 25th place in the International U18 Mountain Running Cup in Saluzzo in Italy.

Charlie Pickens makes his mountain running debut in an England vest after finishing 3rd at the trial. This season, he represented Greater Manchester in the Inter Counties Fell Running Championship and he finished 3rd U17B in the 2022 FRA championship.

Winner of the trial race, this will be Alex Poulston’s third England mountain running vest. Notable performances include 3rd place in the 2021 JHI and being part of the England gold winning team. In July Alex finished 18th in the International Mountain Running Championship in Italy and, after a solid season, he is now the 2022 U17B FRA champion.

U17 Men (B)

  • James Brassington (Jenny Hodgson, Lancaster & Morecambe AC)
  • Tom Hooper (Chris Jones, Wharfedale Harriers AC)
  • Will McNally (David McNally, Leven Valley AC)
  • Adam Varey (Martin Varey, Border Harriers AC)

James Brassington makes his international mountain running debut following his 6th place in the trial race. He has represented both Cumbria at the English Schools National Cross Country and Lancashire at the CAU Inter County Championships. As an active track runner, he holds the Cumbria Schools Inter Boys 800m title.

Tom Hooper gains his first England vest from his 8th place in the trial race. As a keen fell runner, Tom has a notable 2nd place in the 2021 English Schools Fell Running Championship to his credit.

Will McNally earns his first England vest with a solid 7th place in the trial race. With a background in cross country and on the track, he was 2nd in the 2022 Northern Schools’ Inter Counties and 24th in the ESAA English Schools cross country championships. Will was also 3rd in the 2021 English Schools Fell Running Championships.

Gaining his first England mountain running vest, following his 5th place at the trial, Adam Varey has a strong background in cross country, track and fell. This year he finished 49th in the ECCA English Cross Country Championships and was 4th U17 in the Fell Runners Association Championship.

U17 Women (A)

  • Olivia Aldham (Karen Brooks, Wharfedale Harriers AC)
  • Georgia Bell (Leven Valley AC)
  • Isabel Holt’s (Noel Finucane, Blackburn AC)
  • Amelie Lane (Sarah McCormack, Wharfedale Harriers AC)

Olivia Aldham has a background on the fells and at cross country. With her consistent form this season, she represented North Yorkshire at the ESAA English Schools cross country championships and also become the U17G FRA Champion. Her 3rd place in the trial race means Olivia has earned a well-deserved first England vest.

With a good cross country and track season behind her this year, culminating in becoming the Cumbria cross country champion and placing 7th at the ECCA England Nationals, Georgia Bell secures her second England vest. In July, she also represented GB in the up and down hill event at the European U20 Off Road Championships in La Palma, where she finished in an excellent 9th position.

Isabel Holt’s 2nd place in the trial secured her 2nd England vest following her debut in the JHI in 2021. Her 2022 season includes some fine cross country placings with 14th in both the CAU Inter County Championships and in the ESAA English Schools Championships. On the fell, Isabel finished just off the podium in 4th at the British Inter Counties Fell Championships.

Amelie Lane is a seasoned cross country and fell runner, with notable achievements in domestic county and national events. She also now has a number of international vests behind her. In the 2021 JHI, Amelie was part of the winning England team where she also won individual silver. In July of this year, she was second England finisher in 7th place in the International U18 Mountain Running Cup in Italy and part of the gold medal winning team. Travelling on immediately to La Palma as part of the GB team, a week she later finished an excellent 10th in the European Off Road Championships.

U17 Women (B)

  • Charlotte Chambers (Andrew Jackson, Keighley & Craven AC)
  • Grace Longden (Terry Fowler, Buxton AC)
  • Libby Rickerby (Katie Hewison, Chorley ATC)
  • Beth Rogers (Sally Malir, Ilkley Harriers)

With her 5th place in the trial race, Charlotte Chambers earns her first England mountain running vest and completes a solid season where she finished 4th in the U17 FRA Championship. Charlotte also placed in the top 10 at the 2022 Inter Counties Fell Championships whilst representing Yorkshire.

Claiming her debut England vest by becoming this year’s U17G FRA champion, Grace Longden also had a good run to place 6th in the trial race.

Libby Rickerby gains her first England vest with a 4th place finish in the trial. A keen fell runner, she is a consistent competitor in cross country and on the track. This year has seen her win the Lancashire County cross country and Lancashire Fell Running championship titles.

Only one point separated the top three places in a competitive U17G FRA Championship and Beth Rogers’ consistent running to finish with the bronze medal in the race series earns Beth her first England mountain running vest.

Mountain/Trail/Fell Running Teams