FitzGerald, Barnicoat, Beattie and Keith lead GB hopes at Euro Cross in Lagoa

Britain will once again aim to top the medals table at the European Cross Country Championships in Portugal on December 14.

Innes FitzGerald will aim to win her third European cross-country under-20 title in Lagoa, Portugal, on December 14. Will Barnicoat is aiming to complete a similar hat-trick of victories in the under-23 men’s race. British trials winners Scott Beattie and Cari Hughes, meanwhile, will be aiming to make their mark in the senior races with selection for the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee in January at stake.

From the muddy and relatively flat fields of Sefton Park at last weekend’s Liverpool Cross Challenge trials event, the team now heads to a Portuguese course where most of the surface is described by organisers as “beaten earth and sand trails” and “technically demanding”.

Winding around an artificial lake, it will feature two obstacles on each lap, a challenging ascent and several lighter climbs. Organisers add: “The varied terrain ensures a balanced yet demanding test of endurance and skill for all participants.”

The course has certainly not put Jakob Ingebrigtsen off, as the Olympic 5000m champion and multiple Euro Cross winner has been included in a strong Norwegian team for Lagoa.

The strongest team traditionally, though, is the Novuna Great Britain & Northern Ireland team and on Tuesday (Nov 26) they named their squad as follows:

Senior women: Phoebe Anderson; Abbie Donnelly; Izzy Fry; Cari Hughes; Megan Keith; Poppy Tank

Senior men: Scott Beattie; Jacob Cann; Joe Hudson; Calum Johnson; Rory Leonard; Richard Slade

Mixed relay: Holly Dixon, Ava Lloyd, Jack Higgins, Callum Elson

U23 women: India Barwell; Rebecca Flaherty; Megan Harris; Emily Parker; Mia Waldmann; Bea Wood

U23 men: Will Barnicoat; Jenson Connell; Joel Doye; Sam Hodgson; Matthew Ramsde; Finley Proffitt

U20 women: Innes FitzGerald; Isabel Holt; Beth Lewis; Eliza Nicholson; Zara Redmond; Lizzie Wellsted

U20 men: Michael Clark; Jonson Hughes; Alex Lennon; Quinn Miell-Ingram; William Rabjohns; Miles Waterworth

There were few surprises. One notable omission is George Couttie, the Euro Cross under-20 silver medallist behind Niels Laros who showed good form last weekend when 10th in the ultra-competitive NCAA Championships in the United States.

All eyes will be on FitzGerald and Barnicoat in Lagoa as they go for their third titles in the under-20 women’s and under-23 men’s races respectively. FitzGerald enjoyed a big win at the Liverpool Cross Challenge whereas Barnicoat missed the event but showed good form when fourth in the mile race at the Cardiff Cross Challenge this month.

Megan Keith also missed Liverpool but the former European under-23 champion has been named in the senior women’s team alongside trials winner Cari Hughes. Instead of racing in Liverpool, Keith was fourth in a high-quality race in Spain won by Nadia Battocletti of Italy.

Abbie Donnelly, fifth in Liverpool, is also in the women’s team for Lagoa after running a 2:24 marathon in Frankfurt a few weeks ago. Phoebe Anderson, the under-23 Euro Cross winner 12 months ago in Turkey, completes a strong senior women’s squad with Izzy Fry and Poppy Tank.

Joining Beattie in the men’s team is Liverpool runner-up and his training partner Rory Leonard.

The European Cross Country Championships in Portugal will also be used as the British trial for the World Cross Country Championships in January with the top two senior men and women earning automatic selection for Tallahassee if they finish in the top 12. The same will be the case for leading under-20 athletes if they come in the top six in Portugal.

It remains to be seen how many Brits will be interested, though, as FitzGerald, for starters, told AW this month that Tallahassee wasn’t particularly high on her list of priorities.

READ MORE: Liverpool Cross Challenge coverage

The squad also includes Beth Lewis, only 16, who won the under-17 women’s race in Liverpool and was runner-up behind FitzGerald in Liverpool and Cardiff. There will also be high hopes for the mixed relay team with trials winners from Cardiff, Jack Higgins and Holly Dixon, joined by Ava Lloyd and Callum Elson.

Sarah Benson, the team leader of the squad, said: “The trial in Liverpool clearly demonstrated the depth and quality within UK cross country. We’re excited to select a team that blends proven performers with emerging athletes making their Great Britain and Northern Ireland debuts. Our aim is to be on the podium at these championships and to give developing athletes the platform to progress towards future senior outdoor majors, including the upcoming World Cross Country Championships.