Cross-Country - Inter-Counties challenge looks strongest for years (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Cross-Country - Inter-Counties challenge looks strongest for years

9:17am Tuesday 27th January 2009 in

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CUMBRIA’S team for the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships in Nottingham on March 7 looks the strongest for some years with four international athletes in its ranks.. Senior ladies Gemma Miles, from Coniston, and Sarah Tunstall, of Kirkby Stephen, both represented Britain in the European Championships.

Border Harrier Tom Farrell is due to run in Spain in February, having narrowly missed out in the European team.

Laura Park, from Dearham, who is still under 17 has been a revelation since last year’s race, where she overtook all the favourites to win the European Under-20 Ladies race.

This qualified her for a place in the World Championships where she finished among the leading Europeans.

She was a member of Britain’s gold medal team in the recent European championships, where Britain took the first six places. I The Under-13 girls race is not usually one of Cumbria’s strongest suite but this year we have three girls out the top four XC ranking lists. Abbie Hetherington (Carlisle/Aspatria) and Hannah Bethwaite (Eden Runners) lead the rankings whilst Megan Bates (Eden Runners) is fourth.

Cumbria, in the 100-year history of the Inter-counties, has only ever once won a team medal, but with other girls in this race in good form a team medal is a possibility.

The Senior mens team has six runners capable of top 100 places, and a thus the possibility of a top-ten team place. Such a place could be enough to win the cup for the most improved team a just reward for the county’s progress in recent years.