This years fixture, whilst no longer part of the UK Challenge series of events, still has the makings of some fine competitive racing with numerous GB and national representatives in the line ups at Bute Park on Sunday next.
Most of the English Regions have squads entered for the Inter Area match incorporated into the fixture with several Irish athletes making the journey across the Irish Sea to add spice to the proceedings.
The Senior Men’s race has strong Midland and North of England contingents with Tom Humphries heading the Midlanders line up. He followed a superb 16th place at the European Champs in Spain last month with a fine 14th place in Edinburgh last weekend in a particularly high class won by Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele The many times GB representative Rob Whalley joins Humphries from his base in Bath with the North fielding a strong sextet including Alan Buckley, Tom Minshull and Kevin Deighton..
Rob Bugden of the South will be looking to make amends for missing out on a European appearance when his Passport went astray in the post whilst Leeds City Dave Webb placed 5th in Belfast earlier in the month and will be hoping to continue his fine form.Cardiff have a strong contingent entered in the programme with Nat Lane, Richie Gardner and Jorge Thomas part of the Welsh squad along with Huw Evans, Tonbridge.
The Ladies event sees some very experienced performers in the field with the Potter twins from Charnwood part of a strong quartet from the Midlands. Juliet is currently the form athlete having recorded a 9th in Belfast after an excellent 8th place at the Euro Trials back in November.
Steeplechaser Tina Brown of Coventry has the credentials of a GB vest to suggest a solid run whilst the North includes Sonia Thomas and Vicky Wilkinson as part of their team.Non however appear to have the CV of Swansea based Andrea Whitcombe. Now part of the strong British Triathlon looking to do well in Beijing in August Andrea makes a return to the sport in which she started her sporting career. 7 times a World Cross representative for GB, 3 times National Cross Country Champion , 5k member of the GB team in the Sydney Olympics, Silver medallist in the Commonwealth Games in 1998 over 5000m the list goes on. The 36 year old has shown some really useful form on the Roads in recent weeks so could surprise as this will be a rare outing these days over the Country. Many may know the name but how will they fare on the day against the very experienced veteran. An interesting confrontation in prospect.
The Welsh team includes Commonwealth representative Catherine Dugdale. The 9 times winner of the Welsh Cross Country title makes a rare appearance on the Country having concentrated more on the roads in recent times. She is joined by Debbie Jones, Sam Knill and Eleanor Sherrard-Smith for the home team.Although the Junior (U20 ) events lack the depth of the Seniors they are not short on talent.
Joanne Harvey looks a strong favourite for the Womens race having produced a great 8th place as part of the GB Gold Medal winning team in Spain in Decembers European Champs whilst track specialist Sarah Hopkinson will be keen to be near the front.Cardiff’s Simon Lawson will be looking to feature high up in the men’s equivalent following his victory in the Welsh Indoor Championships at NIAC last weekend
