San Giorgio su Legnano, Italy - Kenyan Edwin Soi made the headlines to edge out seven-time European Cross Country champion Sergiy Lebid in a very close photo-finish at the 51st edition of the famous Campaccio EAA Cross Country race on Saturday (5) in San Giorgio su Legnano in the outskirts of Milan.

Kate Reed from Great Britain showed her recent good form following her second place in the San Silvestro Vallecana in Madrid to notch up an impressive win over former European Cross Country championships bronze medallist Aniko Kalovics from Hungary.

The race was made more difficult after snow and rain fell in Milan over the last few days. The Campaccio, held on a very cold and rainy day, lived up to the true tradition of this race which is always held in difficult weather conditions at the beginning of January.

Soi wins nail-biter, dedicates victory to troubled homeland - men’s race

The men’s 10 km race started at a conservative pace in the early stages. A big pack led by Jamel Chatbi and Aziz Ennaj El Idrissi, two runners of Moroccan origin based in Northern Italy, was formed in the first part of the race. In the first lap all favourites were in the leading group including Soi, Lebid, Wilson Businei from Uganda, Ethiopians Abebe Sihine (younger brother of Sileshi, world and Olympic silver medallist in the 10,000 metres), Abreahm Cherkos Feleke and Abebe Dinkesa, along with Abraham Abhanom from Eritrea.

After the first lap Italian Cross Country veteran Gabriele De Nard went briefly to the front but shortly afterwards he faded losing ground from the leading pack when Jamel Chatbi increased the pace, taking the initiative and going to the lead in the second lap closely followed by El Idrissi, Soi, Lebid, Terefe Maregu, Feleke and Dinkesa.

Chatbi and El Idrissi continued their initial front-running race after three laps passing in 18:15 at the third lap.

Nine men were still in the front with one lap to go in a hard-fought race. Only Chatbi was dropped during the last lap. The race remained uncertain until the end with eight men still in contention after the bell. It was the young Ethiopian Feleke, World junior silver medallist in the 5000m in Bejing 2006, to launch a first attack but Soi and Dinkesa soon managed to respond.

Then Dinkesa, a 26:30 runner in the 10,000m, tried a breakaway attempt but Soi closed the gap.

Soi, Feleke and Dinkesa broke clear of Lebid but the Ukrainian, who seemed to be beaten, was able to catch up to the African trio.

Soi was first when they entered the athletics stadium ready to launch the final attack. In the last 300m Lebid launched a devastating kick which seemed to be a winning one but Soi did not give up. In a dramatic photo-finish the 21-year-old Kenyan dipped into the finish-line taking a very close race in 29:46 sharing the same time with Lebid.

“It was a very tough race” said Soi. “I am not used to these cold weather conditions. I had never seen snow in my life until this week.”

“This win is for Kenya which is suffering a very difficult period. I am worried and sad about the situation in Kenya but fortunately I am relieved that my family is safe. My original plan was to return to Kenya after running a Cross Country race in Fuensalida next week,” added Soi, who is also planning to run at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia next March.

Soi completed a successful week scoring his second win in a row after taking the honours at the Boclassic race in Bolzano on 31 December.

Lebid had mixed feelings about his second place. “I was in good shape but I was a bit tired after running a lot of races in the last two weeks. I am disappointed to lose this race in the final metres. I have a busy schedule ahead: Fuensalida, the Montefortiana road race, San Sebastian. I am not sure yet about taking part in the World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh.”

Reed strong from the gun - women’s race

Reed, who finished sixth at the European Cross Country Championships in Toro, confirmed her recent good form winning the women’s 6 km race holding off Kalovics, winner at two major Italian marathons last year, Turin and Carpi. In Toro Reed finished very close to Kalovics who ended up in fifth place just one second over the Briton.

Reed was the second Briton to win the Campaccio International race after Cross Country and Marathon legend Paula Radcliffe, who won the Italian race in 2002.

Reed came to San Giorgio su Legnano after her impressive display at the San Silvestro Vallecana road race in Madrid on 31 December where she finished second, just two seconds behind 5000m World silver medallist Vivian Cheruiyot.

In rainy weather conditions the Briton led from the beginning with Kalovics, 2006 European Cross Country Tatyana Holovchenko from the Ukraine and Kenyan Catherine Kurui.

Holovchenko lost ground lagging behind the leading trio formed by Reed, Kalovics and Kurui.

Reed went to the front closely followed by Kalovics while Kurui was dropped.

With half a lap to go Reed inceased the pace taking a decisive lead over Kalovics. She built up a solid gap over Kalovics and went on to win in 19:55 beating the Hungarian by 18 seconds. Behind them, Italian 3000m Steeplechase record holder Elena Romagnolo caught Kurui clinching a well-deserved third place in 20:17.

“I’m happy,” said Reed. “I did not run well last year at the European Championships in San Giorgio but I enjoyed the atmosphere and I wanted to come back here.”

“The course was ideal for me. It was firm and not very muddy. I am now planning a four-week training stint in South Africa before my next race on the roads in Puerto Rico,” continued Reed.

Kalovics is using Cross Country to prepare for her next marathon race in Rome on 16 March. “In the last lap I was very tired,” said Kalovics. “I will take part in two Cross Country races in Edinburgh and Seville before going to Southern France for a training stint before the Rome Marathon.”

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

Results of the 51st Campaccio EAA Cross Country race:

Men (10 km):
1. Edwin Soi (Kenya)   29:46
2. Sergiy Lebid (Ukraine)  29:46
3. Abreaham Feleke (Ethiopia) 29:48
4. Abebe Dinkesa (Ethiopia)  29:53
5. Terefe Maregu (Ethiopia)  29:58
6. Wilson Businei (Uganda)  30:04
7. Abraha Adhanom (Eritrea)  30:09
8. Jamel Chatbi (Morocco)  30:09
9. Aziz Ennaj El Idrissi (Morocco) 30:12
10. Abebe Sihine (Ethiopia)  30:29

Women (6 km):
1. Kate Reed (Great Britain)  19:55
2. Aniko Kalovics (Hungary)  20:13
3. Elena Romagnolo (Italy)  20:17
4. Catherine Kurui (Kenya)  20:24
5. Valentina Belotti (Italy)  20:33
6. Silvia Weissteiner (Italy)  20:38
7. Tetyana Holovchenko (Ukraine) 20:39
8. Federica Dal Ri (Italy)  20:40
9. Renate Rungger (Italy)  20:43
10. Maizena Michalska (Italy) 20:51