Hayley Yelling just holds off Justyna Bak and Jo Pavey - 2004 Euro XC (© Hasse Sjögren)
Four members of the British team who won senior Women’s long race team bronze medals last year in Brussels without the then injured former two-time individual champion Paula Radcliffe, will contest the 33rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships in St-Etienne/St-Galmier, France (19 and 20 March) again without the assistance of the World Marathon record holder.
Paula Radcliffe, the World Cross Country Champion in 2001 and 2002, has decided not to risk compromising her Marathon preparations by curtailing her heavy training in the week prior to the cross country race.
The four athletes who were members of last year’s bronze medal squad in Brussels last year who are back for the 2005 race are - Kathy Butler, who was 11th in Brussels and third in the Trial at Nottingham last Saturday, Liz Yelling, who was 13th and is also training for this spring’s London Marathon, Natalie Harvey, who finished 28th and was fourth in this year’s Trial race, and Hayley Yelling, who has run away with European, UK and English titles this winter since defying illness to finish 29th in last year’s Worlds.
The quality sextet is completed by the former European Junior Champion Charlotte Dale and former English National Champion Mara Yamauchi, who finished second and fifth respectively in Saturday’s Trial race.
UKA
Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team
Senior Men's Long Race: Andy Caine (Tynedale Harriers), Mohamed Farah (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies), Karl Keska (Birchfield Harriers), Gavin Thompson (Crawley AC), Glynn Tromans (Coventry Godiva Harriers), Steffan White (Coventry Godiva Harriers).
Senior Men's Short Race: Andrew Baddeley (Harrow AC), Spencer Barden (Belgrave Harriers), John Mayock (Barnsley AC), Mike Skinner (Blackheath & Bromley), Ben Tickner (Wells City Harriers), Steve Vernon (Stockport Harriers).
Junior Men: Keith Gerrard (Manx Harriers), Adam Hickey (Southend AC), Martin Mashford (Aldershot Farnham & D), Anthony Moran (Trafford AC), Ryan Stephenson (North Shields Poly), Andy Vernon (Aldershot Farnham & D).
Senior Women's Long Race: Kathy Butler (WSE & Hounslow AC), Charlotte Dale (Invicta East Kent AC), Natalie Harvey (South London Harriers), Mara Yamauchi (Harrow AC), Elizabeth Yelling (Bedford & County AC), Hayley Yelling (WSE & Hounslow AC).
Senior Women's Short Race: Kathy Butler (WSE & Hounslow AC), Helen Clitheroe (Preston Harriers), Hattie Dean (Radley Ladies), Lisa Dobriskey (Ashford AC), Kate Reed (Bristol & West AC), Hayley Yelling (WSE & Hounslow AC).
Junior Women: Sian Edwards (Kettering Town Harriers), Morag MacLarty (Central AAC), Emily Pidgeon (Gloucester AC), Jessica Sparke (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies), Stephanie Twell (Aldershot Farnham & D), Abby Westley (Hallamshire Harriers).
