There were mixed fortunes for OCWK athletes at the trials for the European Cross Country Championships which took place at the UK Challenge meeting in Liverpool on Saturday 24 November.
Linzi Snow (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies) was pleased with her performance in the senior women’s 8km race, finishing 18th in 29:25. Linzi was the 7th Under 23 finisher in the race and has been named a reserve for the Norwich Union GB & NI Team for the Under 23 race at the European Cross Country Championships in Toro, Spain, on Sunday 9 December.
The leading OCWK athlete in the Under 20 4km race was Emma Jackson (City of Stoke) in 22nd place in 16:08. One of the pre race favourites, Jess Coulson, had the misfortune to fall when amongst the leaders and faded to finish in 39th place in 16:31. She has however been named a reserve for the GB Under 20 team for Toro following her excellent win in the recent Gateshead International and previous good form at international cross country championships. Emma Pallant (Aldershot Farnham & District) was also affected by the fall in the lead group and faded to finish 24th in 16:09. The race was won by her club mate Charlotte Purdue in 15:13 who lost a shoe in the melee.
Of the other OCWK athletes in the race, Jordan Kinney (Royal Sutton Coldfield) finished 57th in 16:57, Stephanie Roe (Preston Harriers) 77th in 17:16 and Kirsty Hamilton (Bristol & West) 88th in 17:30 in her first race since the last cross country season after suffering from glandular fever.
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