Kate Reed and Hayley Yelling take top Cross Country honours for Britain

There was great British success this weekend in women's Cross Country, with Kate Reed and Haley Yelling both tackling difficult weather conditions to take top honours in San Giorgio su Legnano and Belfast respectively.

25-year-old Reed, tackled the traditionally tough Italian course, the European Athletics permitted Campaccio in San Giorgio su Legnano at the weekend, notching up an impressive victory against Hungary’s Marathon champion, Aniko Kalovics.

Reed follows in the footsteps of British Marathon legend, Paula Radcliffe, who is the only other Briton to win the Campaccio International race (2002).

Following a disappointing sixth place finish at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Toro, Spain, last month, Reed has gone from strength to strength, just missing out on first place in the San Silvestro Vallecana in Madrid last week, before dominating this notoriously tough 6km Italian course from the start.

2006 SPAR European Cross Country Champion, Tatyana Holovchenko (UKR), looked strong at the start of the race, but quickly lagged behind Reed, Kalovics and Kenyan, Catherine Kurui.

In the final lap Kate Reed managed to really pick up the pace, leaving a tired Kalovics behind to take a decisive 19:55 second win. Kalovics followed 18 seconds behind in 19:37, with 3000m Steeplechase record holder, Elena Romagnolo taking the title of first Italian home, finishing in third place with a 20:17 finish.

The men's 10m race saw Kenyan, Edwin Soi, challenge seven-time European Cross Country Champion, Sergiy Lebid, to a nail-biting photo finish. The 21-year-old Kenyan ran a very strong race, and although Lebid's adrenalin surge in the final 300m looked like it was going to be enough to maintain his winning streak the photo finish showed Soi to be the winner, although they will both share the 29:46 finish time.

The IAAF Cross Country Permit in Belfast, saw 2004 European Cross Country Champion, Hayley Yelling, do battle with a snow and slush filled Stormont Estate, to complete the 5.6km course in 21:20.

World Junior Cross Country Champion, Linet Masai (KEN), was unable to reach Belfast due to the current political crisis in Kenya. This sad loss to the competition opened the door for a predominately British and Irish race, with Yelling’s aggressive front-running technique, proving too much for fellow Brit, 34-year-old Kathy Butler, who had suffered from flu over Christmas and did well to finish six seconds behind Yelling.

A consistently high-performer, Yelling’s racing experience was clearly demonstrated in the first three laps as she held off competition from Kathy Butler and up-and-coming British Cross Country star, Steph Twell.

Ireland’s Deirdre Byrne joined the front runners in the second lap, giving Butler a push to challenge Yelling with one of her famous fast finishes, but Yelling’s victory was never really under threat.

Despite a strong start, double European Junior Cross Country Champion Steph Twell finished in sixth position (22:07).

In the men’s race, World 5,000m bronze medallist and race favourite, Moses Kipsiro (UGA), took top honours from the Kenyan title defender, Barnabas Kosgei, while Britain’s Mike Skinner was the first European home in fourth place (31:10).

Source/Courtesy
European Athletics (EAA)
https://www.european-athletics.org/
EAA