Athletics: It's payback time for North East
The Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championships will be held at a new home on Saturday, moving from Nottingham to Birmingham.
For the past ten years Nottingham has hosted the championships at Wollaton Park, but cost issues have forced a move to Cofton Park.
The North East Counties has enjoyed much success over the years in the event that doubles as the World Trials.
It will cost the Association about 3,000 to take more than 80 athletes to Birmingham, with some travelling the night before for the 11.00am start.
Steve O'Gara, the men's team manager, is hopeful that despite the inconvenience of the travel arrangements, the region can still give a good account of itself.
He said: "It's more hassle for us that the championships are now at Birmingham, but we have to fully support our athletes so they can compete in major competitions like the Inter-Counties. I'm sure the teams will repay our expense with their performances.''
O'Gara believes the senior team can win back the senior trophy they won two years ago when he made his debut as the team manager.
Although he will be missing internationals Ian Hudspith, Ricky Stevenson and Jon Taylor, it is still a sound team of nine that can challenge the best on the fast Cofton Park course.
For the first time in years there is no veteran included in the team where seven of them are under 25 which augurs well for the future.
Sunderland Harrier Patrick Martin will be having his first race since he won the North East title at Darlington on December 12. The 24-year-old has pencilled in the Northern 12-stage road relay the following week at Manchester and this month's Wilmslow half marathon as his next big races.
There has been one change to the team. Morpeth's Matt Nicholson comes in for Dave Wardle.
The rest of the senior men's team is: Chris Sampson, Lewis Timmins, Nick Swinburn, (Morpeth), Ross Murray (Gateshead), Andy Wiles (New Marske), Ryan McLeod (Tipton) and Matt Armstrong (Coventry)
The senior women's team are hoping for a top-three placing with Sale's World Championship runner Sonia Thomas, North East champion Rosie Smith and silver medallist Jane Mooney, together with the Chester-le-Street trio of Tracy Laws, Melissa Turner and Maxine Czarnicka in the squad.
The others are Gina Rutherford (Darlington), Mary Ferrier (Gateshead)andCarolyn Summersgill (Middlesbrough).
Another looking for a World Championship place in Poland will be Shildon's Kate Avery who competes in the under-20 race.
Sunderland's Jason Waite has pulled out of the under-20 race with an Achilles' tendon injury. Nathan Reed is selected and Cory Hood is a reserve.
Michael Wilson, the County Schools champion and Inter Counties winner, is included in the under-15 boys' race. Washington's Barry Maskell (Gateshead) is also in the team of eight. Luca Irvine has had the nod for the under-13 team.
Sunderland's Charmaine Porter, (Jarrow and Hebburn) the North East, County Schools and Inter Counties Schools' champion heads the under-15 girls' team.
Sunderland Harrier Amy Coulson is included and her clubmate Chelsea Gill is reserve.
Sophie Burnett runs in the under-13 girls' event.
Sunderland Harrier Brian Rushworth,the ten times North East champion and seven times veterans' champion, bidsto retain his M45 National Cross Country title at Stormont, Northern Ireland on Saturday.
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Weather for Sunderland
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
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