15.01.2009

Birmingham, Troop to headline national cross country trials

Entries for the 2009 Australian Cross Country Selection Trials are coming in thick and fast, with some of Australia’s best distance runners all set to battle it out at Stromlo Forest Park in Canberra on February 8, 2009.

Early confirmations for the start line include a raft of Olympians, World Cross Country representatives, a World University Cross Country medallist, World Youth and Junior representatives and Australian champions.

The 2009 senior men’s event is shaping up as a showdown between the Olympians, the World University Cross Country silver medalist and the current Australian Cross Country champion, with several big names set to vie for line honours.

Victorian and 5000m Beijing Olympic semi-finalist Collis Birmingham is the early tip for the event, looming as hot favourite to win the 12km race for the second year running.

But the reigning champ will face stiff competition from fellow Victorian and Olympic marathoner Lee Troop, also confirmed for next month’s trials.

After a successful 2008 road racing season, highlighted by a win at the Sydney City to Surf, current Australian Cross Country champion and local ACT runner Martin Dent will be keen to test his strength against Birmingham and Troop at Stromlo Forest

Also threatening the field will be World University Cross Country silver medallist, Liam Adams (Victoria) and 2007 Australian Cross Country Champion and 2008 Australian Cross Country runner-up Jeff Hunt.

In the senior women’s event, Olympic marathon representative and 2008 Cross Country selection trial winner Lisa Weightman will be one of the hot favourites for the 8km selection race.

But the Victorian will face stiff competition from 20-year-old rising star Lara Tamsett (New South Wales), who moved into the senior ranks in 2008 and won her first senior national title when she took out the Australian 10000m Championships in December.

Fellow New South Wales athlete Melinda Vernon, a member of the 2008 bronze medal-winning World Cross Country team and silver medal-winning World University Cross Country team, will also be in the mix, along with Commonwealth Games marathoner Lauren Shelley (Western Australia).

The junior boys’ 8km selection race is building as the race of the trials, with outstanding New South Wales junior Ryan Gregson leading the charge. In 2008, Gregson won the Under 20 trial and represented Australia at the World Cross Country Championships in Scotland. In July, Gregson finished fifth in the final of the 1500m at the World Junior Championships and then in October beat a stellar field, including Birmingham and Dent, to win Australia’s premier 10km road race, the Burnie Ten.

Gregson won’t have it all his own way though with 17-year-old Cameron Page (New South Wales) also set to race following his impressive 8:05.47 run at the NSW 3000m Championships in November.

The entries of South Australian Richard Everest, New South Welshman James Nipperess and local ACT junior Brett Robinson should also make for an interesting race.

Queensland and 2008 joint Australian Under 20 Cross Country Champion Tamara Carvolth leads the entrants so far for the junior girls’ 6km selection race but will have upcoming New South Wales junior Hollie Emery, 2007 World Junior Mountain representative Lauren McKillop and Victorians Grace Thek and Linden Hall hot on her heels.

Athletes have until midnight on Monday February 2, 2009 to enter the selection trials.

Meanwhile, entry forms are now available for the February 8 Runner Shop Community 5km Fun Run, with forms to be submitted on the day only. The Runner Shop Community 5km Fun Run will commence at the completion of the last selection race, at approximately 9:20am.