22 athletes picked to represent Scotland at Euro Trials

Track star Laura Muir and World Cross GB international Andrew Butchart head the Scotland selections for the forthcoming British Cross Challenge event in Liverpool.

A number of top Scottish athletes are heading to Merseyside at the end of the month for the Euro Cross trial event.

And no fewer than 22 will do so with backing and support from scottishathletics – as Scotland selections for the races in Sefton Park on Saturday 28 November.

The races that day determine who features for Team GB and NI in Hyeres in the south of France on December 13 and hopefully many of those Scots involved will have strong hopes of winning GB vests.

Beijing 1500m finalist Muir won the Scottish 4K XC Champs in a Bellahouston mud-bath earlier this month and is eligible for the U23 category at the Euro Cross – won last year by fellow Scot Rhona Auckland. Auckland, now studying in America, will miss the Liverpool trials event as she focuses on the American collegiate champs in Kentucky this weekend.

Current Scottish National XC champion Butchart, who went to both the Euro Cross and World Cross last season, heads the contingent of a dozen men with four Seniors, four at U23s and four U20 – including Jonny Glen and Euan Gillham, who won GB honours in cross country at U20 last season.

There’s a good representation for Central AC on the men’s side as Butchart is joined by Alastair Hay, Dale Colley and Aidan Thompson.

Muir is joined at U23 by current Scottish National XC champion, Australian-born Maddie Murray, with Euro Cross regular Steph Twell in the Senior Women’s selection by scottishathletics. Among the Seniors, Twell is joined by Sarah Inglis of Lothian Running Club, who won the Canadian collegiate cross country championship in Ontario last weekend with a course record.

For the Senior athletes involved, there’s a chance to gather points for the Scottish XC Grand Prix, which takes in six events and began at Bellahouston with the 4K races.

There’s no team race involving Scotland as such at Liverpool but the governing body offer financial support with their selections seen as the best hopes to make the GB teams for the Euro Cross. Central AC men and Edinburgh AC women compete on Merseyside for team places as Britain’s representatives at the Euro Clubs Cross event early in 2016.

Senior Men: Andrew Butchart, Alastair Hay (both Central AC); Luke Caldwell (Dorking and Mole Valley); Tewolde Mengisteab (Shettleston Harriers)

U23 Men: Ben Stevenson (Falkirk Vics); Michael Ferguson (Aberdeen AAC); Luke Traynor (Giffnock North AAC); Dale Colley (Central AC)

U20 Men: Jonny Glen (Inverclyde AC); Euan Gillham (Kilbarchan AAC), Aidan Thompson (Central AC); Ryan Thomson (Ronhill Cambuslang)

Senior Women: Steph Twell (Aldershot, Farnham and District); Sarah Inglis (Lothian RC); Beth Potter (VP-Glasgow); Rosie Smith (Hunters Bog Trotters)

U23 Women: Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers); Maddie Murray (Edinburgh AC); Steph Pennycook (Edinburgh Uni Hares and Hounds); Mhairi Maclennan (Edinburgh Uni Hares and Hounds)

U20 Women: Gillian Black (VP-Glasgow); Annabel Simpson (Fife AC)