St Mary's Athletes Compete at the Liverpool Cross Challenge

36 athletes from the Endurance Performance and Coaching Centre (EPACC) at St Mary’s University, Twickenham competed at the Liverpool Cross Challenge on the 26^th November. The event, which serves as the trial for the European Cross Country Championships in Chia, Italy on 11^th December, brings together the counties leading running talent to compete across a tough course. A large number of EPACC athletes competed in the first race of the day, the Junior Men. Second year Sports Science and Business Management student Paulos Surafel was the highest placed EPACC athlete finishing fourth, to gain automatic selection for the GB Team a the European Championships. Petros Surafel, 15^th, Luke 16^th, and Emile Cairess, 20^th, also competed, giving EPACC four top twenty finishes in the race. In the Junior Women’s race meanwhile Phoebe Law finished in fourth place with a time of 14:44 and secured her place in the European Championships.. The Senior Women’s competition, which included the U23 race, was highly competitive, with the top seven finishers separated by only five seconds. EPACC Athlete Rebecca Murray claimed the U23 title in a time of 27:13, finishing third overall and securing qualification for the European Championships. Postgraduate student and EPACC Athlete Emily Hosker-Thornhill finished fourth in the Senior Women’s race, sixth overall, qualifying her for the European Championships. In the Senior Men’s meanwhile, which also included the Men’s U23s, St Mary’s Alumnus and EPACC Athlete Andy Vernon finished third in a time of 29:01 and qualified for the European Championships. Jonny Hay was the next best-placed EPACC athlete finishing 8^th. In the U23 race Sports Coaching Science student Ellis Cross finished fourth, twentieth overall, securing qualification on the GB Team. Speaking of their success EPACC Centre Coordinator Craig Winrow said, “Our athletes put in some fantastic performances in Liverpool and we’re very proud of their successes. I can’t wait to see those who qualified race in the European Championships next week.”