Top of the class | Athletics Weekly

Top of the class
By Paul Halford in Bath, February 3rd 2007

Tickner and Reed win the World Cross Country Championships trial at the British Universities' Championships in Bath

Frank Tickner and Kate Reed booked themselves a trip to Kenya by taking victory at the trial for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships held today at Bath University.

In races held in conjunction with the British Universities' Championships, Tickner won by eight seconds from Ben Noad over 12km of undulating terrain.

Phil Nicholls was three seconds further back in third. All three secured automatic selection for the World Cross in Mombasa on March 24. They join the preselected Mo Farah in the team, while up to a further five could be added when the selections are announced Monday.

Mike Skinner and Steve Vernon finished lower than expected in fourth and sixth respectively.

Reed won the 6km race by 21 seconds from Hatti Dean after establishing an early lead and then extending it considerably in the second half of the race. Felicity Milton was third after holding off defending student champion Eleanor Baker in a close sprint finish. The first three will head to Mombasa along with the already selected Hayley Yelling and Jo Pavey. One other could be added to the team at the selectors' discretion.

The trial races would normally be held at the Inter-Counties later on in the calendar but UK Athletics decided to stage them here instead to allow athletes more time to prepare for the World Cross because it is taking place in Kenya. The junior trial races will be held at the Inter-Counties on February 24.

For a full report and extensive results and pictures, see next week's edition of Athletics Weekly, out on February 8.

Leading results
Men
1 F Tickner 33:13 (BUSA 1st); 2 B Noad 33:21; 3 P Nicholls 33:24; 4 M Skinner 33:40; 5 J Ward 33:42; 6 S Vernon 33:43; 7 P Wicks 33:47; 8 A Buckley 33:53; 9 Joe McAlister (BUSA 2nd) 34:12; 10 T Payn 34:13
Women
1 K Reed 21:25; 2 H Dean 21:46; 3 F Milton (BUSA 1st) 21:54; 4 E Baker (BUSA 2nd) 21:55; 5 W Jones 22:05; 6 V Gill 22:09; 7 J Wilkinson 22:13; 8 S Thomas 22:20; 9 G Phillips 22:21; 10 F Fullerton (BUSA 3rd) 22:25

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