Five Scots set for European Mountain Running Champs

Thursday 4th July 2019

Andy Douglas, Robbie Simpson and Jacob Adkin are all set to race for GB at Zermatt

Scottish hill running is savouring terrific representation on the British Athletics team for the European Mountain Running Champs this weekend.

Zermatt in Switzerland is the venue for Sunday’s race which take place on uphill only courses.

And, in the Senior Men’s race, there could be a really exciting battle even within the British quartet with the trio Robbie Simpson, Andy Douglas and Jacob Adkin all selected.

Adkin and Douglas went 1-2 in the British trials while Robbie was a discretionary pick given his long record of achievement at this kind of level.

Adding further intrigue to that particular plot-line is the fact that Robbie has recently been coaching Jacob – with the Keswick-based runner achieving sixth place in the Worlds in Andorra last summer.

Pippa Carcas (Edinburgh AC) and Lauren Dickson (Lasswade) take their place on the Junior Women’s team.

It’s a British squad debut for Carcas, while Dickson makes her third consecutive British team, following on from a 17th place finish at the World uphill championships in September last year.

British Athletics website preview

Lauren Dickson (Lasswade AC) and Pippa Carcas (Edinburgh AC) will feature in the Junior Women’s race

Five representatives on a British team of 16 athletes is clearly a huge positive for Scottish hill running and our National Lead, Angela Mudge, has carried on the good work carried out prior to her appointment (towards the end of 2018) by her predecessor, Malcolm Patterson.

‘Angela is doing a very good job already and that’s actually what we want do across a number of event groups and disciplines,’ said Stephen Maguire, Director of Performance and Coaching with scottishathletics.

‘She has made a big impact already and complemented the work done in the past. She has grasped things and developed other aspects of it.

‘We’re already seeing signs of that with a very strong Scottish presence for the European Mountain Running Champs and that is tremendous.

‘That is not all down to Angela – but we are asking her to drive it and with support from athletes, coaches and club, she is doing that.

‘I wish them all well for Switzerland.’