Andy Vernon and Louise Damen secured their places on the team for the European Cross Country Championships with victories in the trial race.
Vernon won the senior men's title in Sefton Park in a race that came down to the wire. Kicking away at the end, Aldershot's Vernon won in 28:45, one second ahead of 2009 European Cross junior bronze medallist James Wilkinson, who was the first under-23 finisher.
Bedford's Mark Draper was just three seconds behind Vernon in third. Tom Humphries, Frank Tickner and Ryan McLeod rounded out the top six, all dipping under 29 minutes. Ricky Stevenson and Mitch Gooses were the second- and third-placed under-23 athletes, guaranteeing their places on the team for next month's European Cross in Albufeira, Portugal.
Damen was a surprise winner of the women's race and ran away with the title. Competing in her first cross-country race in almost two years, Damen finished 14 seconds ahead of European steeplechase fourth-placer Hatti Dean, 26:18 to 26:32. Gemma Steel was a distant third in 27:00.
European cross-country champion Hayley Yelling-Higham, who has been suffering from a cold and has raced sparingly so far this winter, finished seventh in 27:33.
Emma Pallant was the top under-23 finisher, ahead of Emily Pidgeon and Elspeth Curran.
John McDonnell and Charlotte Purdue were the winners of the junior races.
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