Izzy Fry (coach:Sonia McGeorge, club:Newbury) has been selected to lead the Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa on Sunday, 14th December.
The Berkshire athlete will return to the country where she made her European cross-country debut in 2019, as part of the winning U20 team, and she can’t wait to perform on Portuguese soil again.
“I remember it was in 2019 that I made my first European cross-country Championships, and it took place in Portugal, in Lisbon. It feels like a full circle moment for me, six years later to be back in Portugal and also to be named captain. It is a real honour. I feel like that’s probably a bit of a cliché to say!”
“It feels really special to have gone through the U20, U23, and now the senior ranks, and then to be named captain. When I was competing in 2019, that room full of people felt very intimidating. And I hope that, being captain, I can hopefully be relatable to the squad. I hope by showing that so much can happen in six years, looking at what I’ve done, going through the ranks of age groups will be that bit of inspiration for those who are debuting.”
A full squad of 40 showcases the real depth in strength of the Novuna GB & NI team heading out to Portugal; “It definitely puts it into perspective that it’s not an easy team to make. I think it gets harder and harder each year and it’s something to be really proud of. I’ve always thought of cross country as a brilliant way of building that strength in the winter and having something to target at this time of year. It’s always a real honour and I’ll never take that for granted.”
Touching on the course in Lagoa she said; “It’s really exciting and I think the Portugal course looks very interesting. It will create a bit of a surprise element because it’s not what our classic British cross-country looks like. I really believe that the team can go and perform on any surface. A surface like that could be beneficial to us because it’s going to feel easier than what we’re used to. We can draw on our track experience and make the most of a potentially very interesting weekend!”
Strong Great Britain squad ready to take on Europe’s best!
There have been a few changes to the squad since the team was announced. Luke Dunham (Andrew Hobdell, Herts Phoenix) comes in for Miles Waterworth in the men’s U20 squad and in the senior women’s team, Verity Ockenden (Swansea) takes the place of Abbie Donnelly.
The action gets underway at 09:30am GMT on Sunday 14 December, with the U20 women kick off proceedings as Innes FitzGerald (Gavin Pavey, Exeter) looks to go for her third title, whilst Will Barnicoat (Aldershot, Farnham & District) takes to the start line in the men’s U23 race as he also goes for his third title at 11:00am.
The senior women get underway at midday, with a strong British team lining up to aim for the podium once again. Alongside team captain Fry, will be European 10,000m bronze medallist, Megan Keith (Ross Cairns, Inverness), who will be looking to take on the dominant Italian Nadia Battocletti. Whilst fellow Scot and U23 winner last year, Phoebe Anderson (Laurie Henes, Herne Hill), steps up into the senior ranks to bolster the team.
The senior men bring the programme to a close from 12:41pm with trials winner, Scott Beattie (Andrew Hobdell, Morpeth), who goes alongside training partner and 10k British record holder Rory Leonard (Andrew Hobdell, Morpeth) as part of a strong men’s Novuna GB & NI team.
How to watch all the action
You can watch all the action via BBC – available on iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app from 09:20 on Sunday 14 December, with highlights later that day from 16:40 on BBC Two.
Red Button – 09:20 – 15:00 European Cross Country Championships 2025
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002nqmm
Plus live streaming across the European Athletics website via Eurovision Sport.
Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the 2025 European Cross Country Championships in Portugal:
Senior Women
Phoebe Anderson (Laurie Henes, Herne Hill)
Izzy Fry (Chris and Sonia McGeorge, Newbury)
Cari Hughes (Cardiff)
Megan Keith (Ross Cairns, Inverness)
Verity Ockenden (Swansea)
Poppy Tank (City of Plymouth)
Senior Men
Scott Beattie (Andrew Hobdell, Morpeth)
Jacob Cann (Western Tempo)
Joe Hudson (Alan Buckley, Keighley & Craven)
Calum Johnson (Alan Storey, Gateshead)
Rory Leonard (Andrew Hobdell, Morpeth)
Richard Slade (Matthew Seddon, Chiltern)
Mixed Team Relay
Holly Dixon (Cambridge)
Ava Lloyd (Trevor Painter, Wigan & District)
Jack Higgins (Mark Hookway, Tonbridge)
Callum Elson (Andrew Hobdell, Cambridge & Coleridge)
U23 Women
India Barwell (Lincoln Wellington AC)
Rebecca Flaherty (Matt Seddon, Bingley Harriers)
Megan Harris (Hayley Hemmings, Chelmsford)
Emily Parker (Kyle Bennett, Poole AC)
Mia Waldmann (Mark Booth, Reading)
Bea Wood (City of Salisbury)
U23 Men
Will Barnicoat (Aldershot, Farnham & District)
Jenson Connell (Andrew Henderson, Leeds City)
Joel Doye (Woodford Green Essex Ladies)
Sam Hodgson (Patrick McGrath, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)
Matthew Ramsden (Edmund Finucane, Blackburn)
Finley Proffitt (Dean Miller, Trafford)
U20 Women
Innes FitzGerald (Gavin Pavey, Exeter Harriers)
Isabel Holt (Andrew Henderson, Blackburn Harriers)
Beth Lewis (Andrew Railton, City of York)
Eliza Nicholson (Joe Franklin, Blackheath & Bromley)
Lizzie Wellsted (Andrew Henderson, Colchester)
Zara Redmond (Sarah Dempsey, Kilbarchan)
U20 Men
Michael Clark (Jane Clark, City of Norwich)
Luke Dunham (Andrew Hobdell, Herts Phoenix)
Jonson Hughes (Andrew Henderson, Rotherham)
Alex Lennon (Nick Hancock, Sutton & District)
Quinn Miell-Ingram (Wendy Miell-Ingram, Radley)
William Rabjohns (Mark Pauley, Poole AC)
