2015 European Cross Country Championships

Welcome to the two Dufner 15 European Cross country Championships

from Hyeres on the French Riviera. Plenty of talent from the cross

country and track including European 1500 metre, Sifan Hassan and fellow

1500 metres star, Laura Meara of Great Britain. Britain have a full

team of 36 athletes. Including Kate Avery and the woman who just pipped

her to the title, last year. Gemma Steel. We will -- she will hope to

be crowned twice European champion. This is Paula Radcliffe in full

flight. The champion of Europe. Another gold medal to finish the

year. Wins the gold medal, wins the European Championships. Hayley

Yelling comes back from retirement to win the European Cross Country

Championships for the second time. The 2011 European Cross country

champion will come from Ireland. Great victory. She defends her title

in fine style. Kate Avery and Gemma Steel alongside her. It will be

Gemma Steel who wins the gold. Paula joins me today as we bring you

highlights of the six races taking place at the Racecourse. Men's and

women's race s over various distances. And with team competition

is also up for grabs Great Britain will be looking to take plenty of

medals home. We begin with the senior women's race. 22 nations

represented. It's a big field. Joining her other five team-mates at

the back. Alongside Samuels, Stephanie Twell, they will be hoping

very much... They will all want to do well individually and will be

expected to do well individually but there is plenty of strength in depth

in the British squad. The senior women head of on their European

cross-country quest over eight kilometres. Very good conditions to

be racing cross-country in December. It's quite warm, 12 or 13 degrees.

The hippodrome here, the Racecourse, providing fast racing conditions.

One or two obstacles in their way. Artificial hills have been placed

along the route. These women will have a start loop of one kilometre

and then go down to the finish. Great Britain hoping Gemma Steel can

defend the title she won by a couple of strides from Kate Avery of Great

Britain who was also in the race. Plenty in there for Great Britain to

be cheering about individually and also in the team race. They very

much start as the favourites. This European cross-country is a title

which still has a lot of resonance in the world of insurance?

Definitely. The strength of the race is shown by the fact we have four

previous champions in there. Gemma Steel, Sophie Duarte,... A trivia

question, winning 20 years ago. She is now a mother of three and returns

hoping to qualify for the marathon in Rio. I can't remember exactly but

was it snowing in 1994? We mentioned the team race. The

first Championships where Russia are not taking part having done very

well in the Championships and indeed in this particular race. All of the

athletes have been asked to run with I Run Clean, I have not seen any

athletes who have chosen not to do that. It is still a massive talking

point. The Russian situation is having an impact. It's a great

initiative. I do think that all athletes and former athletes who

really care about the sports need to work hard to re-establish

credibility and take the steps that we need to do get our sport back to

where it should be. It is sad for the athletes, through this action

they have to suffer, because undoubtedly there are clean athletes

in Russia suffering because they can't take part in Championships,

but the scale of the accusation necessitated this kind of action.

And it might not be over yet. We might yet see things happening to

other countries as we see things develop and come out like this whole

investigation. Sever Hassan leads them through. The Spanish athlete is

pushing on. A hard place from the start, they are well stretched but

Great Britain and Lauren Howarth and Stephanie Twell, they have four are

fleets in there. -- athletes. There is a big gap already to the rest of

the field. That is a good thing but you wonder whether somebody further

back might eventually come through. At the moment these two are setting

a hot pace. The course today is certainly fast but these, we can't

call them hills but bumps in the course, later we will see a couple

of blogs that they have to clear, it is just to break up the rhythm but

as you move through the race and you run on tired legs you will see

ground being made up by those athletes who have decided to run the

race a little bit more steady. It is the type of course where you want to

get yourself into a reasonably good position early on and went gaps open

up like they are today you want to be in the lead packs. Now you can

see her paying the price for trying to go with Hassan. Getting reeled in

by Kate Avery. Leading the chasing group behind. I think we will see

her fading a little bit. At the end of the second of the short groups

Sifan Hassan is leading by 50 metres already. The British athletes are

packing well in the group behind. Kate Avery, Gemma Steel, Stephanie

Twell is looking pretty comfortable. She has been brought back into the

group. The silver medallist on the track at

10,000 metres in there. Great Britain are very firmly locked in

the gold medal position as far as the team competition is concerned.

Gemma Steel won the trial again and would have come here perhaps as a

favourite among the British athletes to win a medal if not the race.

Hassan seems to have come here with the intent that says I'm not even

going to give you a chance of thinking you can win. Dominant from

the start. The lead is not getting any bigger so that will be

interesting. They have the rest of this lap and then two kilometres at

the end. These are strong athletes and they know how to gauge their

effort well. They will not slow down. If Hassan starts to tire you

never know. She could lose concentration because certainly the

gap is not getting any bigger and maybe she is just backing off a

little bit before she picks it up again before the final lap will stop

we will see as the race pushes on. Stefanie and Kate are working

together. Is she trying to blow her nose? She is trying to take a gel

but I'm not sure that is necessary in an eight kilometre race but she

is obviously struggling a little bit. You could see that she was not

quite taking them as well as the other girls around her. She lost a

bit of ground. Lauren Howarth, there she is, the French athletes have

gone past. Great Britain have three of them. As long as Gemma Steel

keeps going, but she is struggling today, we are still pretty solid in

the gold medal position as far as the team competition is concerned.

France do have four now but the fact we have three in the top six or

seven stands Britain in good stead. Lauren Howarth needs to concentrate

and Gelling. -- and keep going. Behind her Samuels. Gemma Steel is

definitely struggling. Hassan, her lead is shortening all the time and

when she comes down and around and makes this turn this time, next time

she will be coming out of the woods and she anxiously looks behind as

she enters the last lap. She sees the lead start to diminish. It is

down to five or six seconds. Indeed it is five seconds. Stephanie Twell

and Kate Avery chasing her down. The group behind are stringing out and

they are sensing that Hassan has misjudged it. She did start very

aggressively and we have seen the price paid for that. How far she has

drifted back. Maybe they can close a bit of ground working together.

MacCormack of Ireland, a former two-time champion. She won

back-to-back. This is not about performance from the nil, -- from

MacCormack. Two kilometres to go and now she knows she is in a real race

and she has to concentrate and rediscover her rhythm from earlier

because Stephanie Twell is charging and what a good site, Stephanie

Twell followed by Kate Avery and then the former prodigious talent

from Norway, the junior talent. Also going well. Stephanie Twell has the

bit between their teeth here. You can see that she keeps looking up

and she knows that this isn't over yet. Two kilometres is enough

distance to close five seconds, maybe even four seconds. It is. You

can see the differing concentrations on these athletes. MacCormack

focused and working through. Can they work together to try to close

the gap a little bit on Sifan Hassan? You would assume that Hassan

knows that the charge is an and has maybe settled into the middle part

of the race. So much pace and speed in the latter stages. Even if they

caught her you would still think she would have too much in the end, but

perhaps the lead is not shortening as much as it was, as she disappears

over the top, it is still five or six seconds so maybe Hassan has

picked it up as the British athletes if anything struggle over the hill.

Hassan has rallied, realised the danger and knows that there is not

far to go and wants to make sure she doesn't make any mistakes and

doesn't get into any sense of pressure if you like over the last

800 metres. She is well clear now but the battle for second and third

is still not over between the British athletes. Karoline Grovdal

is still within striking distance and I don't think she will have

enough left to take these athletes on. We will see when they go over

the steeper bumps. I don't think the logs will really make much

difference to the race. The best steep climb and then you can see

just how much the legs are tired and how much the girls are struggling.

Kate Avery doesn't want to stay working with Stephanie Twell, she

wants to make sure that she can move away and not allow Karoline Grovdal

any chance to close down. She will hang on and keep working hard. It

will be a popular medal if Stephanie Twell can hold on. Kate Avery took

the silver medal last year behind Gemma Steel. She may be getting a

silver this time again behind Sifan Hassan but can Stephanie Twell hold

on to third place? She will come under pressure from Karoline

Grovdal. One of the athletes was almost lapped. Not far to go now but

you can see that Stephanie Twell is in a real battle for third. She

knows the course as we have said and she knows that she has a steep hill

coming up and can she just dig deep? Up and down the other side. To keep

as much of the gap as she can from Karoline Grovdal. Hopefully they get

into the closing straight and maybe Stephanie Williams enough speed to

hold off Karoline Grovdal, but it would be a good race. Kate Avery is

now clear in second. It looks as though MacCormack is also closing a

little bit but maybe that was just the angle of the shot. Back in 2013

Sifan Hassan had just had clearance to compete for the Netherlands. And

a few days after that she took this European Cross country title as an

under 23 and she looks as though she is heading for the gold medal in the

senior event this year. Kate Avery is still hanging on for silver but

under pressure from Karoline Grovdal. MacCormack chasing her

down. Stephanie Roorda keep working hard and never give up. Gemma Steel,

not been a great day for Gemma Steel. -- Stefanie will keep working

hard. Last term. Sifan Hassan, one glance

behind. Kate Avery takes the last turn. Work to do to hang onto

silver. Checks behind, Grovdal. No danger behind her. No doubt either

about our winner. She took this race by the scruff of

the neck. Settled in and gave the others hope

as she seemed to close the gap. Strong in the last couple of

commenters. European Cross country champion is the fan Hassan of the

Netherlands. Another title, gold medal, for her. A good performance

from Kate Avery, taking the silver medal for Great Britain and Northern

Ireland. Grovdal punches the air, bronze for Norway. The Nuala

MacCormack takes fourth place. Bobocel Out sprints Steph Twell.

Calvin coming across the line in seventh place. Gemma Steel, I am

sure, will be pretty disappointed with eighth place, given the sort of

form she has been in. Maureen Koster crossing the line.

Lauren Howarth in the big sprint for the line. Lauren in a sprint, in the

top 15. That will cement Great Britain's gold medal in the team

race in the senior women's event. Sifan Hassan with a fairly

comfortable win in the end after Kate Avery did everything she could

to try to close that gap. Great silver medal in a row for the second

year in a rope, Kate Avery. -- second year in a row. A performance

that ensures they win the team race ahead of France.

Kate sadly lost her father recently. I am sure there will be a bit of

emotion as well. She never, ever does anything other than give 100%.

I wasn't quite sure if I was going to be here with things that went on

at home. I am just pleased I could come herewith everything against me,

the emotional and mental side of things, that I can still perform

like that. I am pleased with silver. We just heard your dad passed away

but you still wanted to come and run? Yeah. He would have been so

proud of me being able to come out here today and do this. He was my

biggest supporter and I am sure he still is, so, yeah that one was for

him. Ross Millington won the trial.

Griffiths in there. Tom Lancashire. A lot of experience. Taylor. At the

back. Adam Hickey. . A strong team. It is whether or not

they have for athletes that can perform well enough behind the top

two. The senior men get underway. Quite a

big field here. Well represented. A lot of the top teams with Spain and

Great Britain and France. The home nation will be hoping they can do

well. The two favours from Turkey, the former Kenyans, Arikan and Kaya

expected to dominate here again. There are some questions around the

team race and whether anybody else can get in there and upset the two

Turkish athletes. On the face of it, they should be a bit too good for

everybody else. Lots of running ahead, ten Blommetjies. Flat and

fast course -- ten kilometres. After the start leap of one column at. Two

short laps and one long lap before the finishing straight. Defending

champion, Arikan already at the front. Interesting to see whether

this year Kaya is better than Arikan. A good track season. Arikan

We'll hope to hold off his team-mate in both senses of the world. Former

Kenyans running. Another thing the IAAF have got to look at. Some other

issues but we talk about the credibility for the sport. We do it

in Britain, we have given people British passports, but there has to

be a timely and good reason. You have got to be able to follow all of

the various processes. With due process. In the past there hasn't

been enough of that. There has to be some kind of regulation of that. It

cannot be just buying top athletes for a top team position, events like

this. It does then destroy the nature of what should be the

European Cross country Championships and it changes the way the race is

run. As we are watching now. There needs to be some regulation to make

sure that for cases like Sifan Hassan, and Mo Farah, lived and

grown up in the country and with genuine ties to their country... But

not when you spend time training in your native country and then turn up

to race... Getting very strong out in these

early stages. Ali Kaya keeps pushing the pace. A little look to the side

but very comfortable so far. The further back you go the bigger the

gaps are and the more ground that needs to be made up in the team

race. Already starting to fade a little

bit, Lamdassem. Can't Valley are moving up on his team-mate. --

Carvalho. Ali Kaya won the junior title a couple of years ago. His

record as a junior, completely dominant. Last year only Arikan able

to beat him. Look how comfortable and relaxed he looks. Less than

eight minutes running. He is extending that lead. Arikan, he is

not in as good as shape, rocking and rolling. May come under pressure

later if he starts to fade. Florian Carvalho looking strong moving

through. Great Britain out of the top three at the moment in fourth

place. I suspect that position will improve for Great Britain. Jonathan

Taylor and Tom Lancashire. Griffiths. I can't seem Ross

Millington yet. A bit further back. -- I can't see. They are up there.

As you mentioned earlier on, early stages and when you move five yards

from the pack and you pass such people, we will wait to see how bad

moves on. France and Spain certainly dominant at the moment -- how that

moves. Ali Kaya is the leader. As he heads out. Effectively therefore

flat. Ali Kaya takes a little glance to see the Spanish athlete moving

alongside him. One wonders whether or not he moved a bit too soon, too

early. A big gap to Arikan, the defending champion, working hard. At

the moment he is very clear in third place. The chasing group. The

Spanish athletes. Gathering behind. Spain looking very strong.

Here are the team standings. Italy are improving. Italy have jumped

ahead with Turkey getting a bit closer to Great Britain. Can't

afford to drop off too much. Jonathan Taylor having a cracking

race. Adam Hickey moving through the field mice Liege Dewi Griffiths. Tom

Lancashire gritting his teeth. -- and Dewey Griffiths.

They need to keep working hard. 12 minutes running ahead them. 13, 14

minutes, perhaps. The team race is one which Spain is dominating.

France clear in second place. At the moment, Great Britain have the

bronze medal in their grasp but they need to work hard to hang on to it.

These two well clear, look at the gap. Arikan really struggling.

Ayad Lamdassem has caught Arikan. The defending champion. Even a medal

might be a bit of a stretch this year. Ayad Lamdassem forges on, does

what any athlete would do and what your coach would tell you to do who

has caught someone who has been struggling. Don't wait, go past

them, keep the pressure on and work hard. Only three athletes would be

watching that. They will want to see Ayad Lamdassem move past. Is he

going to respond or let him move by him? Do they also have a chance to

move up why him? For the first time in quite a while, Kaya pushing on.

This looks as though it could be significant. He has moved a bit

wider onto the better ground, picked up the pace. Bezabeh Look to the

side from Kaya, looks like Bezabeh is struggling to match him. Doesn't

look significantly under pressure but he is not able to respond and

able to go back. Kaya Is still looking behind. Giving Bezabeh hope.

Better to sneak a glance as he takes one of the sharper turns if you want

information on the gap he is building up but it is significant.

Kaya heads away. Looks like a silver medal for Bezabeh, Spain could be

getting another medal in the team race. Griffiths in 16th place. Ross

Millington 19. Jonathan Taylor going back. 22nd. Tom Lancashire in 26. As

people seem to be settling into their positions, still good news for

Great Britain in the team competition. The gap is closing

between them and Italy, just 11 points. All to play for on this last

lap. A lot to play for and keep your eye on, those positions can change

quickly when you see how closely they are packed and how many Italian

athletes are running in a pack very close together around the British

guys. Identity know if anyone has given them the message, Paula, but

time in Italian gets anywhere near British athlete, they should fight.

-- any time in Italian. When there is a medal at stake, you can find a

bit extra. It could come down to one point. 11 point advantage for

Britain at the start of the last lap, three or four athletes, that is

a couple of places for each athlete. Those points could disappear quickly

and when you lose them, they go to the other team. They come off, it

goes the other way. Exactly. A Spanish athlete shouting information

to the Spanish guys, we hope the British team are out there, doing

that and being able to pass as much information on as possible. My

husband Gary, team manager for the junior team. Hopefully he is out

there, shouting and they will be able to hear it. Looking serene,

Kaya looking comfortable. A man who has got better over the last couple

of years. The junior title he won in 2013. He is already celebrating and

maybe rightly so. No doubt about the winner. He went off really hard,

trying to break up the field. He did so. Looked as though he was going to

run away from everybody. In the end, Bezabeh held him back, looks like

you was relaxing in the middle of the race. Over this last kilometre

and a half, Kaya has stretched out again. The middle part, he was

taking it easy. He is flying. He has a big lead. Very big and he knows

that. He is taking the time to celebrate. Taking the glances back,

but not out of concern, there is no chance that Bezabeh will make any

ground up on him and he won't really be caught for the silver medal. Here

comes Kaya, through the Beach section, I'm not sure that has made

any difference to anybody whatsoever. One last look behind and

then enters the home straight to enjoy this last 200-300 metres.

Firms up, celebrating with the crowd, Turkey getting the gold medal

they expected from the senior men's race. It was Arikan last year who

beat Kaya the title but he has been improving all the time, particularly

through the summer on the track and he has come here and shown his

improvement at the cross-country. Kaya on Turkey takes the gold medal

and is the European cross-country champion. A real battle going on for

the bronze medal, Spain will finish second, third and fourth. Bezabeh

will take the silver medal and it looks as though Fifa will lose out,

he is back as the fourth counter. It will of course mean that Spain, with

all four of their counters inside the top six, that was a really

dominant performance from the Spanish team, to take the team

title. Ali Kaya winning the gold medal for Turkey, comfortably in the

end, 11 seconds ahead of the former champion, Bezabeh. This is the

senior men's team result. Spain where the comfortable winners

really. France also comfortably in second. A great performance from

Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take bronze ahead of Italy. 2016

is an exciting year for athletics. With the Olympics in Rio. And this

is what else you can look forward to on the BBC.

A great year ahead in prospect, but for today there is lots more to come

starting with the women's under 23 race and Laura and -- Laura Muir.

Leading a very strong British team. She arrived late and has to head

back again as usual. She has veterinary studies coming to the

fall but she had a great winter and performed brilliantly at the trials.

-- coming to the fore. Jenny was overlooked for selection on the

track last year and I know she is delighted to be wearing her British

vest. Factory at the back. -- Thackery. Watch out for the former

junior champion from Turkey. She could well figure among one or two

others. The women's under 23 race gets a way, with the usual sprint.

Eight kilometres, a proper good test for these women but not the biggest

field it has to be said. Certainly it gives a huge opportunity, only

four or five Nations actually with full teams here. Some good

individuals. Laura Muir Great Britain already coming to the fore

and we will expect Laura to try to, if not dictate, I have the feeling

others will let her dictate because she is the star from the summer. She

has good cross-country pedigree as well. Immediately moves to the

front. Terzic Is a familiar figure. They know each other over the metres

as well. -- over 5000 metres. The British team, don't be surprised if

they get the gold medal here because they have plenty of ability and in

terms of overall strength I'm not sure, perhaps the French might give

them something to think about. Britain will be expecting and hoping

to win a gold medal. Certainly. When we look at the size of the field and

the size of the men's under 23 race, do they really have a place here? I

believe that they dilute the strength of the women's race and the

quality of the athletes racing in the race road race in equally well

in the senior race and make for a stronger race. -- in the race, could

equally well race in the senior competition. Finished fifth, I think

that was a surprise for many to see Laura up there, but Laura she has

great enjoyments. -- great endurance. Does a lot of mileage at

high tempo and this course will suit her down to the ground, it is not

muddy and Healy. -- hilly. She is very used to getting up and running

well over the cross-country. As you said in the beginning she did arrive

late last night because of the University and work commitments and

she will leave straight after the race to get back. That amount of

travel may have taken something out of her. She is experienced and she

has come here with a view of giving in a strong performance. I think she

will do that. A good 5000 metre strength as Great Britain continue

to lead in the team race. 43 points which is a big lead over France and

Italy. No other contenders in terms of the team race. Great Britain need

a solid last lap and the gold medal will be theirs in terms of the team,

but what about the individual? Can Laura Muir win this? She has to stay

strong. Terzic rallies a little. Muir looks for a little bit of good

ground on the inside. The tall figure from Holland, just finding a

couple of metres gap now. Continuing to wind it up. As a 5000 metre

runner that is what you need to do, you cannot leave it to the

specialists, have that pace. She got a new PB last year which is not bad

at her age. Certainly improving and winning a medal at the under 23

championships. She must be aware of the pace behind her. She must hugely

be aware of that and that is why she is giving it a really strong shot

now, winding it up, really when she works of the bumps, I have just been

corrected by Tim, it is not a Hill but a bump. They will be tested in

the last lap and you can see the gaps opening. Watch as they come

down the hill, that is when the likes of Muir and Terzic, they are

getting fast leg speed to close a little bit. Putting daylight between

them and Laura has to stay in contention if she wants a medal, she

is in fourth place. Terzic looks in a little pain as ever. The strength

is showing in the latter stages. Laura Muir came here late and was

hoping she could perhaps content to win this and she certainly has been

contending but now she is battling to try to hold onto a medal

position. Continuing to put the pressure on and go away from the

other three. Great running from the Belgian athlete. There are many

twists and turns, anxiously looking behind but she must think, I feel

good and I'm pushing on and if anything she continues to go away.

When you look back on that corner and you see that you have a gap that

size over the likes of Terzic and Laura Muir that has to give you

confidence going into the hill where she can maybe generate a bit more

just to hold on in that straight. She is looking very strong here.

Very impressed with how well, over the bumps and unstable ground she

really is staying very stable and strong. Laura Muir went through a

bad patch and then rallied, she is hanging on and thinking, I just had

to hang on because surely I can out kick them in the home straight. It

will be hard work and now it is a five metre gap and she needs to keep

it close if she is to have any chance. She worked hard over those

rises to hang on as Terzic looks behind again, she has perhaps given

up on second place. Can Laura Muir keep in contact? Terzic is well

known to her on the track. Even in a track race I would back Laura to

close down Terzic without any problem, but cross-country is

different. It is. Laura did not have a chance to walk the course first

thing this morning so the others have had more time to study. Murray

now in the second counter. Nesbitt will be the fourth counter. Great

Britain in a solid position, but individually this might not be over.

Camton was the one who really took it on with three kilometres to go,

built up a lead and now the sprint is on to the finish, it's a long run

to the finish, the Belgian athlete had a long look behind. She can see

Terzic closing quickly. I'm not sure she will get among the medals here.

Carton Belgian, one last look behind, this isn't big win for

Hippel 's -- this is a big win for her. Terzic takes the bronze. A very

tired Laura Muir gave everything and has to settle for forth. It was a

good performance from Laura but three very good individuals ahead of

her. Not her day. From 18 prospective Great Britain will have

done well. Merry will try to make sure she holds on to the position

she has got. She will be just outside the top ten I think. Jenny

Nesbitt, a really good performance, she will be the third counter,

perhaps in the top 15. Behind her, Rebecca Murray in 15th. That will

consolidate Britain's performance in terms of winning the team gold.

Really good packing from them. All six British women performed well

today. Louise Carton from Belgian takes the gold medal. She has been

given the same time but she was definitely ahead. Really strong

performance from the British team. Murray was excellent in 10th.

Rebecca Murray will be delighted with her performance. Cementing

Britain's position as the team gold medallists. Confirmation of Great

Britain winning the gold medal... France and Italy were the only other

teams in contention but it was a comfortable win for a strong British

team. The next race is the men's under 23.

The British team very strong indeed. Scott and Davies at the front. Allen

at the back. He had his injury problems over the last couple of

years. The under 23 men sprinting away. Trying to settle down and find

a decent position early on. Plenty of time, eight kilometres ahead of

them. Nonetheless, plenty of people feel the need to sprint before they

settle down. They will do that pretty quickly and as with all of

the races, they will complete a first start loop around one

kilometre, and by then I'm pretty sure they will have settled in as

usual. A slightly bigger field than the women's under 23. Still, though,

from our point of view, this under 23 age group is one for the European

Championships which is perhaps unnecessary. These men will be in

danger of being confused, they will have to make up the distance. Rachik

A medallist over 10,000 metres in this age group in the summer. In the

red and yellow of Spain, dropping back into fifth or sixth place.

Goodman moves to the front and it's great to see him there after his

problems of the last couple of years. A very good athlete. You can

go back a good few years to his junior career, picking up a medal.

You want to see people move on, winning a silver medal individually.

He has the talent and ability to get himself back into really good shape

and is obviously full of confidence here as they head down the starting

straight. They just need to keep concentrating with these short lapse

because it's very easy to lose track of where you are in the race. As

Paula was saying, the last lap is the long lap, and Great Britain and

France seemed to be the two teams in contention for the gold-medal, three

points separated them at the end of the previous lap. You can see big

changes in the team race because look how close they are packing. You

could often throw a blanket over the top group, lots of Spanish in there

as well, French and British. It's great to see the British guys at the

front, exchanging the lead and the attempts to control the race. I

don't think anyone has made a concerted effort to move away yet,

just keeping the pace going. A little look from Mayo. He looks

fairly relaxed. Deeney has continued to look really good. The Italian in

that group. And a couple of polish athletes. They are starting to

bunch. 15 or so athletes as they head into the last lap. We will

start to think about medals. The pace is slow. Wait and see. Nobody

wanting to be the first to crack and break up this group and push on. It

is giving confidence to the ones at the back as they become contenders.

Definitely giving them a chance to close. Up a bit. We will see --

close up a bit. A test of nerves in the final lap. To see who will make

the first move and will be able to respond. Little look behind from the

youngster from Spain. He must be noticing two things,

there is a big group and within that group, he has three team-mates.

Certainly two team-mates and one further adrift, that will be good

news for him. He is really pushing, the Belgium.

They take the bell. This will be a long lap. They will go into the

woods before they head into the finish straight. Couple of colour

matters running left. Jonathan Davies and Marc Scott still with a

chance of picking up individual medals -- couple of kilometres. Marc

Scott tried to push things but now it is the Spaniard, Moya trying to

force things. -- Mayo. Over this mile of the race. Going into these

two bonds. As the athletes go up and over. A surge before that can work

out in your favour in terms of getting a bit of a gap and use the

downhill sections to build up momentum. Now we see the first group

of maybe five just starting to move away and get a bit of daylight

between them and the chasing group. We are down to three athletes. At

Ross of Germany, Mayo of Spain and Jonathan Davies of Great Britain. --

Petros of Germany. He will have walked this section of the course,

as we said again and again. We hope the other team members are out

there, giving them feedback on the distance of gaps and how their teams

are doing. Jonathan Davies is fighting for a medal and the team

position will not be foremost in his mind right now. Through the woods,

Petros. They have a couple of logs to negotiate and eventually they

will take a left hand turn and the home straight of 400 metres. Another

look behind Petros. Davies is there. Mayo still hasn't given this up,

they are well ahead of the next. -- of the rest. It must be between

these three for the medals. Across the logs, don't make mistakes, and

over. Davies takes it even better. Petros Looking behind. What a good

time to move to the front. Scott trying to hang onto his position,

that could be crucial. Richard Goodman letting the Spanish athletes

get past him but he is close enough to take them in the home straight,

we will wait and see. It will be tight for the team position. The

gold medal is still not won but Jonathan Davies doing everything he

can to try to make it his. Has he managed to break Petros? Over the

sand. 200 metres to the finish, has he got enough left to hold off the

fast finish very likely to come from the Spanish athlete Mayo. Davies has

good track speed, great effect. A great win for Jonathan Davies of

Reading. He can see the finish line. Mayo giving enough, looking behind

but trying to chase them but nothing he can do. It will be a European

title for Jonathan Davies in the under 23 race. He takes the gold

medal for Great Britain, congratulations. Well done. Great

finish. Mayo takes second. Just holding off Marc Scott, Petros, for

the bronze medal. Scott takes four. Good, strong finish. Richard Goodman

will be the next to cross the line. An anxious wait as we look further

down for Great Britain's fourth person, to see whether or not they

can also take gold in the team raised. Gold, for Jonathan Davies.

-- team race. Three seconds ahead of Carlos Mayo, a very good jump from

the juniors into the under 23. A surprise bronze medal for Petros.

Confirmation of the team results. It was very close. Good performance

from the British team. They will be disappointed to have missed out in

the end. France taking the bronze well ahead of Italy. My race went

pretty much as I'd planned it. I thought I might be able to win, I

didn't know. I wanted to get out hard, get the lead and stay there

for as long as possible. If you are there, you always have a chance. I

was with the leaders in the last lap. The German lad went. I thought

I will follow him. I might die here, but I will go for it. Thankfully I

had extra strength and got the win, I am so happy. Very proud young man.

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The junior's women race just over four kilometres, not that long. For

this track specialist, a real opportunity. 4157 metres exactly. It

may well be a bit confusing. There is the British team. Bobby Clare

leading them. We will be coming back to them a bit soon. -- Bobby Clay.

There is a longer lap and a shorter lap. The longer lap goes off the

racecourse into the trees. Some indication of a long lap. One or two

little obstacles have been put in. A couple of steep hills that they go

over. One or two other obstacles. A couple of logs over the course.

Nothing too strenuous although the hills may have a bit of an effect.

One is very steep although not too long. For these junior women, they

have to start where they will go. The junior women's race, always one

in which Britain does well. A bit of a sprint at the beginning. The

course doesn't narrow down pretty quickly. You can see the orange

cones coming across to follow them into the corner of the race course

where they will stay on. No real sharp turns until they come to the

finish. Where they will probably need to watch the turn into the

200-metre straight into the finish. It is a sharp right angled turn.

Bobby Clay straightaway where she was to be, the front of the field.

One of the two smaller figures. Bobby Clay, track specialist as

well. European junior champion. Amy

Griffiths is right up there already. British team packing around Bobby

Clay from the start. And Harriet Knowles-Jones from the north west

very much at the front as well. That is to be expected. Everyone will be

wanting to watch to see what Bobby Clay does, she is the favourite at

the beginning. As never as easy as that. So many great British juniors

over the years that have carried on the tradition. Many have moved the

senior team. Steph Twell will be going in the senior race today.

Bobby, this is a huge opportunity for her.

Bobby Clay, as they head out onto this big lap, just putting enough

pressure on now that the others are going to have to make a decision to

go with Bobby Clay or sit and try to contest. Four people for three

medals. Reh Could well run them down but Bobby Clay testing them over the

inclines. Reh Trying to chase these four down. Still in a good position.

Amy Griffiths just dropping out. She stepped off to the side. She was

Britain's fourth counter. Bad news because Amy was going well and would

have been expected to figure right up here. That is bad news for the

British team. Reh Of Germany doing her best to get back to these four.

Has she left it too late? They are heading into the woods. The finish

line is not too far away. The last few hundred metres. Harriet

Knowles-Jones of Great Britain forging on, the prerace favourites

struggling a bit. Great Britain may well lose the team race to Germany.

Alina Reh continues to chase down. The gap is closing. She is getting

closer to the medals. Harriet Knowles-Jones of Britain moving on.

Of Germany moving into first place, Klosterhalfen she knows she is

getting closer to the finish. She is getting tired. We will see how she

manages to get over these logs, although they are very small.

Harriet Knowles-Jones has turned the screw on a difficult section of the

course. Far enough away but she has forged a gap and she looks really

good going into these closing stages.

Sabrina Sinha Going over the logs, she is our third scorer. Alina Rae

has moved quickly through. Harriet Knowles-Jones able to

has moved quickly through. Harriet line just ahead of her. She is under

real pressure from Klosterhalfen of Germany, good 1500 metre pace but so

has Harriet Knowles-Jones. Can she use it? The German glides past her.

It was a real hope that Great Britain could win the individual

gold and perhaps team gold but it is Germany's day-to-day. This is a bit

of a surprise. Konstanze Klosterhalfen We'll take the gold

medal in the women's junior race for Germany -- will take. Silver medal

for Harriet Knowles-Jones, great brave performance for her. Alina Ray

finished so strongly. She takes the bronze medal, perhaps left it a bit

too late. Anton coming in. Bobby Clay in fifth place. Germany going

well, they will win the team race. A real surprise. Konstanze

Klosterhalfen. Good track speed at the end. Sabrina comes in as the

first British counter. Great Britain affected by Amy Griffiths not having

a good day. I am not sure if she will finish. Standing off to one

side. Smith will come through. Konstanze Klosterhalfen, a name to

watch out for. Bronze medal in 1500 metres on the track. There is her

team-mate, Alina Reh. They are very happy. Gold and bronze.

Alina Ray finished quickly to take the bronze medal.

Germany packing well behind the top two who will take the team gold.

Over the moon, I did not expect that, really. I don't know, I found

myself in the lead with 200 to go, that was a real but I ran for my

life. She was so quick into that last bit, we will work on that.

COMMENTATOR: Very well-deserved silver medal for Harriet

Knowles-Jones, she should go away very pleased with her run, she gave

it a good shot at trying to break away. Just did not quite have enough

left in her legs to hold off the eventual sprint finish and win from

Konstanze Klosterhalfen. The junior men. Just a few minutes

away from the start. The great Britain team led by Ben Dukstra will

hope they can go well. Might be difficult to get among the

individual medals. Italy, couple of the favourites. Four of the men who

finished in the top five, they are here again in the junior race.

Junior men's race gets underway. Just under six kilometres. They will

have three of the long laps to content. As ever, a real stampede at

the beginning, water lying on the home straight but so good underfoot.

Just settling down and looking for position over the first 800 metres.

It will be interesting to see how well this belly inexperienced

British team, the junior men, we never know how they will perform in

the race but it will be the Italians who we expect to be well to the

front. Having to work hard to stay with the leaders as well. Back in

sixth place. Starting to push on a little bit. Still early stages but

he has that ability, he is of course a man who always surprises people by

being in the junior ranks, that does happen, people come in and do well

as a 17-year-old and then continue all the way through. Under 20

stipulation. Already now building up a lead of ten metres. That has

opened up quickly as well, he picked up the pace a little bit as they

came down the starting straight and just blew apart the field a little

bit. The gaps now are really opening up. His older brother will also be

racing later in the under 23 race. They obviously have a good family

heritage of running. He has really opened up the race as they go into

the second lap. Crippa seems to have settled again. Here are the team

standings, Britain are holding onto the team bronze from Spain but it

can change in the last lap. The British guys still packing well. All

six are reasonably well involved so even if one or two drop off they

still have a chance of holding onto the bronze medal. The French third

counter, just going through and now the fourth counter so they have

definitely moved forward over this lap. Crippa rallies again, perhaps

sensing the danger even know there is not far to go, he still has to be

strong, a bit of sand. There is the left-hand turn. The Spaniard looks

over his shoulder and the Frenchman makes the first big effort. They are

chasing down Crippa who anxiously looks over his shoulder but he

should be fine here. What a great race for second and third but Crippa

can already celebrate, the Italian wins the junior title. Crippa Italy

takes the gold in the junior men's race. The home fans have something

to cheer as Pallcau from France has finished in second. Alex will be the

first of the British contenders to cross the line after a really strong

performance. Not far away from the medals. France finishing strongly,

they will pack well. I think Britain cross our fingers, they may well get

the bronze medal in the team race. Crippa won in the end by six seconds

from the fast finishing Palcau. Popular silver medal for the

Frenchman. The great news for the home nation is that they took the

gold medal by two points from Italy. They were the prerace favourites,

Italy. Excellent performance from Great Britain. At a time when

athletics needs to restore credibility the traditional

discipline of cross-country may be helped in a small way today.

Particularly in a British perspective, top of the medals

tables. Jonathan Davies was the only individual winner and he also led

the men's under 23 team to the silver medal. Laura Muir, fourth in

the women's individual event and led her team to the title. Brilliant

individual silver medals and Harriet fled the women to the silver in that

event. No individual is accessible the man but both teams picked up a

bronze medal. -- no individual success. The impact on the IAAF was

felt here with no Russian team is taking part. Today was a small step

in the right direction but there may be more pain ahead. Let's hope that

the sport can eventually finish in a better place in 2016. We have more

cross-country for you in the New Year with Edinburgh and the

traditional cross-country fixture. We look forward to seeing Mo Farah

get his 2016 Olympic campaign underway. For now, from Paula

Radcliffe and me Steve Cram, it's goodbye.