A glittering cast of recent major medallists, including European 5000m and 10,000m champion Nadia Battocletti, will be in action across Europe this weekend as anticipation builds towards the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa on 14 December.
This is our handy guide for the weekend ahead with the SPAR European Cross Country Championships just over a fortnight away.
Can Battocletti extend her win streak in Alcobendas?
World and Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Nadia Battocletti will be targeting back-to-back victories at the Cross de la Constitucion in Alcobendas, a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting, on Sunday (30).
Battocletti, who won last year by over one minute, faces Kenya’s Sheila Jebet and Great Britain’s Megan Keith who finished second and fourth respectively behind Battocletti who was a commanding winner in Atapuerca last Sunday.
The European interest in the men’s race is headed by Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, the bronze medallist at last year’s SPAR European Cross Country Championships who has already secured his place on the Spanish team for Lagoa 2025.
Ndikumwenayo faces a field which also features his training partner Rodrigue Kwizera and Kenya’s Mathew Kipsang who outsprinted Kwizera for victory in Atapuerca last weekend.
Lahti, Koster and Nillessen top the billing in Tilburg
Sweden’s Sarah Lahti will be targeting her fourth victory in succession at the Warandecross in Tilburg, a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Silver event, on Sunday.
Lahti’s main rival will be Dutch favourite Maureen Koster who will have her sights on becoming the first Dutch winner of the senior women’s race in Tilburg since Sifan Hassan won her third title in 2015.
The pair raced over 10km in Lille earlier this month. Koster finished second in 30:57 with Lahti one place and one second behind, setting a Swedish record of 30:58.
With last year’s winner Niels Laros absent from the men’s race, his training partner and fellow Olympic 1500m finalist Stefan Nillessen is a possible contender to keep the title in Dutch hands.
The senior men’s line-up also includes fellow Dutchmen Abi Mohamed and Nik Lemmink who finished second and third last year.
The Warandecross will be streamed live on the European Athletics YouTube channel from 11.30am (CET) local time.
At the Carsolina Cross in Trieste on Sunday (30), a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Bronze event, Slovenia's Klara Lukan will be targeting her fourth victory in the senior women's 7.5km.
The senior men's 7.5km features Pietro Arese and Yassin Bouih, both of whom have won gold medals at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in the mixed relay.
Elsewhere around Europe…
European cross country silver medallist Konstanze Klosterhalfen leads an all-star cast in the senior women’s race at the German Cross Country Championships in Darmstadt on Sunday.
Klosterhalfen will renew her rivalry with her long-time contemporary Alina Reh who memorably beat Klosterhalfen for the U23 title at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Samorin in 2017.
Multiple German cross country champion Elena Burkard - who is due to contest both the long course and short course races - is another significant entrant along with Eva Dieterich, the silver medallist in the 10km at the European Running Championships behind Battocletti.
And the line-up includes some outstanding endurance runners from beyond the world of track and field. World mountain running champion Nina Engelhard is due to race as is world and Olympic triathlon champion Lisa Tertsch.
At the Belgian Cross Country Championships in Hulshout on Sunday, Isaac Kimeli will race for the first time since winning a brilliant silver medal in the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Kimeli, who finished fourth at the 2024 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, is targeting his fourth successive Belgian cross country title and his seventh in total.
In the senior women's race, European 10,000m Cup will Jana Van Lent will be seeking back-to-back senior titles. The line-up also includes Chloe Herbiet and Juliette Thomas, the gold and silver medallists in the half marathon at the European Running Championships, and Lisa Rooms.
European U20 5000m champion William Renders has registered for the U20 men’s race despite suffering a bad recent fall in training which left him with a broken elbow. He will face 19-year-old Elliot Vermeulen who improved to 3:33.51 in the 1500m this year.
At the Czech Cross Country Championships on Saturday (29), Jachym Kovar and two-time Olympian in the marathon Tereza Hrochova will be targeting senior success in Holešov.
