Timetable, course preview and tv guide for this weekend’s European Cross Country Championships.

The 25th edition of the European Cross Country Championships takes place on Sunday (December 9) and this year’s event looks set to be the biggest to date.

In total, over 600 athletes from 38 countries will be in Tilburg, including some of the continent’s top endurance stars.

Norway’s Ingebrigtsen brothers are among the leading names. The youngest of three, Jakob is the defending U20 champion and is chasing an unprecedented third consecutive victory, while his two older brothers, Henrik and Filip compete in the senior men’s race.

Other individual champions from Samorin last December set to return and defend their titles are France’s Jimmy Gressier in the men’s U23 race, and senior athletes Turkey duo Kaan Kigen Ozbilen and Yasemin Can.

Like Ingebrigtsen in the U20 men’s race, Turkey’s Can is also on the hunt for a third straight win in the senior women’s event.

Andy Butchart, Great Britain’s bronze medalist in 2017, will not be competing this year, however, there are many in the GB team, including Ross Millington and Marc Scott, who will challenge the front of the senior men’s race, while Jake Heyward will go up against Ingebrigtsen in the U20 race.

At last year’s event, Great Britain topped the medal table with five gold medals and nine in total, including the senior women’s team gold.

Other names to watch out for include reigning European U18 1500m and 3000m champion Sarah Healy from Ireland who makes her championship debut in the U20 race.

A full British team preview can be found here, while an Irish team preview can be found here.

Timetable (UK time)

The first race of seven on Sunday is the U20 women’s race at 9:45, with the mixed relay concluding the competition at 13:55.

9:45: U20 women (4.3km)
10:05: U20 men (6.3km)
10:35: U23 women (6.3km)
11:05: U23 men (8.3km)
12:35: senior women (8.3km)
13:10: senior men (10.3km)
13:55: mixed relay (5.8km)

Course Preview

Check out the course below for this year’s European Cross Country Championships.

How to watch

Live coverage on Sunday will be available in the UK on the BBC red button and online from 9:30.

The programme concludes at 15:00, with highlights available from 14:20-15:50 on the BBC red button and at 00:00-01:00 (Monday) on BBC Two.

In Ireland, RTE Two will have live coverage from 12:00 to 14:30, while European Athletics will also be broadcasting the action on its website from 9:30.

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