21st June 2013 02:43
Russia, chasing a third successive title, will be strong, but France's athletes are flying, while Great Britain, with Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford, still have that glorious Olympic feel from last summer and Germany and Ukraine have power throughout.
Often a wave of optimism can be gained from the first race of the Championships and it is why the red, white and blue flags could be flying high as Britain's world 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene should give the host nation a maximum 12 points.
But in a competition between Belarus, France, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Türkiye and the Ukraine, the outcome might not be decided until the latter stages on Sunday afternoon.
Often a wave of optimism can be gained from the first race of the Championships and it is why the red, white and blue flags could be flying high as Britain's world 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene should give the host nation a maximum 12 points.
But in a competition between Belarus, France, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Türkiye and the Ukraine, the outcome might not be decided until the latter stages on Sunday afternoon.
These are some of the key events that could decide the destination of the trophy.
Saturday (all times BST)
Men's 400m hurdles (2.37pm/2.43pm)
In London, Dai Greene finished fourth in a season rocked by injuries. But he is slowly rebuilding his form. He is the fastest in the field on 2013 times with 48.81 but it will be a first race of the season for Greece's 2006 European champion Periklis Iakovakis, whose personal best is 47.82.
In London, Dai Greene finished fourth in a season rocked by injuries. But he is slowly rebuilding his form. He is the fastest in the field on 2013 times with 48.81 but it will be a first race of the season for Greece's 2006 European champion Periklis Iakovakis, whose personal best is 47.82.
Men's High Jump (3.19pm)
At the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg in March, Russia's Aleksei Dmitrik won silver to add to his medal of the same colour from the 2011 World Championships. And while he will begin as favourite, it is by no means a foregone conclusion that he will win. Italy's Silvano Chesani has jumped 2.33 indoors and 2.28m outdoors in 2013 while Tom Parsons, a late Great Britain replacement for Robbie Grabarz, has also cleared 2.28m this summer.
At the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg in March, Russia's Aleksei Dmitrik won silver to add to his medal of the same colour from the 2011 World Championships. And while he will begin as favourite, it is by no means a foregone conclusion that he will win. Italy's Silvano Chesani has jumped 2.33 indoors and 2.28m outdoors in 2013 while Tom Parsons, a late Great Britain replacement for Robbie Grabarz, has also cleared 2.28m this summer.
Men's Shot Put (3.38pm)
In the 1st European Athletics Team Championships in 2009 in Leiria, Poland's Tomasz Majewski won the title. He retained it 12 months later in Bergen before in 2011, he was back in second as David Storl won. It was the year that the German progressed to become world champion and now faces Majewski who is a double Olympic champion. It could not better poised, with Storl's best of 20.97m this year just eight centimetres more than the Polish thrower's furthest.
In the 1st European Athletics Team Championships in 2009 in Leiria, Poland's Tomasz Majewski won the title. He retained it 12 months later in Bergen before in 2011, he was back in second as David Storl won. It was the year that the German progressed to become world champion and now faces Majewski who is a double Olympic champion. It could not better poised, with Storl's best of 20.97m this year just eight centimetres more than the Polish thrower's furthest.
Women's 400m (4.51pm)
British team captain and double European Indoor gold medallist Perri Shakes-Drayton remains unsure whether this distance or the 400m hurdles will become her main event in the future. This race could tell a great deal. And it is one where Russia could land the top points as Kseniya Zadorina, who won silver at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki last summer, will be the woman to catch.
British team captain and double European Indoor gold medallist Perri Shakes-Drayton remains unsure whether this distance or the 400m hurdles will become her main event in the future. This race could tell a great deal. And it is one where Russia could land the top points as Kseniya Zadorina, who won silver at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki last summer, will be the woman to catch.
Women's javelin (4.55pm)
Christina Obergfoll believes Germany can lift the trophy. One thing is for sure, she is capable of winning at this event as she has triumphed on all three occasions of the European Athletics Team Championships. In the overall picture, how important will her performance against Russia's world champion Mariya Abakumova prove to be? It could be one of the most crucial duels of the weekend. Abakumova might lead the European Athletics rankings with 69.34m but Obergfoll is second with 67.70m and she is in form, having won all three of her IAAF Diamond League events. An early, telling throw could spark some competition.
Christina Obergfoll believes Germany can lift the trophy. One thing is for sure, she is capable of winning at this event as she has triumphed on all three occasions of the European Athletics Team Championships. In the overall picture, how important will her performance against Russia's world champion Mariya Abakumova prove to be? It could be one of the most crucial duels of the weekend. Abakumova might lead the European Athletics rankings with 69.34m but Obergfoll is second with 67.70m and she is in form, having won all three of her IAAF Diamond League events. An early, telling throw could spark some competition.
Men's 5000m (5.03pm)
There will be no bigger noise the whole weekend than the roars which will greet the athletes being announced for this race when the camera pans in on Mo Farah. Twice a winner at the European Athletics Team Championships, he should bring all the points home for Britain. But this event is one of those where minor places might prove important in the overall scores and by trying to stay with Farah, either Spain's Alemayehu Beezbeh or France's Bouabdellah Tahri could widen the gap ahead of Russia's Evgeny Rybakjov who, on times alone this summer, is over 13 seconds behind both of them. Yet this a Championship race and how it pans out could be fascinating.
There will be no bigger noise the whole weekend than the roars which will greet the athletes being announced for this race when the camera pans in on Mo Farah. Twice a winner at the European Athletics Team Championships, he should bring all the points home for Britain. But this event is one of those where minor places might prove important in the overall scores and by trying to stay with Farah, either Spain's Alemayehu Beezbeh or France's Bouabdellah Tahri could widen the gap ahead of Russia's Evgeny Rybakjov who, on times alone this summer, is over 13 seconds behind both of them. Yet this a Championship race and how it pans out could be fascinating.
Sunday
Men's Pole Vault (1.20pm)
One of the best events of the weekend as France's Olympic and European champion Renaud Lavillenie looks to give his country victory. But on the last three occasions that he has won a major gold medal - in Helsinki, London and Göteborg - Germany's Bjorn Otto has been runner-up. Will Otto beat him this time? Greece's Konstadinos Filippdis, who won the season's opening Diamond League in Doha, could surprise them both.
Women's Hammer (1.36pm)
It could be a straightforward duel between Germany's Betty Heidler and Poland's Anita Wlodarczyk. Heidler is the Olympic bronze medallist and world record-holder (79.42m) but the pair are closely matched. In Szczecin last Saturday, Heidler won with 76.48m from Wlodarczyk with 76.06m, the leading two distances in Europe this year.
Men's 110m hurdles (2.23pm/2.33pm)
Russia will be banking on 12 points from this event as Sergey Shubenkov is by far the leading man in Europe. He is the European champion indoors and out and though he has not peaked this season, his time of 13.20 from Rome is the quickest in the field but France's Pascal Martinot Lagarde, with a 2013 best best of 13.31 from finishing second in that race in Italy, could make it a thriller.
Russia will be banking on 12 points from this event as Sergey Shubenkov is by far the leading man in Europe. He is the European champion indoors and out and though he has not peaked this season, his time of 13.20 from Rome is the quickest in the field but France's Pascal Martinot Lagarde, with a 2013 best best of 13.31 from finishing second in that race in Italy, could make it a thriller.
Women's 200m (3.46pm/3.59pm)
A race that could bring victory from a variety of lanes with Ukraine's Viktoriya Pyatachenko the favourite after her 22.68 in Yalta at the start of the month. Britain's Anyika Onuora has run 22.93 this summer while France's Myriam Soumare, the 2010 European champion, has a 2013 best of 22.96.
A race that could bring victory from a variety of lanes with Ukraine's Viktoriya Pyatachenko the favourite after her 22.68 in Yalta at the start of the month. Britain's Anyika Onuora has run 22.93 this summer while France's Myriam Soumare, the 2010 European champion, has a 2013 best of 22.96.
Women's 4 x 400m relay (5.09pm/5.24pm) ... Men's relay (5.43pm/5.53pm).
It might be that close that the 4th European Athletics Team Championships goes down to the wires and the final events. Now that would be something, with the overall team's position depending on the outcome of the 4 x 400m teams.
It might be that close that the 4th European Athletics Team Championships goes down to the wires and the final events. Now that would be something, with the overall team's position depending on the outcome of the 4 x 400m teams.