The final entries for the ECCC Cross Country in Albufeira, Portugal on 3 February have been published and are available to view here.
Sporting Clube de Portugal dominated the senior races in Mira twelve months ago and they will be defending all three of their titles next Sunday, including the senior men’s and women’s team crowns.
Wearing the distinctive green and white-hooped Sporting Clube vest, Kenya’s Davis Kiplangat took a comprehensive individual victory over 10.3km last year, leading the Lisbon-based club to the overall team title.
Kiplangat returns to team duties and he is accompanied by the likes of the experienced Rui Pedro Silva, who was their second individual counter in sixth last year.
Kiplangat will face tough opposition for the individual title courtesy of Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo - who clocked 26:41 to win the San Silvestre Vallecana 10K in Madrid - running for Italian-based Casone Noceto Club.
Sporting Clube de Portugal also bring a wealth of experience to the senior women’s team which features Jessica Augusto, Sara Moreira and Ines Monteiro who finished second, fifth and seventh respectively over 6.3km last year.
The individual winner in Mira twelve months ago was Poland’s Katarzyna Rutkowska and she will defend her individual title for KS Podlasie Bialystok.
In the U20 women’s race, Denmark’s Anna Mark Helwigh will be looking for her third successive individual victory for Sparta AM who missed out on the team title by one point last year behind Fenerbahce Sport Club.
On the men’s side, Playas de Castellon will be defending their U20 team title although last year’s individual winner Aaron Las Heras isn’t part of their team this year.