SUPER VETS Rob Hand and Sheila Allen will be determined to put the North-East on the map in today's big Home Countries and Irish Veterans Cross Country Championships in Ballymena.

Durham City general practitioner Hand, the reigning UK Veterans cross country and 10K road race champion, has hit the form of his life since joining the over-40s this year, while 45-year-old Allen is seeking to complete a hat-trick of gold medals on the course where she has scored two previous victories.

While it will be newcomer Hand's first taste of international competition, Allen has been a regular in the England veterans' team since reaching the qualifying age of 35 and has been out of the medals in the annual international fixture only once, in 2000, when she finished fourth.

Both veterans left their younger rivals trailing when they warmed up for Ballymena two weeks ago by winning their races in the second Durham Pine North-East Harrier League fixture at Farringdon.

Hand said: "I'm really looking forward to racing in Ballymena after my run at Farringdon - it was a great boost to come out on top in such a strong field."

Allen has benefited from a carefully prepared programme of extra training following a few injury niggles. The gritty Wearsider - a cleaner at Sunderland University - said: "I love running at Ballymena and I'm hoping for a third win.

"I have stepped up my training and I definitely felt the benefit at Farringdon, where I was pushed all the way."

Allen, who competes at the bottom of her new age group, will be strong favourite to carry off the title, especially in few of her recent string of racing successes, the latest in the Heaton 10K on Newcastle Town Moor last weekend.

l Chester-le-Street based Michael Openshaw, who raced over 5,000m for Great Britain in last year's World Championships in Canada, will be seeking a fourth consecutive road race victory in today's big Brampton-Carlisle ten miler.

The Birchfield Harrier usually enters races on the day and dashes off before the prize-giving, but this time he has entered in advance.

Openshaw, the former English Cross Country Champion, recently notched up a hat-trick, winning the Derwentside 10, the Gibside Fruitbowl 7 and last week's Heaton Harriers Memorial 10K.