REIGNING North Yorkshire and South Durham champion Paul Bentley hopes to clinch a first place in the North-East Inter-Counties team with an eye-catching performance in the North of England Championships at Blackburn today.
The 24-year-old Middlesbrough and Cleveland Harrier was chosen for the region's 15-strong squad after his best-ever eighth placing in the North-East Championships at Hartlepool last month.
The selectors will meet tomorrow night to consider the performances at Blackburn before finalising their nine-man team to run at Nottingham in the Inter-Counties Championships, which incorporate the Great Britain World Championships trial.
Bentley, who currently leads the NYSD senior men's table, underlined his form by winning last weekend's Hartlepool Old Monks six-mile multi-terrain race at Hart Village, where he beat Chester-le-Street based Blackheath Harrier Stephen Dodd by a comfortable 26 seconds.
Another Teessider looking to impress the North-East selectors today will be former Mandale Harrier Andrew Kilding, who now runs for Sheffield AC.
Kilding won the third NYSD race at Thirsk and went on to finish a creditable sixth in the North-East Championships, putting himself into the reckoning for the Inter-Counties team.
But competition will be fierce for the nine places as the North-East defends its senior men's team title.
Shaftsbury Barnet Harrier Dominic Bannister, who now lives at Crook after qualifying as a physiotherapist at Teesside University, has confirmed his availability after missing the North-East Championships to represent Great Britain in the European Championships in Sweden.
Morpeth Harriers appear to have the best chance of a team medal at Blackburn, with former AAA half marathon champion Ian Hudspith leading a very strong squad.
Sunderland's Brian Rushworth, who won the North-East title for a record tenth time, will be trying to bounce back after his recent cross country defeat in the Durham Pine North Eastern Harrier League, while Gateshead's Alan Buckley could be in with a chance of a medal after recording the fastest time in the Durham Cathedral Cross Country Relays last weekend.
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