Britton cruises to Edinburgh win

Fionnuala Britton was a class apart as she dominated another high class field to take the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country title this afternoon.

The Wicklow athlete had not raced competitively since her gold medal run at last month’s European Cross Country Championships in Slovenia.

But she took her impressive front-running form into 2012 with a commanding performance around the 6km Holyrood Park course, finishing in a winning time of 21 minutes and 32 seconds.

The new format for the race saw the athletes compete in an international team challenge with Britton captaining the Europe team against the Great Britain and the USA selections.

With the 2012 Olympics looming large on the horizon, the British women put in a strong display to take the team title but Ireland’s leading light comfortably claimed the individual honours.

Britton shared the lead with some of the home contingent over the first of three laps, sticking to the harder ground where possible.

It was during the second lap when the 27-year-old opened up a considerable gap with only Britain’s Gemma Steel able to hang onto her.

Britton’s efficient, smooth style and ability to almost glide over the muddy terrain proved too much for Steel, the European bronze medallist, to handle.

Steel tried to keep pace but a ten-metre gap was ruthlessly widened as Britton drove determinedly up the testing hills and left her rivals for dead.

The field was completely spread-eagled as the Kilcoole clubwoman coasted home in business-like fashion, laying down an excellent early marker for 2012.

Steel finished second in 21:52, with her British compatriot Elle Baker coming home in third place (22:08).

Speaking afterwards about her intentions for the year and the London Olympics, Britton told BBC One: “I knew I had to have a strong race today. To be honest, I didn’t know what sort of shape I was in.

“I’ve been training hard but racing is different and I wasn’t sure how well I’d run, so it’s nice to come out here and feel strong.

“I’d hope to get the (qualifying) times in the 5k or 10k for the Olympics and see what happens from there.

“I’ve been told for years that I need to move up in distance, and I suppose that time has come. I’m going to go for it.”