Athletics/ European Cross Country Championships: There are now two distinct categories of championship cross-country races - those with Africans involved, and those not. This effectively translates as the World Cross Country and the European Cross Country, and they represent entirely different challenges.
Unless you were born at altitude and ran several miles to school it's practically impossible to make an impression at the World Cross Country anymore. That event is staged in Kenya in March, reverting back to the single, long-course race, and with each African nation now allowed nine runners it's likely the top European will have run very well to finish in the top 100.
Tomorrow, however, the small Italian town of San Giorgio su Legnano hosts the 13th European Cross Country, and nearly all 30 competing nations have ambitions of coming away with a medal of some sort - not least Ireland. As further incentive this year's event also sees the introduction of the under-23 races, where Ireland have two leading medal contenders.
Newly crowned National Inter-counties champion Mark Christie leads that charge on the men's front. Fifth in the junior race two years ago, Christie can definitely win a medal at this level. It's just that it may have to wait until next year, when he will be still young enough to run the under-23 race, as the depth of talent this year will make it very difficult for him to make the podium.
That race includes Hungary's Barnabás Bene, the junior men's champion for the past two years, and the Rybakov twins from Russia, Anatoliy and Yevgeniy, who previously went 1-2 in the junior race.
The 8km distance should suit Christie, but Ireland's strongest suit is in the team event, where they have a strong chance of making the top three, with half of the team that secured silver medals in the junior race two years ago.
The women's Inter-counties champion Fionnuala Britton has also targeted the under-23 race ahead of the senior race, and her performances so far this season - including a fine international win in Belgium - suggest at least a top-10 finish. Both Britton and Christie, by the way, are products of DCU's scholarship programme.
Their decision to run the under-23 race has effectively robbed the senior teams of their two leading runners. Martin Fagan, however, is back from college in the US looking to improve on his 16th-place finish last year, and having recently taken fifth in the highly competitive NCAA championships he's definitely ready to mix it with the best seniors in Europe. There is one late replacement on that team with Séamus Power withdrawing through injury and replaced by Vinny Mulvey.
The only real question surrounding the senior men's race is whether anyone can stop Sergei Lebid's quest for an incredible seventh individual title - and sixth in succession. The 31-year-old Ukrainian has raced in each of the 12 previous editions of the championships, half of which he has won: first in 1998.
Unfortunately for Ireland the senior woman's team is probably at its weakest in years. Three years ago they won team silver with Sonia O'Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan on board, but this time it's another US-based athlete, Mary Cullen, who carries the sole hopes of a high individual finish. That race in fact is wide open and Cullen could certainly pull off a surprise.
Finally, the two junior races are equally open with the junior men always capable of making the podium if everyone runs to their potential. Inter-counties champions Cathal Dennehy and Rose-Ann Galligan lead the respective challenges.
Tomorrow's event has attracted a record entry of 509 athletes - 275 men and 243 women - from 30 countries, and it will be a little disappointing if the Irish teams don't come away with some sort of silverware. But unlike the World Cross Country, at least they all know they can be competitive.
Team Ireland
Men - Senior: Gary Murray (Kilcoole), David Kelly (Sligo), Martin Fagan (Mullingar Harriers), Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers), Joe McAllister (St Malachy's), Vinny Mulvey (Raheny).
Under-23: Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers), Michael Clohisey (Raheny), Joseph Sweeney (Dublin South Dublin), Mark Kirwan (Raheny Shamrocks), Mark Hanrahan (Leevale), Andrew Ledwith (Fr Murphy's).
Junior: Cathal Dennehy (Emerald), Brendan O'Neill (Dublin South Dublin), Kevin Lawler (St L O'Toole), Ciarán O'Lionaird (Leevale), David Rooney (Raheny) Mark Hoey (Dunleer).
Women - Senior:Mary Cullen (North Sligo), Rosemary Ryan (Bilboa), Aoife Byrne (Dublin South Dublin), Orla O'Mahony (Raheny), Niamh O'Sullivan (An Riocht), Pauline Curley (Tullamore).
Under-23:Fionnuala Britton (Slí Chualann), Linda Byrne (Dublin South Dublin), Niamh Devlin (Dublin South Dublin), Orla Drumm (UCC), Ciara Durkan (Skerries), Siobhán O'Doherty (Borrisokane).
Junior:Roseanne Galligan (Newbridge AC), Sara Treacy (Moynalvey AC), Ellen Diskin (Raheny), Breifni Twohig (Dublin South Dublin), Treston Bryony (Dublin South Dublin), Laura Huet (Dublin South Dublin).
