The British and Irish Masters Home Countries International, traditionally the most prestigious masters cross-country event, is being held for the 36th time on Saturday November 15.

This year's edition of the British and Irish Home Countries International is being staged at Roundhay Park in Leeds and will feature teams in five-year age groups from V35 to V80.

Ireland and the four home nations take it in turn to host and the three previous venues have been Dublin, Glasgow and Belfast.

With a huge population advantage and a greater number of active runners, England won the event overall for 32 years in a row from 1988 to 2019 but, after a two-year break due to Covid, Ireland took victory in 2022. Though England wrestled the title back in 2023, the Irish side came out on top again last year.

With home advantage this time, the host nation start as marginal favourites but a few selection problems where England's insistence on selecting mostly from the trial did mean a few second-ranked English athletes missed out on a selection spot.

Roundhay Park may be staging the international for the first time but has been a regular venue of the English National Cross-country Championships. The 1978 race is regarded by many as one of the best ever editions, with three Olympic finalists - Bernie Ford, Ian Stewart and Tony Simmons - taking the top three spots. Olympic medallists Steve Ovett and Mike McLeod were fourth and eighth respectively, with 10,000m world record holder Dave Bedford 23rd.

The National was last held on the course in 2010.

11.05 Race 1 M65+ & W65 plus 6km

The oldest age groups compete first over three laps

M65

Wales' 2024 winner Ifan Lloyd returns, having been second in the M60 age group in 2023.

The Welsh could be in team contention too as 13:33 5000m man Dave James, who has also run 8:20 for two miles, competes along with Dave Warren who was sixth M60 last year as he moves up an age group).

England were out of the medals last time but have a stronger team led by European silver cross-country medallist Malcolm Eustace.

Ireland won the team event in 2024 and their likeliest candidate for a medal is Trials winner Liam Lenahan, who left his opposition a minute back.

Northern Ireland were second last year,  with both Laurence Johnson and Norman Mawhinney in the top five, and they both return. They will hopefully be supplemented by world indoor 800m, 1500m and 3000m champion Dave Clarke who had to drop out of the recent European Championships with injury.

M70

The first two last year - Dave Butler and Joe Gough - are not here this time but bronze medallist Dave Bedwell returns. England should mount a good title defence, led by trials winner Jonathan Haynes who is a former M65 medallist.

Irish trials winner Eamonn McEvoy might be a medal shot but will need improved form on his seventh place last year.

Tony Martin, a former European road champion and 2023 medallist, leads the Scottish challenge but the in-form athlete and pre-race favourite is Wales' Alan Davies, a 2018 M65 winner ahead of the great Nigel Gates.

M75

Ireland's 2024 winner Martin McEvilly doesn't return to defend his title but Northern Irish runner-up and 2019 M70 race winner Terry Eakin does.

Scotland have a strong quartet to defend their team title, led by 2024 bronze medallist Alex Sutherland - who won the 2025 BMAF title from Malcolm Hammond - while Norman Baillie and Rob Donachie, top six finishers last year, also return.

England also have a competitive team, with 2023 winner Malcolm Weir and trials winner Arthur Daley likely challengers, however event debutante Ron Cattle is probably favourite. This year he won the world 10km title in Florida and the European 10km gold in Madeira.

David Cundy, runner-up in the 2023 World Masters 5000m and steeplechase, should lead the Welsh challenge.

M80

There is no team competition in this age group counting towards the overall scores but England field a strong quartet led by multiple world champion Peter Giles and multiple European medallist Geoff Newton.

Defending champion Martin Ford (an eight-time winner) missed the trials and couldn't be selected as Giles got the selectors spot.

W65

Defending champion Pauline Moran, who has won five golds in the six last editions, returns and Ireland have a strong team to defend their title.

Scotland also look strong and will be led by Isobel Burnett who has won medals on the last three occasions.

England look favourites, however, with former W60 medallist and ultra consistent Monica Williamson probably their strongest challenger.

Good back-up should be provided by trials winner Sue Cordingley, who won W60 gold in 2019, and recent European 5000m medallist Sian Davies.

Triple European medallist Jill Harrison, third last year, is only listed as a reserve, with Williamson getting the selectors spot.

W70

Defending champion Sue Haslam and 2024 runner-up Dot Kesterton return from the winning England team and, with back-up from Maggoe Statham-Berry, they should win again.

Ireland are their most likely challengers, led by recent European champion Christine Kennedy and trials winner Jo Martin.

W75+

The defending champion Ros Tabor is absent after breaking a hip when a dog tripped her  in a recent 10km.

Multiple world and European champion Sarah Roberts is the sole English competitor but her only previous cross-country in Madeira saw her well beaten by Ireland's world champion Eileen Kenny, who moved up from last year's W70s where she was sixth.

The most likely Irish winner could be Margaret Glavey, who was third W70 ahead of Kenny at the age of 74 last year.

Scotland's Jeanette Craig also moves up and should also be a medal contender.

As per 2024, Northern Ireland's Brigid Quinn is the sole W80 competitor but will compete for a younger age group team.

Race 2 : 12.00. W35-64 6km

This should be the race of the day with a number of senior internationals and past champions competing

W35

Ireland's defending champion Sharon Rynne returns, but was only fourth in the Irish trials where Sinead O'Connor won easily. That suggests Ireland should put up a very strong defence. Scotland though also look very strong, led by BMAF champion Morag Millar. The 2006 Commonwealth Games competitor has run sub-16 for 5km this year.

Olympic marathoner Freya Ross is moving down from the W40s to compete here and Scotland also include the 2023 winner and 2024 third-placer Jennifer Wetton. Katie Latham easily won the English trials and looks much improved since 2024 where she was only 13th.

W40

With last year's overall women's winner Fiona Gettings absent, the 2014 European senior champion Gemma Steel makes her event debut and she leads a strong English team. However, Ireland led by Trials winner Noeleen Scanlon will be hard to dethrone.

Scotland's BMAF runner-up Sara Green who was also second in this event in 2023, is also a likely challenger. Louise Flynn will likely lead the Welsh charge.

W45

Defending champion Michelle Kenny returns for a strong Irish team, having won medals in both the world and European championships this year. Irish trials winner Dympna Ryan is also a medal hope. The 2019 overall women's winner, Kirsty Longley, should be to the fore again but she was beaten by Kelly Edwards at the English trials. England also field recent European 10km medallist Zoe Oldfield.

Scotland again look strong and it's worth noting that two-time W35 winner Michelle Sandison was fifth W40 in 2024 in a time which put her just one second behind Kenny as she debuts in the W45s. Wales will be led by Jo Henderson, who has been fourth the last two years.

W50

Last year Kate Rennie not only won her age group but beat the W35 and W45 champions and she also won the English trials this year and she will start a big favourite. England also field eight-time winner Clare Martin who makes a return after last winning the W45s in 2019 and 2023 medallist Nikki Sturzaker.

Ireland are the defending team champions and 2024 runner-up Catriona Devine and trials winner Breda Gaffney will almost certainly place highly again. The 2024 bronze medallist Avril Mason leads a strong Scottish team who were second last year.

W55

At the moment defending champion Annette Kealy, a five-time winner was only named as reserve and trials winner Mari Johnson, who was fifth last year will probably lead the Irish challenge.

Joanne Stanfield won the English trials but the 2024 runner-up Kate Ramsey, who missed the trials, looks the best individual medal bet again. Northern Ireland's Shileen O'Kane,  fourth last year, leads the Northern Ireland team who were third ahead of England last year.

W60

World champion and defending champion Clare Elms bids for her seventh victory and England also have a team title to defend which could see her win her 27th individual or team medal in the event.

Ireland, led by former overall winner and five-time champion Niamh O'Sullivan, should be England's most likely challengers as they also field 2024 third-placer Kay Byrne. Former British W60 marathon record-holder Mary Slocum, who is a former bronze medallist, leads the Northern Ireland team. Last year's runners-up, Scotland, do not look as strong as in 2024 without former winner Fiona Matheson.

Race 3: 12.45. Men's M50-64 8km

M50

Ireland's Declan Toal isn't defending but England's runner-up and this year's trials winner Chris Blackburn returns, though it's worth noting that Jan Bailey ran a quicker time in 2024 in the M45 race and he moves up this year.

England also have last year's fourth-placer Gareth Raven and they could defeat last year's winners, Ireland, who don't look as strong this year without Toal.

Northern Ireland were third last year and again look likely challengers.

Wales field European half-marathon champion Steve Davies in their team and they will also be in medal contention along with Scotland, who have world masters cross-country medallist Brent Brodie in their squad.

M55

Ireland's Des Kennedy won in 2024 but appears to be just a reserve this year and defending team winners England look favourites.

The 2023 winner Tim Hartley was third last year and he goes for his ninth title over all the age groups.

His team-mate Tony O'Brien, a former European 3000m champion,  was effectively first in the English trial - though he was still a M50 at the time and was a close second in the recent M50 European 5000m just before his 55th birthday.

Steve Allen will lead the Scottish challenge and had one of the quicker 5km times in 2025.

M60

England's Andrew Leach, the world masters 5000m champion, led his team to victory last year and England again look strong with 2023 winner John Convery, though English trials winner Mark Cursons was a late withdrawal.

England's strength is illustrated by former winner and world champion Ben Reynolds being only second reserve - even after Convery's withdrawal.

Scotland will be missing European 5000m and 10,000m champion Chris Upson, who was second last year. It is Ireland, led by European champion Pauric McKinney, who should provide the biggest challenge.

Wales could be led by World Masters indoor 1500m runner-up Dave Williams.

Race 4: 13.30. M35-49 8km

M35

Last year's impressive winner, Kevin Campbell of Scotland, isn't defending but runner-up and 2023 winner Lee Gratton returns and is a clear favourite based on his tenth place in the English National this year.

Ben Robinson, a World Masters medallist who was fifth last year, also returns and England should successfully defend the team title.

Ireland will be led by trials winner Conor McCaughey and they also field the 2020 Derby winner Serpentine's jockey Emmet McNamara, who is proving adept at running after his horse racing successes.

Scotland, led by Dave Wright, should also be team medal contenders.

M40

Former Reading Half-marathon winner James Connor won last year and returns again as one of the favourites.

England should do better than their third place in 2024, with trials winner Karl Darcy being another challenger as it was notable that recent European 5000m medallist Carl Hardman was only fourth in the trials.

Pierce Geoghegan, ninth last year, looks the best of the Irish while Iain Whitaker, fourth last year, should be Scotland's best hope.

M45

Alastair Watson won last year and should surely do so again based on his recent UK M45 half marathon record of 65:27, plus a near world best 14:32 5km.

Ireland won the team title last year and again look strong, as do 2024 medallists Scotland who had Neil Lafferty and World Masters steeplechase champion Grant Baillie in the top seven and they both return.

Most wins

Men

Mike Hager ENG 12

Tim Hartley ENG 8

Martin Ford ENG 7

Fred Gibbs ENG 6

Nigel Gates ENG 5

Women

Angela Copson ENG 14

Carmel Parnell IRL 11

Karen Marshall NIR 9

Clare Martin ENG 8

Fiona Matheson SCO 8

Clare Elms ENG 6

Nb. there is an open race after the four international events where friends, spectators and reserves can compete over the course which features the famous Hill 60.