Nopesport

If you're not one of the 2500 competitors already entered for this year's JK you have only a couple of days left before the entry prices are raised. As well as marking the second deadline for individual entries, February 21st also marks the first entry deadline for the Relay.

In the Men’s Elite classes the level of demand has caused organisers to impose a strict closing deadline of the 7th March, after which no late elite entries will be accepted. Due to the size of field a selection policy has been invoked and some entries will be moved to the relevant long class.

With the ease of access to the South East of England, this year’s event has attracted a strong elite field from across Europe and beyond including JK regular Øystein Kvaal Østerbø, Grace Elson, Daniel Hubmann, Christian Bobach, Damien Renard, Sandy and Holger Hott (Johansen).

As well as the foreign opposition, defending champions Oli and Jenny Johnson will be up against almost all of last year’s JK top 10 finishers which were entirely British. For the men this will include last year’s podium of Matt Speake, Graham Gristwood, Scott Fraser, Oleg Chepelin and Duncan Archer, along with others such as Matt Crane, Jon Duncan, Murray Strain and Duncan Coombs. In the women’s class the main British opposition will come from last year’s podium of Helen Winskill, Pippa Whitehouse, Rachael Elder, Laura Daniel along with others such as Mhairi Mackenzie, Helen Palmer, Becky Carlyle, Jo Stevenson and Karen Heppenstall.

Edinburgh University will face a tough test in defending their men’s relay title from last year, should Kristiansand and Wing join Delta on the start line while strong British teams are expected as ever from Octavian Droobers, South Yorkshire and Sheffield University. South Yorkshire will also face teams from Wing and Delta in the women’s relay, alongside Edinburgh and Sheffield Universities, Cleveland and Ebor.

Full information, including entry details and entry lists for individual and relays, can be found on the JK Website. Remember, next cut off is February 21st so get your entries in now!