The Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on the numbers at running events this year, but Sean Trott is happy for whatever competition he can get when he puts his title on the line in the National Cross-Country Championships at the Arboretum on Saturday.

Trott won last year’s open category, beating Spencer Butterfield over the Botanical Gardens course by more than a minute.

So far, two days before the registration deadline, Dage Minors and Domico Watson have signed up to offer a challenge to Trott in the final race of the shortened series. The open men category will compete over a 5.5-mile course.

“I’m excited that at least we’re still able to do the series this year, even with the pandemic,” Trott said.

“I’m glad we still had some racing, it’s definitely been different with the way it starts, but that has made it much safer.

“I know in the last few years not too many of the top guys have been coming out for the championships so it is good to have people like Dage and Domico coming out.

“It adds a little bit more excitement to it than just going out there and running to get a time. I always look forward to any competition I can get.”

Last year it was just Trott and Butterfield in the open race while Gayle Lindsay was the lone open competitor for the women. She has not yet signed up to defend her title. “There has been a good bit of races this fall, though, I did the Hannover Re half-marathon a few weeks ago, the Man On The Run 5K and, of course, the cross-country series,” Trott added.

“I put in a bit more training over the summer anticipating that there might be a cross-country or fall racing season, so I was glad I could put the training to use.“I will definitely anticipate Dage putting in a strong effort, I know he always runs very strong, so I know it will be a fast race.”

By the time of print, some 64 runners had signed up in the various age groups.

Tommy Marshall, second to Kahzi Sealey in the under-17 race last year, and J’Auza James, third, have both signed up for that age group.

They will be joined in that age group by Eoghan Homan, the under-14 winner last year.

In girls under-17 race, Meron Simons is looking to defend her title.

Jezhari Talbot, fifth last year, will be one of her main competitors.

Daria Desmond, who won the girls under-14 race in 2019, has now stepped up to the under-17s where she will be joined by Adrian Argent, fourth in the under-14s last year.

Racing begins at 8am.