VICTORIA Wilkinson has been named in the Great Britain team for this year’s World Long Distance Running Championships.

The 38-year-old from Hebden earned her place by winning the recent Three Peaks Race in a new women’s record time of 3hrs 9mins 19 sec.

The championships are being held at Premana in Italy on August 6 and Wilkinson is expecting a tough race.

She said: “The course borders Lake Como and has three peaks, the second one being particularly tough with 800m of vertical ascent.

“It will be a real test, but at least the course is shorter than the one we raced on in Slovenia last year which was 40km long. This one is 30km and should suit me better.” Wilkinson, who will have her first competitive run since the Three Peaks in the English Fell Running Championship race at Barnoldswick on Saturday, is still weighing up whether to try and win a place in the European Long Distance Championship team.

The trial race is at Keswick on June 4 with the event taking place in Slovenia two weeks later.

“I am not sure yet of my plans,” said Wilkinson. “I want to get some training in the Alps and take a look at the Italian course before the World Long Distance Championship, so taking on the Europeans may be asking too much.

“I need to think carefully about my racing schedule and my preparation because I want to be at my best for the race in Italy.”