HEBDEN'S Victoria Wilkinson will compete for Great Britain in next month's European Mountain Running Championships after a surprise win in the selection race.

The 36-year-old has been dogged by foot injuries over the winter but produced a fine performance in the Lake District on Sunday to clinch her return to the international team for the first time in three years.

She used her strength and experience to put up a great battle up the 7k uphill course from Glenridding in Patterdale to near the summit of Raise.

And her performance means she will be part of the four-strong Great Britain team for the championships in

Madeira, Portugal on July 4.

Wilkinson came out on top to win the closely fought race by just 13seconds from Ambleside's Annie Conway with her BIngley Harriers team-mate Emma Clayton – a World Mountain Running medallist from 2013 – in third place.

The fourth member of the team will be international marathon runner Rebecca Robinson.

Wilkinson said: "I was as surprised as any one to win. I wasn't sure how I would go after the injuries and it was a tough uphill course with a strong wind to contend with.

"Having missed out on the Three Peaks – which was one of my goals for the season – I decided to enter the selection race.

Because of the injury I have been doing a lot of cross training to keep fit and that certainly helped.

"I am better on an uphill only course as strength is more of a factor and the race went well for me. In fact, it went well for the team as a whole because we all finished close together and if we can do that in Madeira we may well have a good chance of a medal."

Wilkinson, who is the reigning women's English and British Fell champion, is hoping she can add to the two team medals she has won at previous European Championships.

"It is going to be an uphill course with a lot of steps and climbing. The European runners are usually very quick and I reckon the elbows will have to be out at the start as everybody battled for position," said Wilkinson.