England & Wales shine at the 2025 European Prison Service Cross Country Championships Dusseldorf, Germany. October 4th 2025
- PSSA Admin
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Rain poured relentlessly over the forest trails, but spirits were anything but dampened as the 2025 European Prison Service Cross Country Championships got underway. Despite the sodden conditions, 111 determined runners (65 men and 46 women) lined up to represent their nations.
This year’s event saw 11 European teams battle it out over the 5k (women’s) and 10k (men’s) distances:
Austria
Denmark
England & Wales
France
Germany
Ireland
Northern Ireland
Norway
Netherlands
Spain
Sweden
Despite the downpour, the England & Wales team delivered standout performances across both events.
Men’s 10k highlights
Josh Burgess stormed to 1st place, leading the pack once more! Jonathan Kearsley followed closely in 4th, with Jason Holberry securing 12th. Strong efforts from Aaron Samway (23rd), Simon Haywood (39th), Daniel Turner (40th), and Jeffery Evens (50th) rounded out the team.
Team Result:
England & Wales men’s A Team (Josh Burgess, Jonathan Kearsley, Jayson Holberry) took 1st place overall.
England & Wales men’s B Team (Aaron Samway, Simon Haywood, Daniel Turner) placed 12th, showing depth and determination.
Women’s 5k highlights
Louise Ambler made a good comeback after injury finishing in 11th place. Raquel Salmeron Jaen (12th) and Deborah Stevens (16th) followed closely. Lucy Marchi (22nd) and Rachael Pepper (25th) added solid performances to the team’s tally.
Team Result:
England & Wales women’s team (Louise Ambler, Raquel Salmeron Jaen, Deborah Stevens) secured a strong 4th place finish overall.
Looking Ahead: 2026 Championships
The next European Prison Service Cross Country Championships will be hosted by Northern Ireland from 16th - 18th October 2026.
To qualify for the England & Wales team, runners will need to compete in the qualifying race at Newbold Revel on Wednesday 11th March 2026. The top 4 female and top 6 male finishers will qualify to represent the service at the 2026 championships.
Congratulations once again to all runners, it has been a truly memorable event!
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