BLACKBURN Harrier Pauline Powell is aiming for a top-six finish in the national trials tomorrow to book her place at the World Cross-Country Championships next month.

Powell will run in the four kilometre invitation race in the final leg of the Reebok Cross Challenge Series at Nottingham's Wollaton Park.

The 25-year-old needs to finish in the first three to be selected automatically for the World Championships in Belfast with the other three athletes in the Great Britian team being chosen by the selectors. But Powell has a secondary target in mind as well.

"I am hoping to be in the first six because then you get to go to the championships with three running as reserves," she said.

And she believes that is a realistic target. "My training is going alright really and I am running quite well.

"I have heard the course has quite a hill in it and I like hills," added Powell, whose full-time training schedule includes twice daily sessions and up to 60 miles a week.

Powell, who lives in Nelson, made her England debut a couple of weeks ago when finishing 10th in an IAAF event in Belgium on the back of impressive runs in earlier rounds of the Reebok series.

But a place in the Great Britain team would cap that to end the cross-country season on the highest possible note before Powell switches her attention to the track season and her ultimate target of a place in the 1,500m at the Sydney Olympics. Tomorrow at Nottingham, Powell will represent the north in the invitation race so can't represent Lancashire in the inter-counties championship which forms part of the meeting.

However, 17 athletes from East Lancashire Clubs will represent the county's girls and ladies' teams.

Under 13 Girls: Anne Smith (Park High School), Victoria Snape (Chorley Harriers), Anna Brooks (Hyndburn), Rachel Holt (Hyndburn), Candy Hamilton (Hyndburn).

Under 15 Girls: Lisa Richardson (Chorley AC), Carol Glover (Burnley), Katie Ingram (Chorley Harriers), Emma Ellis (Park High School), Hayley Bullen (Hyndburn).

Under 17 Girls: Victoria Rusius (Pendle), Katie Trickett (Pendle), Rachel Parker (Pendle), Sarah Wilmott (Blackburn Harriers).

Senior Ladies: Bev McWade (Clayton), Elain Leonard (Chorley Harriers), Christina Lewis (Clayton).

In the senior men's inter-county race, Rossendale's Mark Aspinall and Billy Burns of South Ribble represent Lancashire.

Others selected are: Junior men: Matthew Neild, Mick Samuels (Blackburn), Nick Lloyd (Chorley).

Under 17: Robert Barton, Liam Barton, Jonathan O'Dea, Ben Fish (reserve), (Blackburn), Lee McCash (Pendle), Nick Suggett (South Ribble).

Under 15: Kieran Rowlands, David McKinlay (reserve), (Blackburn), Matthew Rose, David Riley (Pendle), Gavin Cooper (Chorley).

Under 13: Michael Hall, Richard Benson, Robert Entwistle (reserve), (Blackburn), James Rusius (Pendle).

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