Both Jess and Matt have represented GB at world level with distinction, taking part in many World Cup races and making multiple appearances at the World Championships.  Jess made her debut at the World Championships on home ground in 2015, and has an impressive three top 20 placings at the World Championships (WOC) to her name, with a best of 15^th in the Middle Distance in Estonia in 2017.  Meanwhile Matt has made the Great Britain WOC team no fewer than eight times, with a debut as a first year senior in 2004 and a final appearance in Norway (where he now lives) in 2019.  That fifteen year span from 2004 to 2019 is testament to how long Matt has maintained his standard to compete the highest level, and he is one of very few athletes to have represented Great Britain at all of the sprint, middle, long and relay disciplines over a WOC career.

Both Jess and Matt intend to keep racing on the domestic scene and in the big club relays, and we wish them well for the future.

The members of the new 2021 Senior Squad are looking forward to next season’s calendar of international races, particularly after the cancellation of the entire international season in 2020. We very much hope that for 2021 we will see a successful return for the major competitions, and a chance for our athletes to show what they can do!

The 2021 World Championships in Czech Republic, originally scheduled to be Forest only, has now had Sprint and Mixed Sprint Relay added to the programme (given the cancellation of the Sprint only WOC in the 2020).  This takes place in July and is preceded by the Sprint European Championships being held in Switzerland in May.  These two Championships are the key targets for the GB team in 2021.

Later in the year there are World Cup rounds in Sweden and then in Italy, with the programme of races at these competitions predominantly forest disciplines.  Additionally there is a Euromeeting competition planned for Switzerland in September 2021, offering opportunities for training and racing ahead of the forest WOC being staged there in 2023.

Senior GB Squad

More details on the full squad are available here and you can read more about the GB talent and performance programmes here.