Emmerson is highest ranking Briton

Emmerson joined a GB team of 11 juniors aged 15 to 18 to compete against 30 nations and over 350 competitors at Bugeat in the Limousin area of France.

At the sprint staged in Meymac town centre, she finished 12th out of 85 starters in 12min 24sec in the W16 event, 48 seconds behind the winner and was the highest placed GB finisher.

Saturday’s testing 4.7k long distance course in forests with marshy areas and steep rocky slopes at Viam Lestards saw Emmerson finish seventh, again out of 85, in 42:30, just over five minutes behind the winner.

On the third day, Emmerson’s team finished tenth in the relays after the Octavian Droobers youngster handed over to the second-leg runner in third place.

Her form in France and a winter of technical training alongside coach Riina Kuuseld now see Emmerson topping Great Britain’s W16 rankings.