THE European Athletic Association are hoping a constructive suggestion from Paula Radcliffe will persuade UK Athletics to back proposals for a change in the date of their annual cross country championships.

Despite strong initial support, the quality of fields contesting the meeting each December have drastically dwindled.

Even before their European Championships in Munich, the EAA suggested a February date would be far more ideal, particularly from the athletes' perspective given the IAAF World Championships are traditionally held during the last weekend of March.

Radcliffe, who won her first senior international title at the 1999 event, said: "To be honest, I think that the timing for the European (Cross Country) Championships is wrong.

"Possibly mid-to-late February would provide a good build up to the World Championships."

Indeed an ailing turn-out for today's championships in the Croatian seaside resort of Medulin is again uninspiring, with nearly all of the continent's elite distance runners - including Radcliffe - giving it the cold shoulder.

But at a specially convened meeting of the EAA Cross Country Commission, UK representatives have argued a change would destroy the long-established British winter timetable.

The high-profile Inter Counties in early February and English 'National' a month later are the accepted preparatory races for the World Championships.

Clearly ditching the present December date would downgrade those British events, with the European Cross Country Championships then becoming a key factor in final selections for the worlds.

Paulo Guerra of Portugal entered today's race hoping to win a fifth gold medal, while defending champion Ukrainian Sergey Lebed was chasing a third victory.

Jon Brown, winner in 1996, heads the British challenge.

, although Spain - led by European 10,000 metres champion Jose Manuel Martinez - look strong enough to deny them recapturing the team title Britain won three years ago.

Yamna Belkacem, winner of last year's race, failed to make the French squad.

That leaves the gate open for the Russian silver medallist in Thun, Olga Romanova, to move-up a position.

Liz Yelling heads the British team challenge, who for the last two years they have emerged with silver medals.