Pickering has barged past his more famous British 100m rivals

Sprinting tyro Craig Pickering will be hoping to inspire Great Britain's men's team to another European Cup win in Munich this weekend.

Britain's men won the Cup the last time it was held in Munich 10 years ago.

The 20-year-old Pickering heads a team aiming to improve on last year's third place, despite the late withdrawal of long jumper Chris Tomlinson.

The GB women's side are in Finland attempting to win promotion to the main competition after relegation last year.

Pickering makes his senior international debut in the 100m, having clocked a personal best of 10.22 seconds this season, and comes up against European silver medallist Russian Andrey Yepishin.

In the 200m, 2003 indoor world champion Marlon Devonish is up against Germany's Tobias Unger, the man who took his world crown in 2005, and who has the fastest season's best in the field.

I think we should definitely go up - but it depends what happens on the day Goldie Sayers

But European Indoor triple jump gold medallist Phillips Idowu will start as favourite in the triple jump, having already beaten Olympic champion Christian Olsson this season.

The reigning men's champions are France, with 110m hurdles world champion Ladji Doucoure in their ranks.

They will also face stiff competition from Russia and pre-event favourites Germany.

France's Marc Raquil, who won the 400m last year and then anchored the 4x400m relay team to another win, said: "It will be a major task to defend our trophy.

"But pride won it last year and if we can get a team together like last year again then I am sure we will have a chance."

The GB women's hopes at the First League 'A' match in Vaasa, Finland, will rest heavily on Jo Pavey.

She has been chosen for her Commonwealth silver medal-winning distance of 5,000m, just a week before she will attempt to gain the qualifying standard over 10,000m for the World Championships.

Newly crowned British javelin record holder Goldie Sayers is confident that she can play a leading role in the team's attempt to regain Super League.

She said: "I think we should definitely go up - but it depends what happens on the day.

"We had quite a few blips last year with some people falling and that kind of thing, which makes a massive kind of difference."