Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo is favourite to win the IAAF Cross Country Permit race in Albufeira ©IAAF/ANOC

The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Cross Country Permit nine-race season is set to conclude tomorrow in the Portuguese city of Albufeira with the European Champion Clubs Cup.

The 42nd edition of the Almond Blossom Cross Country in Albufeira will be the final race in the 2018-2019 IAAF Cross Country Permit season and the last major competition before the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus on March 30. 

The event will also be part of the European Champion Clubs Cup.

Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda will be the favourite to win the men's race having triumphed in four races so far this season.

The 18-year-old won the season opener in Atapuerca before doing the same in Soria, Alcobendas and Seville. 

Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo has won four IAAF Cross Country Permit races this season, including in Seville ©IAAF/ANOC
Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo has won four IAAF Cross Country Permit races this season, including in Seville ©IAAF/ANOC

Kiplimo will be competing for the Italian team Casone Noceto Club tomorrow. 

Sporting Clube de Portugal dominated in the European competition last year in Mira, this year again boasting a line-up of strong athletes.

Challenging Kiplimo in the men's event will be last year's winner Davis Kiplangat of Kenya, Turkey's Ramazan Özdemir, Spain's Ayad Lamdassen and Belgium's Robin Hendrix.

In the women's race, Sporting Clube de Portugal are fielding Jessica Augusto, Sara Moreira and Catarina Ribeiro of Portugal, alongside Kenya's Fancy Cherono. 

The defending champion of the woman's event, Katarzyna Rutkowska of Poland, will be racing for KS Podlasie Bialystok.