A new men’s national cross country champion will be crowned at Botanical Gardens today.Current men’s champion Jay Donawa is out with a hamstring injury and will not be back to defend his crown this year.Expected to be in the hunt for the fireman’s vacant title is multiple Bermuda Day Half Marathon winner Chris Estwanik who is optimistic he will be equal to the task.“I’m feeling very good and really enjoying my running these days,” he said.The former US track runner is bracing himself for another bout with the gruelling six-mile men’s course.“I’m looking forward to the challenge of the hilly course which can be brutal,” he said. “It’s a very difficult course to settle into a rhythm on, you just have to grind your way through the entire time.”Also expected to be in contention for men’s honours is Sean Trott, who came third behind Donawa and Lamont Marshall in last year’s National Cross Country Championships. The ever-smiling runner set a new personal best (1.09.38) in last month’s Philadelphia Half Marathon and now hopes to pick up where he left off heading into today’s event.“I feel strong from my training and confident after my showing in the last race,” he said. “I’m also excited because it appears as though a lot of good runners will be there and I enjoy the competition.”Back to defend her women’s open crown is mother-of-two Ashley Estwanik, who is also in superb form at present.“Ashley is really enjoying her running and is happy to be back out there after having our second child,” commented husband Chris. “We are both feeling very good and setting our sights on what the Spring is going to bring for us.”Last year saw Donawa and Estwanik record comfortable wins in the open men’s and women’s divisions. James Keyes and Victoria Fiddick captured the men’s and women’s Masters titles.Today’s National Cross Country Championships, sanctioned by Bermuda Track and Field Association (BTFA), is again expected to feature some of the Island’s top junior boys and girls runners.Trey Simons and Taylor Ashley -Bean were crowned senior boys and girls champions in last year’s championships.Elsewhere, tomorrow will see the running of the annual Swan’s Turkey Trot 10K to commence at 9am.Stephen Alen and Christine Dotson were last year’s overall men’s and women’s winners.Alen led the men’s field home in 34 minutes and 45 seconds while Dotson hit the tape in 43 minutes and 17 seconds.