By finishing in sixth place in the English cross-country championships last Saturday, Wallasey Athletic Club youth team set an all-time high placing for a Wallasey team in the national championships.
In doing so, they also proved that they are second team in the North of England - by crushing all Northern opposition except the winners, Wakefield, who have won both the national and the area titles this year.
The Wallasey team thus fully vindicated themselves after their disappointing run in the Northern cross-country championships three weeks ago, when a travelsick team slumped from an expected medal performance to 6th team. From a record field of over 600 runners, in the English championships last Saturday, at Sutton Coldfield, Johnny Jones repeated his excellent Northern form to take 32nd place.
Dave Lockley was only seven seconds behind him, but such was the density of numbers that he was 16 places in arrears at the tape. Third home for Wallasey was Brian Knox, 28 seconds behind Dave, but in this field he was 106th, with Mel Schless 24 seconds and 39 places behind Brian. This gave Wallasey a total of 331 points, and placed them sixth behind Wakefield Harriers (111), Cambridge Harriers (210), Shaftesbury Harriers (217), Corby Town (249), and Hornsea (St. Mary) Harriers (312).
Placings of other Northern teams who had bettered Wallasey at Sheffield were: Airedale 9th team with 396 points, Longwood 10th (413 pts.), Leeds 19th (526 pts.), and Sale 15th (456),
Wallasey's only other runners were Phil Wealthy 303rd and Mike Teahan 625th in a senior field of nearly 1,000 runners.
The Wallasey club promote the Wallasey Schools' cross-country championships today but for the first time they will be 'cross-country' in name only, as the courses used in recent years, over the Bidston marshes, are out of the question because of new road workings. This year it is proposed to use a circuit of grassland, sandhills and road in the area of Green Lane.
Runners are warned that spikes will not be suitable for this course.
The first race is at 2.30 p.m., and officials are requested to be at the club H.Q. by 2 p.m.
The Lockley, Jones, Knox trio are competing in the Stretford cross-country relays today - the club were 7th last year, but a big improvement is expected today.
A cross-section of club members will be joining in the Wallasey Grammar School's 14-mile sponsored walk from the Town Hall tomorrow morning, 10.-10.30 a.m. start.
Social event of the month will be next Monday's Bowl and Buffet - names to C. W. Gee by 6 p.m. today.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 09/03/1968 by DISCOBOLUS
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