Four of the younger members of Wallasey Athletic Club competed for Wallasey Technical Grammar School last Saturday in the Northern Schools' Cross-Country Championships over a hilly 3¾ miles course, at Lyme Park, Disley, Manchester.
Gary Fair engaged in a shrewd battle with the North's best runners and finished in fifth position. He must now be a favourite for one of the first three places in the 1969 championship, next spring, when he will still be an intermediate. Neither Bob Brimage, who has only been training lightly, nor Bob Warburton realised his full potential, finishing 27th and 53rd.
Paul Hughes, likewise, was not fully conditioned and came home in 106th position.
The, team's remaining runners, R. McGunn and P. Catheral, were 74th and 95th, contributing to the team's placing of 3rd out of 88 teams comprising over 500 runners.
On the same day the Athletic Club's seniors had the season's first taste on cross-country in the first Liverpool & District League race at Woolton Woods, Woolton.
Dave Lockley and John Jones ran true to form, returning in 15th and 19th positions, with times of 28 mins. 59 secs., and 29:10.
Mike Teahan ran a well-judged race, coming 43rd, in 30:21, and Phil Wealthy was 64th in 31:25 having faded in the latter stages.
Alan Keating made a further step in his return to fitness and regard must be had to this respectable time of 33:05, rather than to his deceptively low position of 88th. Doug Hanna retired, towards the middle stages.
The race was over 5½ miles, with 103 finishers, the winner being former member Ron Barlow with a time of 27:43. Alan's brother, Phil Keating, ran well in finishing 11th in the boys' race.
There are inter-club races at St. Helens this Saturday for all men's age groups, starting at 2.45 p.m.
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Source - Wallasey News - Friday, 25/10/1968
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