Wallasey Athletic Club took part in the West Lancashire Cross-Country championships, held last Saturday at Lancaster University.
The first of the few competitors from Wallasey who took part was Dave Jones, who ran in the colts race and finished in 43rd place. The senior race in the championship, is still held over nine miles. This acts as a deterrent to many who would run the shorter, but faster, and more usual seven miles. It also makes it necessary to stage a separate race for juniors and in this event Wallasey's Bob Brimage came in sixth place. Mike Teahan and Ron Stroud bravely completed their nine miles to come 62nd and 70th respectively.
In Leicester a few of the girl's represented Cheshire in the Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championship. Helen Taylor was 78th in the junior race and might have finished higher up the field had she not thought she had another leg to run.
Julie Halfpenny and Susan Lloyd ran in the intermediate race and finished about half-way down the field in 85th and 81st positions respectively. In this race Cheshire finished second.
The senior race was the last of the day and Cheshire were defending their title. Barbara Banks ran an improved race and after leading for much of it was overtaken by Jean Lochead of Yorkshire with a time of 20 minutes 39 seconds, and Penny Yule of Sussex with a time of 20 minutes 49 seconds, while Barbara in third place, had a time of 20 minutes 53 seconds, Margaret Ashcroft, never far behind, came in sixth with a time of 21 minutes 16 seconds.
Unfortunately the other two counters for Cheshire were way down the field and Cheshire only managed to finish sixth. Club member Janice Watts who had been chosen to run for Lancashire in this event unfortunately had flu.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 03/02/1973
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