Last Sunday, Wallasey Athletic Club took part in the first round of the Cheshire Cross-Country League, with some members having also run in a schools' inter-counties race the previous day.
Lynne Kennedy demonstrated the excellent form which she is currently in by finishing fifth in the Cheshire League, after having gained an outstanding second place in the schools race. Lynne represented Merseyside in the English Schools Cross-Country Championships last year and looks set to comfortably gain selection again this year.
Wallasey finished a full senior team in the league race, as Lisa O'Hara and Anne Brimage ran well behind Lynne, in finishing 35th and 39th respectively. The girls also completed a team in the under-13 race, with Joanne Johnson first home in 16th position, having finished a creditable 34th the previous day. Collette Winstanley was next running well to finish 19th, with Emma Derwent completing the team in 28th.
Phil Winstanley, Ken Gibbon and Ian Johnson were 30th, 33rd and 49th respectively in the under 11 boys' race in Wallasey's best showing in the age group this season. Geoff Nuttall continued his recent improvement in gaining fourth place in the under-15 race, with Nigel Thompson running well for seventh. Paul Backhouse was displeased at finishing 14th in the same race, though Hugh Samuels, having recently resumed training after a long lay-off, was pleased to finish 19th.
Pete Lonsdale led home a team of 12 Wallasey runners in the senior race, his 19th place being eight positions better than his highest placing in the competition last season. Bob Brimage was next in 36th place, while Ken Gibbon, dropped back after an ambitious start, though s gained a good position in coming 51st. James Downey completed the scoring in 55th, with Gordon Rowe and Pete Smith also producing good runs in coming in 57th and 69th.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Thursday, 20/12/1984 by J. DOWNEY.
Ref 2016