K. A. Westmore. the former Liverpool University champion, will run as an individual for Wallasey Athletic Club in the Senior Northern Cross-Country Championship at Leyland to-day.
The Junior (aged 21) team, which was third in the recent West Lancashire Championships, will again represent Wallasey A.C. in the Junior race. This team will still be without the services of W. P. Davey, the former Liverpool & District Junior Champion, who has been showing very good form this season. His absence is extremely unfortunate in view of the fact that this is his last season as a Junior runner.
The train to Leyland is at 12-20 p.m. from Lime-street Station and the fare is 2/8 return.
C. F. Peers, with a handicap allowance of 2 mins. 30 secs., easily won the twice-postponed New Year's Handicap over a 4½ miles course at Leasowe last Saturday.
His win was consistent with the good form he has been showing during the season, and if he chooses to extend himself he should run prominently in the Liverpool & District Championships next Saturday.
F. K. Ledward, 2 mins. 15 secs, allowance, ran well to finish second, and was followed home by the one and only active vice-president of Wallasey Athletic Club, R. G. Hyde, who was in receipt of nine minutes from the scratch man. After the race he said, "I stopped two or three times just to get my bearings, but my sweater and N. Marples gave me quite a warm time over the last quarter mile." N. Marples registered the extremely fast time of 23 mins. 56 secs, over the 4¼ miles, which gives an average speed of just over 5¼ mins. per mile. He finished fourth and received 15 secs start. Some amazing close figures were obtained by various runners in comparison with the Christmas Handicap, which was held over the same course. G. K. Andrew clocked exactly the same time, namely 24 mins. 32 secs., which gives some idea of the consistently good performances which this nicely built young runner is putting in. A. J. Clough's time was also exactly the same. 26 mins. 52 secs., although there is obviously still more room for improvement in his case. J. A. Pritchard, the Christmas Handicap winner, was three seconds slower, J. M. Rimmer was five seconds slower, and D. Grisdale, with another excellent effort, was only two seconds slower, his time being 25 mins. 2 secs. T. J. Williams, one of the youngest runners in Wallasey Athletic Club, ran well to finish 6th, and was not far behind, whilst J. Edwards showed that he is getting back to form again by turning in a time of 24 mins. 18 secs. off the actual scratch mark, and although this was second fastest time his position in the finishing list was 12th.
Results:-
Finishing Actual
Time A'wance. Time.
m. s. m. s. m. s.
1 - C. F. Peers 23.04 2.30 25.34
2 - F. K. Ledward 23.24 2.15 25.39
3 - R. G. Hyde 23.40 9.00 32.40
4 - N. Marples 23.41 0.15 23.56
5 - G. K. Andrew 23.47 0.45 24.32
6 - T. J. Williams 23.50 4.30 28.20
7 - J. M. Rimmer 23.55 3.00 26.55
8 - D. Grisdale 24.02 1.00 25.02
9 - A. J. Clough 24.07 2.45 26.52
10 - J. A. Pritchard 24.13 2.00 26.13
Next Saturday the Liverpool & District Championships will be decided from Messrs. Bibby and Co's, Ltd. ground at Court Hey, Broadgreen, and the Wallasey Athletic Club teams have good chances of being placed in all of the three events.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 25/02/1939
Ref 2624