The twenty-first annual cross-country championships, formerly under the name of the Liverpool & District C.C.A., but now under the auspices of the West Lancashire C.C.A., were decided on Saturday, in Knowsley Park, Prescot.
The home lands of the Derby family never looked more beautiful. The snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even. The spinneys and the ice-covered lake in the background formed a perfect picture.
The junior race, commenced first, had attracted entries from Lancaster Park, Lancaster Primrose, Liverpool H. & A.C., Liverpool Boundary, Liverpool Gymnasium, Preston, Ravenhead, Richmond, Runcorn Tally-ho, Rylands Workmen's Recreation Club, (Warrington), Sacred Heart (St. Helens), St. Helens Parish Church, St. Helens Recs., Sutton, Wallasey, and Warrington. Each team ran ten men, of whom six were to count. The pack formed a dainty picture as they moved into the undulated park, of which they had to negotiate four laps - 7½miles. The sun shone brightly on the varied colours, and though the going was heavy, the air was exhilarating. There was no plough, but the frozen snow in itself was a heavy test of stamina. By the end of the first lap W. Wharton, Ravenhead H., had detached himself from the main body, and with a clear lead, continually increasing looked to be indeed the prospective winner. He never faltered. His stamina for a light-built lad was unexceptionable, and eventually he cantered home an easy winner. The fight for club honours was such a fine duel that Ravenhead and Warrington dead-heated with the score of 85 points each. Placings:-
1, W. Wharton, Birkenhead 43 11
3, J. Dutton, Runcorn T.H 43 45
4, F. Shadwell, Warrington 43 52
5, S. Chamberlain, Lancaster Park. 44 1
6, C. Thompson, Liverpool B'dary 44 9
Clubs (equal) Raven head (Wharton 1, Hill 12, Crane 15, Wilcock 17, Yates 18, Platt 22), 85; Warrington (Shadwell 4, Hands 8, Thornily 9, Scott 14, Litherland 19, Rawlinson 29), 85; 3, Wallasey (Young 2, Spence 10, Scott 14, Scoins 20, Baker 24, Bale 32), 102.
Six clubs contested the senior event, these being Warrington (holders), Sutton, Sacred Heart (St. Helens), with Liverpool Gymnasium, Wallasey and West Cheshire. Last year's winner, Vose (Warrington), being on the sick list, this made the club honours an open question, and left the individual championship to a newcomer. A keen fight was in progress from the pistol shot. The fast dash down the first slope brought to the front a number of the best men. Their fight during the first two laps saw A. G. Roberts, brother of a former winner, leading from two other Liverpool men, W. H. Begg and J. Guntrip. At the end of the third lap of the 9½ miles' journey Begg had established an 80 yards' lead from Roberts, with Guntrip still third, and Holbrook and Siddall in close attendance. This order of the leaders held good until the last lap was entered upon. Then Roberts took the bit between his teeth, believing himself to be the good big 'un destined to beat the good little 'un, Begg. He simply ate up the distance dividing him from the Sutton Club man, and after a desperate duel took the lead, which he extended so as to run out a good winner by 100 yards. Sutton in wresting the club honours from Warrington, made the Rudge-Whitworth Cup his own property, this being their third success. Placings:-
1, A. G. Roberts, West. Cheshire 53 27
2, W. H. Begg, Sutton 53 42
3, H. Holbrook, Warrington 54 10
4, J. Guntrip, West Cheshire 54 27
5, J. Rimmer, West Cheshire 54 44
6, J. Siddall, Warrington 54 51
Clubs, 1, Sutton (Begg 2, Harrison 7, Smart 8, Welding 9, Brown 12, Morris 14), 52; 2, West Cheshire (Roberts 1, Guntrip 4, Rimmer 5, Small 15, Furniss 16, Walker 18), 59; 3, Warrington (Holbrook 3, Siddall 6, Bolton 11, Turton 13, F. Antrobus 21, W. Antrobus 22), 76.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 10/02/1912
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