Club Race Reports Season 1947-1948
Liverpool & District XC Union
Championships - Woolton - 31/01/1948 - Senior Men
Wallasey Athletic Club teams were placed in each category, youths, junior and senior when the Liverpool & District Cross-Country Championships were decided at Woolton last Saturday. It was the most successful day for the Wallasey club since it first competed in these championships over forty years ago.
In the youths' (under 18) race held over 3 miles R. Johnston, the team's captain ran a grand race showing superb judgment in finishing an easy first in front of the Liverpool Harriers, K. Marsden who earlier in the season won the West Lancashire Novice Championship, Johnston joined Wallasey Athletic Club on leaving Wallasey Grammar School in 1946 and has made steady progress since, his win on Saturday confirming the high opinion the local club have of him. G. A. Walker, finishing in bare feet, P. B. Mason and J. Hawkesley completed the team four to finish third. The junior (18 - 21) race run over five miles was noticeably slower than the youths and the field considerably smaller. W. E. Banks of Wirral A.C., a consistently good runner, was first home and his team gained first place also. H. Thompson and D. Kelly finished together in fifth place with sub-captain A. Simpson again running a fine race for 8th position. S. Trusswell, a comparative newcomer, ran very gamely to take 15th place and complete the Wallasey four to finish 2nd in the team placings.
All the finest Merseyside distance men turned out for the seniors championship scheduled to be held over 9 miles but ultimately found to be about eleven. It was a thrilling race throughout with the lead positions constantly changing. Liverpool Pembroke's two internationals, N. Jones and T. Holt, were both in action, the latter leading at one stage. The race was won by N. A. Graves of Wirral A.C., with his club mate J. J. Kay, a Jack Emery protégé second. N. Jones was third, K. Hall second to J. Edwards two years ago, fourth, D. Evans, Pembroke's champion, fifth and T. Holt sixth.
J. Edwards, Wallasey Athletic Club's captain, was with the leading bunch all the way and finished well in seventh place, gaining the medal awarded to the first man from an unplaced club. W. R. Bee ran steadily for 15th position, whilst E. C. Foster 20th, A. Dickinson 22nd, J. S. Arkless 26th, and J. M. Rimmer 30th completed the Wallasey team six which finished third. Liverpool Pembroke narrowly won the team title from Wirral A.C., R. McCaig of Wallasey ran well to finish behind Rimmer in his first senior championship.
Wallasey Athletic Club with 21 runners in the three events gained no fewer than ten medals a record in the annals of Wallasey athletics and a performance which raises the club to second ranking in Liverpool & District.
Cross Country Championships
Northern - Sherdley Park - 28/02/1948 - Senior Men
Big turnouts and high class running were seen in each of the three classes- youths, junior and senior - of the Northern Cross-Country Championships held at St. Helens last Saturday. About 200 runners representing 30 clubs started in the youths' race over three miles which was won by J. Hesketh of Manchester Athletic Club.
G. Saunders, the brilliant Bolton Harrier easily won the junior (6 miles) race with Royal Corps of Signals winning the team event. H. Thompson, of Wallasey A.C. ran extremely well giving his best performance to finish 13th.
In the senior championship (9 miles) Sutton Harriers outclassed the other 37 teams taking part. The field was nearly four hundred strong, but F. McMinnis of Sutton led every yard of the way to finish an easy first.
Wallasey Athletic Club finished teams in each race, 14th youths, 7th junior, and 16th senior, all in the upper half of the team placings.
