A special film with of the world's top athletes training in the camps at the European and the Commonwealth Games of 1962 will be shown by Denis Watts, Chief Coach to the British teams, at the Y.M.C.A., Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, on Friday next at 7.45 p.m.
The opportunity of seeing these great performers doing their homework through the eyes of our No. 1 Coach must not be missed.
All athletes, officials, and coaches, whether in clubs or at schools, will be welcome, women athletes as well. Admission tickets are not required.
Nearly 1,800 entries for the senior National Cross-Country Championship are reported for March 2. but less than half that number intend really to face the starter at Cambridge. The published figures include all the reserves entered by each team, which make up a high percentage of the entry, and many of these will not even be present as spectators.
From Merseyside, Cambridge is not the most accessible of venues, nor is the journey the cheapest, but our clubs will, nevertheless, have a good representation.
The youths' teams, at least, will be sent on their way by their clubs on Friday evening, while the remainder willl face a crack of dawn start on Saturday.
In this respect, Liverpool's hope, Mike Turner, has an advantage - he is already there, and has had ample opportunity of studying the course. He trains frequently with Tim Johnston, the Inter-Counties winner, who has struck such a winning patch that he is regarded as the chief opponent of the holder, Gerry North.
Indeed, Johnson has beaten North again since his brilliant run at Reading, but we have yet to see the Cambridge star pushed to the full nine miles distance. Much no doubt will be revealed in to-day's Southern championship where the two will meet, but on a shorter distance, two miles on the road in an inter-colleges relay. Turner was no less than 15 seconds faster than Johnston.
Even allowing for possible inaccuracies in the road measurement, Turner's performance of 9 minutes dead was a fine piece of running.
Wallasey A.C. so deadly in team races with three to count, won the St. Asaph to Rhyl road race by scoring 14 points to Birchfield's 19 and Blackpool's 34. Ron Barlow, by finishing third behind Craig and Kileen, demonstrated again that the road is his best medium and he received excellent support from his team mates, Brian Woolford 5th and John Wright 6th Wirral A.C. finished 4th, their counters being D. Biddle 10, D. Jeffs 13, and T. M. Harper 15.
The open seven miles road race promoted by Sutton Harriers will be held this year on March 23, starting from the club headquarters, Chester Lane, Marshalls Cross, at 3 p.m. There are team awards as well as those for the individual race but all competitors must enter separately as individuals.
Entries should be sent to N. Ashcroft, 16 Davids Avenue, Warrington, before March 11.
Warrington A.C. are to hold two cross-country relays on March 30 at Victoria Park. They are for boys' and youths' teams of four, each runner covering one lap of the park. The short one mile stages will make for frequent change-overs which will help to maintain the interest throughout. Entries should be on A.A.A. team forms, and must be sent to R. Stringfellow, 43 MiII Lane, Warrington, to reach him no later than March 18.
Improvement in the standard of officiating on the track is the constant aim of the N.C.A.A.. and the written test paper of 20 questions, without a pass in which no new official may be added to the District list will be set a Liverpool on an early date in March.
There are separate examination papers for track judges, field judges, starters, timekeepers, and tug-of-war judges. All have 20 questions based on the published A.A.A. Rules for Competitions.
Candidates may choose their own subject. Those who should like to sit for the test are invited to write to the secretary at 42 Mimosa Road, Liverpool 15.
Despite an improvement in the weather, Warrington A.C. have been forced to cancel the second of their Winter track training meetings, due to be held at Victoria Park next week-end.
Ends
Source - Liverpool Echo - Saturday, 16/02/1963 by J.C.RICE
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