At Rotheram last Saturday Wallasey A.C, competed in the Annual 8 x 4 mile Road Relay and finished in 5th position, a creditable performance when one considers the strength of the field.
The race was won by the Northern Cross-Country Champions, Manchester And District L.C.H., 2nd were Rotheram A.C., 3rd Longwood Harriers and 4th just 10 seconds ahead of Wallasey wore Sheffield United Harriers.
Ron Parry ran the first leg for Wallasey and whilst returning the respectable time of 19 minutes 57 seconds could only finish in 13th position, some 53 seconds behind the first man home. Parry handed over to John Wright who ran his usual well judged race to pull Wallasey up to 9th place with a run of l9 minutes 38 seconds, a time which proved to be the second fastest of the Wallasey team. On the third lap Wallasey pulled up yet again this time to sixth place due to a well run leg by Brian Chalton with a time of 20 minutes l7 seconds.
Brian Woolford was next away and put up the fastest Wallasey time of the day with 19 minutes 14 seconds a really fine leg this by Woolford which took Wallasey right into 5th position and only some 50 yards behind the 3rd team. On the 5th stage hopes were high to see Wallasey finish in 3rd place but unfortunately for Kevin Mather, Longwood put out Derek Ibbottson and Sheffield, Albert Barden both of whom ran extremely fast laps, Ibbottson in fact recorded the second fastest lap of the day with 19 mins 3 secs.
Mather ran a good lap to record 19 mins 58 sees but with the opposition on this leg lost ground. Ron Barlow ran the final stage for Wallasey and with the cause now appearing lost was content to consolidate the 5th place which he did returning l9 mins 43secs. Wallasey's total time for the 24 mile race was 118 mins 45 secs.
Running at Hull on Easter Monday in his first marathon of the season, Brian Woolford finished 4th in the very good time of 2 hrs. 22 mins. 41 secs. The winner was Ron Hill of Bolton, who returned the extremely fast time of 2 hrs 12 mins 19 secs, 2nd was Campbell of Essex Beagles and 3rd Wright of Derby, both of whom were less than a minute ahead of Woolford. The 5th man home, Jim Alder from Northumberland was a further six minutes behind Woolford. So it would appear from this very early season form that Woolford has every chance of gaining more International honours and also a possible trip to the Olympic Games later on this year.
Today, Wallasey have three teams in the Port Sunlight Village 6-mile Road Race. With only three to count for the team race it seems virtually certain that Wallasey will retain the title they won last year, Ron Barlow however will have a fight o his hands to retain his individual title. The race commences at 3 p.m.
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Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 04/04/1964 by “STEPTOE"
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