The M62, through the snow peaked Pennines, provided the fast route to Roundhay Park, Leeds scene of this year's Northern Cross-Country Championships.
Wallasey Athletic Club had entered a boys' team, a youth team as well as individuals in the junior and senior races. Only two of the boys team travelled, Stuart Moran and Gary McEneany. The course was quite firm considering all the recent rainfall and the two-mile lap had only one long steep hill. The work done by the members up the hills around the area of the club certainly helped when attacking this one: It was about 80 metres long and inclined at 45 degrees. 57 clubs contested for the title of best club and 425 individuals for the best individual. Stuart finished 192nd and Gary 231st., both encouraging performances in their first major competition.
The youth team result was the one for which we were waiting. 44 teams entered and 385 individuals hoped to be a winner. Wallasey finished17th and only one other local club finished ahead of them, Liverpool Pembroke, who came 12th. Again our team, in their first year of the age group, were led home by Kevin McGee, who finished 55th. Rick Hemmings finished 107th and Tommy Boyd had a sprint finish with Dave Southern to finish 128th and 129th respectively.
The junior race only had one member of Wallasey competing in it: Rod Dixon, the club-captain, currently studying at Sheffield University. Rod finished 87th out of 361, which was 10 places lower down the field than last year, lack of adequate training being the main cause.
Bob Brimage, suffering with a stomach complaint, managed to finish the seven and a half miles of his race, but lost quite a few places during the last two miles. He finished 212th of the 895 people entered.
A few weeks rest are ahead for most of the club members, providing a chance to recharge batteries ready for the track season. Some will race in the odd road race or cross-country relay, but the youths have one more major competition - the race of the year, the National Cross-Country Championships at Parliament Hill, London.
We have achieved much this last year, but still have a long way to go. We know it and are constantly trying to improve ourselves.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 19/02/1977
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