The West Lancashire Championships took place at Arrowe Park on Saturday, 28 January.
The weather was a great improvement on previous weeks, though the course was very muddy.
In the colts' race, Mike King again ran well being the first counter home for Wallasey, finishing in ninth position. In 16th position, Mark Yates had an excellent run. Paul Backhouse and Jason Stead completed the team positions in 26th and 38th. Dave Penny ran well, finishing in 46th place.
The boys' race had the Wallasey team racing very well and fielding a team of eight runners. In 24th position, Andrew Pennington was again first counter and continues to improve all the time.
Mark Cooper ran well but faded in the last mile and finished 30th. The best run came from David Neil in 34 with Nigel Thompson being chased all the way home by Rob Howarth in 45 and 48 respectively. Other team placings were Hugh Samuels 54th, Tim Carr 59th, and a newcomer to the club, Steven Austin, in 62nd.
In the youths' race, Peter Doyle was first counter home in 18th with Dave Pendleton 26th and Ian Wiggins 34th.
James Downey in the junior men's race was having his first fun since being injured in the Cheshire Championships. James ran well to finish in 26th, with Paul Taylor of Copeland winning the race and showing that he's just as strong as a junior as when he was in the youths' race last year.
The senior race saw the biggest field ever for a West Lancs. Championship with some 235 finishers. Pete Lonsdale turned the tables on Bob Brimage coming home in 74th position. Dave Baker was 87th, not quite able to hold on to Pete's pace in the latter stages of the race. Bob Brimage finished 99th. Gordon Rowe, in only his second race for the club, ran well and came home in 152nd. Bob Phillips 163rd, and Andy Skinner 168th, completed the scorings. Alan Johnson was 174th, Tommy Cooper 197th, John Winrow 232nd and Roy Scammell 234th. These completed the team line-up.
On the following day, Wallasey A.C. girls were competing in the Northern Women's Cross-Country Championships at Clarkes Garden in Liverpool. Thankfully, the sun shone for most of the day, making it a very pleasant afternoon's outing.
The minor girls was the first event of the day, fielding the largest entrance of all the day's races of 400 young runners. All started together over a fairly hilly course of just under two miles.
Wallasey has six girls in this event, who all did well and finished fairly close together in the first half of the field. First counter home for the club was Joanne Johnson in 161st, followed very closely by Leisel Phillips, who had a very good run to finish 163rd. Next was Emma Derwent in 189th, with Vicky Duckworth only one place behind in 190th. Collette Winstanley was in 200th and Lisa Eckersley in 273rd.
The next event was the junior girls. This race was also just under two miles and saw Lisa O'Hara finishing in 191st position out of a field of approximately 250.
The final event of the day was the senior ladies race of just under three miles, by which time the sun was disappearing and there was a chill in the air. In a field of about 115, Wallasey had two competitors, the first home being Sue Knight to finish in 106th. This was Sue's first cross-country race, which she thoroughly en-joyed and hopefully will be the first of many. The other Wallasey girl, Jane Dyer, finished in 115th and did well to complete the course.
This event ended a very pleasant day and it was good to see some of the lads coming along to offer their support to the girls. Thanks also to all others who came along to support.
Wallasey Athletic Club meet every Monday and Tuesday night at Wallasey Rugby Club, Cross Lane, Wallasey at 7 p.m. and every Wednesday at Woodchurch Community Centre at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in joining should contact Alan Johnson, club captain, on 638 3435.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 04/02/1984
Ref 1990