Wallasey Athletic Club ladies' captain, Barbara Banks, celebrated her selection for the Commonwealth Games potential athletes squad by winning the first northern counties cross-country league race at Blackburn on Saturday.
Barbara's selection causes no surprise to her Wallasey clubmates who can testify to the quality of her training sessions and as English native record holder over 3,000 metres on the track. This honour is just reward for her dedication to her sport.
The race at Blackburn, which covered a 2½ mile hilly course, left no doubt in anyone's mind as to the best cross-country runner in the North of England. Barbara took immediate control of the field and drew steadily away from a host of internationals to win by 200 yards in 16 minutes and 59 seconds from G. Tivey, Derby (17.29), and H. Herron, Stretford (17.31).
In the inter-girls' race over 2 miles, Wallasey's placings were: 10th, Sylvia Brimage; 35th, Susan Carter, 46th Gillian King and 53rd Lindsay Mutch, with the team in 7th position from the 19 teams who finished: 82 girls completed this course whilst in the junior section Wallasey were led home by tiny Gillian Ackers in 35th position.
WIN
Whilst the girls were racing at Blackburn, the boys were notching up their first win of the season at Warrington where Peter Martin (5th) led the Wallasey boys to a three points win over Pilkingtons (St. Helens), over a two-mile flat grassland course.
The Wallasey placings in this race were Alan Ostler (9th), Gwyn Griffiths (13th), and Mike Vick (20th) whilst senior Mike Teahan ran into 22nd place, of 58 finishers in the main 6 mile competition.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 01/11/1969 by Discobolus
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