The annual Port Sunlight six mile road race, held last week, proved to be a most exciting event.
A good field of athletes started on the four lap course round the Lever Estate at Port Sunlight, in fine though windy weather, and Brian Woolford and John Wright were soon well up with the leaders who included Peter Thompson and Ron Carroll of Manchester A.C., and Bob Meadows of the Royal Navy and Sutton Harriers.
At the end of the first lap the runners were still quite close together, with Thompson and Meadows of the Royal Navy and Sutton Harriers.
At the end of the first lap the runners were still quite close together, with Thompson and Meadows in the lead and Woolford about three yards further back. Wright was running well despite a lack of training and John Young surprised many by his high placing. By the end of the second lap Thompson and Meadows had increased their advantage over Woolford to about ten yards, for Brian had realised that the pace was too fast and he bided his time. Stan Taylor - the international miler - began to move through the field at this stage and the team race was then over for Taylor was a Manchester runner. Wallasey's chance of a team prize faded shortly after, when Kevin Mather pulled out of the race.
On the third lap Meadows faded and Woolford stormed past, making a great effort to catch Thompson. Just before the end of the lap, on a long stretch of straight road Brian took the lead for the first time. He made great efforts to shake off the Manchester runner over the next one and a half miles but Thompson seemed attached by a chain, and with a quarter of a mile left these two runners, now over a hundred yards in front of Meadows, streaked down the road. Some thought that Brian had perhaps killed Thompson's fast finish with the fast pace over the last lap, but it was not so, and in the last 100 yards Thompson broke away to win by thirty yards in a time of 30 mins. 0.9 secs., Woolford was second in 30 mins. 15 secs., and Meadows third in 30 mins. 32 secs.
Manchester A.C., were team winners with 11 pts. (1st Thompson, 4th Taylor, 6th Carroll); Pembroke 'A' were second with 22 pts. (5, 8, 9), and Wirral third with 31 pts. (7, 11, 13).
Wallasey 'A' team was fourth with 46 pts. (2nd B. Woolford; 12th J. Wright; 32 A. Townsend), and Wallasey 'B' team recorded 89 pts. (19th J. Young); 26th B. Chalton; 34th H. Pritchard.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 21/04/1962 by P.W.C.
Ref 2250