Wallasey Athletic Club had two fine individual successes when the West Lancashire Cross-Country championships were contested last Saturday over a snow-covered course at Leyland.
In the main senior event Cheshire champion Ron Barlow was quickly in the leading group in company with Peter Hall of Barrow A.C. and Dave Swarbrick Blackpool, both of whom were in the first dozen home in the recent inter-counties championships.
These two pulled steadily away with Swarbrick eventually winning with a sustained burst of speed which obviously stemmed from his track running last summer which left Barlow hanging on tenaciously to Hall to finish a very good third and nearer to these two national class runners than most people expected.
With the Northern championships next Saturday being held over a very hilly course at Blackburn, Ron's powerful running may well close the gap still further, which would enhance Wallasey's team chances as it is hoped that this will be one of those rare occasions when Wallasey will field their strongest team.
With the absence last Saturday of Kevin Mather, Wallasey were never really in the team race despite good running by John Wright 9th & Brian Chalton 15th, Brian Woolford 17th and Tony Townsend 36th clearly did not relish the conditions but John Young in 45th position put in a commendable effort in his first 9 mile race to make up Wallasey's scoring six with stalwart Hugh Pritchard once again backing up in the sixties.
Wallasey's other individual success was in the Youth race when Peter Meldrum followed up his win in the Liverpool & District with a magnificent victory over Connor of Liverpool Harriers who last year was seventh in the All England Schools championships and was a few weeks ago third in the Lancashire county championship.
After lying third for the first two miles Meldrum moved in behind Connor with a mile to go and proceed to put him under such pressure that when they entered the finishing field he was only five yards behind with Connor spurting desperately to maintain his lead. Meldrum would not be denied and hanging on until the finishing tape was only fifty yards distant. He then lengthened his stride to produce a winning surge which took him over the line with only a yard to spare. Peter has been developing steadily over the past two years under the guidance of senior John Wright and here indeed Wallasey have a splendid potential senior distance runner. Well done, Peter.
Wallasey's other finishers in Dave Martin, Mike Parry, and Harry Amis.
Today Wallasey field a strong team in the annual St. Asaph to Rhyl Road Race in which with teams of five with three to count they must have a fine chance of a team success.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 09/02/1963 by R.M.C.
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