Local runners in national championships
This Saturday sees the climax of the British cross-country season with the holding of the National Championships at Reading.
It is one of the main ambitions of any cross-country runner to compete in a "National" as there is an undeniable thrill in being one of the 500 or so runners who face the starter in each of the events on this great day.
The sight presented by so many runners in their multicoloured shirts streaming away en masse into the country is indeed one to remember, and one which next year local athletic enthusiasts will have a chance to see for themselves as the National will then be held at Arrowe Park, Birkenhead.
This Saturday, when entries for all events are larger than ever, Wallasey Athletic Club will be represented in the youth' race over three miles by R. Parry, J. Warden, H. Pritchard and C. Harris, and in the junior race over six miles by D. Standfast, K. Ledward, J. Lynch, J. Winrow and R. Scammell.
The standards will, of course, be very high and the only Wallasey runner with a real chance of being in the first 50 is Roy Parry in the youth event. Roy has shown marked improvement this season both in pace and stamina, and subject to being unaffected by the long journey should be well up the field.
The individual result in this race is usually fairly open, as with such young runners there is not the same consistent line of form to follow as with the juniors and seniors, but the North has a strong representative in A. Bolton, of Horwich, who will take quite a bit of beating.
Wallasey's junior team will find the pace very hot in their event, in which it will be surprising if the title does not up North by way of Johnny Wilde, of East Cheshire Harriers. Wilde is now running as brilliantly as ever after recovering from a fractured toe, but he expects to meet stiff opposition from Driver, of South London Harriers, who is much fancied in Southern athletic circles.
The club are not represented in the junior event over nine miles, which is, of course, the big event of the day.
Bolton United Harriers have a good chance of winning team honours in this race, with their Fred Norris fighting out the individual race against Olympic team mates Gordon Pirie and Frank Sando, and last year's winner, Walter Hesketh, of Manchester A C.
The England team to compete in the international in Paris on the 21st of this month will be picked after this race, when the first eight runners home in the senior event are usually automatic choices.
There will be a club run from Leasowe Road headquarters this Saturday for those runners not travelling to Reading - start 3.15 p.m.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 07/03/1953 by RM
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