The West Lancashire Cross-Country Association held their annual championships at Leyland last Saturday, a section of the Leyland Motor Company's works being cleverly adapted as changing quarters for the runners.
Wallasey Athletic Club was represented in the team events, Senior 9 miles, Junior 6 miles, and Youths 3 miles, and despite the recent epidemic of influenza and colds of which the local club has had more than its fair share, the team ran well and finished intact in their respective events.
The Youths' championship, which attracted 63 starters representing nine clubs, was won by Pembroke H. and A.C. who placed their team of four in the first seven finishers. Sutton Harriers supplied the individual winner in T. Fillingham, who seems to finding his wonderful form of two years ago. For Wallasey, H. R. Stanley ran extremely well, although troubled with a cold, to finish 14th, immediately followed by J. A. Pritchard who was unable to produce his best form owing to having a cold. Wallasey A.C. finished fifth in the team placings.
There were 130 starters in the Junior championship which resulted in a team win for Pilkington Recs. H., after a close fight with Warrington A.C. who were only five points behind at the finish. N. Marples, of Wallasey, was prominent amongst the leaders during the whole of the race and his fourth position was very much responsible for Wallasey Athletic Club being placed third in the team event. W. P. Davey, Wallasey A.C's. most successful Junior Champion, was unable to run owing to a very heavy cold, which was a great disappointment to Davey himself, who had been looking forward to the race, and the other members of the team who, however, were not discouraged and ran exceedingly well to secure third place, being the first Liverpool & District team to finish. G.K. Andrew held on to 16th place almost throughout, but D. Grisdale lost a few places after the first lap, doubtless due to his recent attack of influenza, and P. Watson ran well despite recent indisposition to finish 22nd. Clough 39th and Rimmer 49th completed the Wallasey team and a word of praise is duo to Whittingham, Hewson and Yeoman for crowding out some useful opposition by good packing behind the team. W. H. Marsh, of Pembroke, easily won the individual title following his brilliant win in the Youths' event the previous year, and J. Hull, of Pilkington's, last year's winner, was second with J. Daniels, also of Pilkington's, and this season's West Lancashire Novice Champion, third.
Some grand running was seen in the Senior Championship where Pembroke with the exceptionally low score of 40 points succeeded in beating the famous Sutton Harriers by the narrow margin of ten points. The Pembroke team of six all finished in the first dozen, whilst Sutton, although securing first, third, fifth and eighth positions had their other two counting runner's too far back to be effective.
Of the Wallasey A.C. team, Westmore put in a hard-working effort to gain 21st position but the nine miles of heavy going proved too much for most of the team. Edwards, with a heavy cold, was nothing like his usual self and did well even to finish, whilst the Club captain, W. R. Richardson, still troubled by recent indisposition, was forced to give in a lap from the finish. Arkless and Peers both, ran well on their first appearances in a Senior Championship, Peers, especially, revelling in the heavy going. Wallasey Athletic Club finished eighth in the team placings, West more being in the first individuals of unplaced clubs qualified to run in the Northern Championships next Saturday.
Results :-
YOUTHS' CHAMPIONSHIP, 3 MILES.
1. Liverpool Pembroke H. and A.C.
2. Sutton Harriers.
3. Wirral A.C.
Individual Winner. - T. Fillingham, Sutton Harriers.
JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP, 6 MILES.
1. Pilkington Recs. H. and A.C.
2. Warrington A.C.
3. Wallasey A.C.
Individual Winner. W. Marsh, Liverpool Pembroke.
Senior Championship, 9 MILES.
1. Liverpool Pembroke H. and A.C.
2. Sutton Harriers.
3 Liverpool H. & A.C.
Individual Winner. A. E. Tyrer, Sutton Harriers
Wallasey Athletic Club holds its postponed New Year Handicap over 43½ miles at Leasowe, and next Saturday the Junior tam, and K. Westmore, having qualified to run in the Northern Championships, will travel to Leyland again. A team of Youths has also been provisionally entered for the Northern Youths' Championship. The train time and fare is as last Saturday, namely 12-20 p.m., Lime Street, and 2s 8d.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 18/02/1939
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