Twenty-four teams of ten runners and Twenty-four individuals representing the qualifiers in the recent divisional championships, took part in the Junior Northern Cross-Country Championship over 6 miles at Leyland last Saturday and the same number (264) of competitors ran in the Senior Championship over 9 miles.
The Youth's Championship, decided also last Saturday, was an open event in that no qualifications were necessary. The latter race was won by Hallamshire Harriers with a winning margin of 24 points from Liverpool Pembroke, A. D. Mellor, of Slaithwaite, running determinedly to take the individual title.
Wallasey Athletic Club had a team in the Junior (under 21) Championship for the first time in many years and they distinguished themselves by finishing fourth in the team placings. N. Marples was outstandingly good throughout the race and his sixth position was extremely creditable. His stamina is now greatly increased and he was possibly the most stylish runner in the big field, which included F. Aaron, who easily won the Universities' Athletic Union's Cross-Country Championship a fortnight ago but could do no better than third last Saturday. C. Barden, Yorkshire Junior Champion, was second and H. Knowles, East Lancashire Champion, seventh, being overhauled in the last half-mile by the fast-moving Marples. The individual champion turned out to be Pembroke's wonderful little runner, W. H. Marsh, who is only 18 years of age: he won easily and is unquestionably a world-beater in the making. Sheffield United Harriers took the team title with Pilkington Recs H. second and Warrington A.C. third.
It is extremely pleasing to note that Wallasey A.C. now rank fourth in the whole of the North of England as a Junior team.
After Marples came Andrew, who ran his usual stylish, unhurried sort of race to finish 36th, closely followed by P. Watson, who in finishing 41st gave his best performance ever. D. Grisdale still does not appear at his best and had to put in some hard work to finish 54th, whilst A. J. Clough and J. M. Rimmer both ran strongly to complete the team, with J. Whittingham and C. R. Hewson not far behind.
In the Senior Championship a rare tussle took place between N. H. Potts, the hat-trick holder, and A. E. Tyrer, of Sutton Harriers, who recently won the West Lancashire title. Right from the start these two went to the front and were well ahead together at the end of the first mile and there was not a yard between them until over five miles had been covered. Then the sheer strength of Tyrer enabled him to move away from Potts, who, however, showed no trace of tiredness despite the extremely heavy and arduous nature of the course. They both finished fresh and smiling with Tyrer about 10O yards ahead of Potts, who in turn must have been well over a quarter of a mile ahead of the third man.
Pembroke fell away badly after their great display in the West Lancashire Championships and had to be content with third place, Sutton deservedly winning with Salford Harriers, the holders, second. It is interesting to note that no fewer than four sets of brothers finished in the first twenty-five runners in this event.
To-day the Liverpool & District Championships are to be held at Court Hey, Broadgreen, and Wallasey Athletic Club has teams in the Senior, Junior and Youth's events. The Juniors should make no mistake about winning the first post-war Liverpool & District Championship for Wallasey, whilst the Seniors, if they can produce their best form, stand a chance of a place in the long distance event.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 04/03/1939
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