Despite the atrocious weather conditions, the worst features of which were a heavy rain soaked course and strong head-wind for the first 4 miles, some twenty runners lined up to contest the Club's annual cross-country championship over a 7½ miles course last Saturday.
The outstanding performance was the victory of the holder, W. R. Richardson, who completed a hat-trick of wins in the championship after a gruelling race with T. B. Calveley, the young runner who figured so prominently in the Liverpool & District and West Lancashire Championships earlier in the season.
The competitors got away to a fine start at 3-50 p. m. and B. Morgan, W. A. Geddes and J. Davies led for the first mile at a tremendous pace. This early challenge soon petered out however and even before Bidston was reached Richardson and Calveley were in the lead and had spread-eagled the field to such an extent as to make the championship a straight race between them.
T. B. Calveley put up a terrific struggle and forced the pace all the way but the pair were still together half a mile from home when W. R. Richardson forged ahead with a strong finishing effort to win a great race in 41 mins 30 secs.
The time although not a record was the best returned for the course this season and was exceptionally fast considering the adverse weather conditions.
The third man K. Baird ran a fine race, improving considerably on all his previous performances this season, although his long lead on B. Morgan (4th) would have been less had the latter touched his best form. With L. Bell unable to race through illness and F. G. Ambrose far below his best, the anticipated struggle for 3rd and 4th positions did not materialise and Baird and Morgan had it all their own way.
H. Jones did well to finish 5th, two hundred yards ahead of W. G. Williams who had a thrilling race with J. Davies beating the latter by 1 second for 6th place.
Final placings and times of the first twelve were as follows:-
Time. mins. secs.
1 - W. R. Richardson 41 30
2 - T. B. Calveley 41 55
3 - K. Baird 43 5
4 - B. Morgan 44 32
5 - H. Jones 44 47
6 - W. G. Williams 45 12
7 - J. Davies 45 13
8 - J. Edwards 45 27
9 - R. Young 46 10
10 - F. G. Ambrose 46 40
11 - L. Hughes 46 58
12 - J. Cousins 47 24
The Sealed Handicap revealed that K. Baird had won first prize with an allowance of 2¼ mins but since he was placed in the scratch event, he was ineligible for this award which went to W. G. Williams (4 mins) with H. Jones, 2nd (3 mins 30secs). J. Edwards (3 mins 45 secs) took third prize as W. R. Richardson (scratch) like Baird was ineligible for the handicap.
First six placings in the Sealed Handicap were as follows :-.
Allowance Han. Time
min. secs min. sec
1 - *K. Baird 02 15 40 50
2 - W. G. Williams 4 0 41 12
3 - H. Jones 3 30 41 17
4 - *W. R. Richardson scratch 41 30
5- J. Edwards 3 45 41 42
6 - J. Davies 3 30 41 43
* ineligible for handicap.
After the race, Mr. W. S. Brookes, senior vice-president of the Club presented the Peers Challenge Trophy to the winner to be held for the ensuing twelve months and the medals and prizes won in the race.
To-day the Club holds its last event of the season, the Consolation Handicap, and a good turn-out is expected. Arrive in time for a 3-30 p.m. start.
Information re the Club's summer and winter activities may be obtained from the Hon. Sec., Mr. R. G. Hyde, 14 Cromer Drive.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 30/03/1935
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