The first Winter track meet of the year, at Victoria Park, Warrington, attracted some large fields, with 20 Wallasey Athletic Club members competing.
These pre-season meetings give the athletes some early competition on which they can assess their fitness after their winter's training which for the track athletes is usually cross-country running and the field events specialists some form of weight or circuit training.
Despite the bitterly cold day some good times were recorded. In the 60 metres, Alan Cheers, was credited with third, after a blanket finish, recording the same time as the winner, 7.5 secs. in the long jump Alan took first with a jump of 5.65 metres.
Carl Gee was close behind in this event with 5.21 metres and Andy Fulton won the youths' event with 5.15 metres, but later slipped to second in the discus with 29.89 metres.
With most of the events suited to the sprinters most of the Wallasey middle distance specialists contested the 600 metres. Bob Brimage running well to finish 3rd in the junior men's event (1 min. 30.1 secs.), Phil Wealthy, Mike Teahan and Doug Hanna ran in the senior event, the former being the highest placed in 1 min. 27 secs.
In the Ladies' event Janice Watts finished well up the field in 1 min. 44 secs., and in the juniors girls event Diana Kelly led her team home in fourth postlon, with Sharon McCann fifth and Lyn Carter ninth.
The girl sprinters had a day they would rather forget, with the exception of Helen Taylor who recorded 23.2 secs. for the junior girls 150 metres to take second.
Perhaps the find of the day was Brian Kanes who proved the only track winner of the day in the boys' 150 metres, winning in 21.5 secs. wlth brother Eddie third in 23.9.
Today there is no race, but training will take place from the clubhouse as usual. With a fairly easy programme in the next two months, consisting of road relays and early season track meetings most of the athletes will be taking the opportunity to build up their speed for the track season.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 06/03/1971
Ref 1569