Club Race Reports Season 1962-1963
Liverpool & District XC Union
Championships - Sherdley Park - 26/01/1963 - Senior Men
As was expected last Saturday at Sherdley Park, St. Helens, Wallasey A.C. were narrowly defeated by neighbours Wirral A.C. in the Liverpool & District championships.
Over a slushy, icy 7½ mile course, the race went pretty well as expected from the start. With English international Mike Turner of Liverpool Harriers running, the field soon strung out behind him, although Ron Barlow was making a valiant effort to stay with him. Wirral A.C. fielding their strongest team were well placed with all their runners well up, and although the rest of Wallasey's runners were all running well, it was obvious that they were slightly down on points.
Turner, who was fourth in the Inter-Counties Championships a fortnight ago, was running magnificently and when he crossed the line he was a minute ahead of second man Ron Barlow. Wirral's Martin Cranny and Bill Bennett were third and fourth, and they were followed by a group of Wallasey runners, Kevin Mather 5th, Brian Woolford 7th, John Wright 8th and Brian Chalton 18th. Final counter for Wallasey was Hugh Pritchard in 30th place, which gave Wallasey A.C. a total of 70 pts., John Atkinson finished 45th.
Positions: 1, Wirral A.C. 58 pts.;2, Wallasey A.C. 70 pts.; 3, Liverpool Harriers 79 pts.
In the youths race Wallasey were given a great individual win by Peter Meldrum, who ran a magnificent tactical race to win in an exciting finish by 10 yards. Peter, who in past races has been starting too slowly and getting beaten in the first mile, listened to his elders with good avail, for right from the start he was with the leaders, and when he made his break, in the second mile he established a lead which he held to the finish. Wallasey, who finished 3rd team behind Liverpool and Sutton Harriers also had running for them; D. Martin (16th), H. Amis (23rd), T. Parry (25th), J. McWilliam (26th), M. Teehan (50th).
In the junior race over a five mile course, Wallasey's sole representative was David Field who finished 14th.
Cross Country Championships
National - Coldhams Common - 02/03/1963 - Senior Men
Of the few Wallasey runners who travelled to Cambridge recently for the National Championships the most successful was Peter Meldrum, who despite not being at peak fitness ran his usual determined race to finish 44th in a field of over 700 runners who contested the youth event.
Meldrum has had his most successful season yet and as he now moves up into the junior age group he will be a most useful reinforcement for Wallasey's seniors in those races permitting the inclusion of junior runners.
Christmas Handicap
Christmas Handicap - Leasowe - 22/12/1962 - Seniors
Wallasey Athletic Club Christmas Handicap, which had been postponed for a week due to several of the club members having other commitments, was held on a fine but cold day at club headquarters on December 22.
This race is one of the most interesting and light-hearted affairs of the year, and usually the only people who do any worrying about it are the band of highly skilled and very efficient handicappers, who, using all their skill and profound experience, do a job in which the utmost tact and diplomacy has to be shown.
This year their job was made even more difficult by there being an age difference of about forty years between the youngest and oldest competitors, and also a rumour (flatly denied) that Ramsey Hewson had been seen on secret training sessions in preparations for the great day. However, the first, and supposedly slowest runners, got away with a good start of eight minutes on the fastest men off scratch, and several minutes on most of the other runners. This gap eventually proved to be too much for the faster men to close, and the first five places all went to the first five men to start.
First place went to Steve Parry, who ran very well to win easily. He was followed home by - 2nd, Les Watcham; 3rd, young John Edwards; 4th, Bobby McCaig; and 5th, Ramsey Hewson, who ran with all his old fire and speed over the last 100 yards to hold off John Wright in a most exciting finish. Fastest times of the day were recorded by Kevin Mather, 17 mins. 18 secs.; John Wright, 17 mins. 22 secs. and Brian Woolford 17 mins. 33 secs.
After, the handing out of the prizes; which are donated by the runners themselves according to their bank balance, a brisk auction was held for the remaining articles under the keen eye of Tony Townsend, all proceeds going to club funds.
