Club Race Reports Season 1984-1985
Cross Country Championships
National - Birkenhead - 16/02/1985 - Girls
The Women's National Cross-Country Championships held in Arrowe Park on Saturday was marred by anti-apartheid demonstrators who forced South African-born runner Zola Budd off the course after one-and-a-half miles.
Angela Tooby, of Cardiff, who was leading the senior race at the time, went on to win by five seconds from Ruth Smeeth of Aldershot.
Paula Fudge, of Hounslow, came in third, with Jill Rothwell of Liverpool finishing in sixth place.
The outstanding Wirral performance was the run of Joanne Forrester who finished in 23rd place.
Joanne has been showing great potential over the past two years. If she could get enough competition at northern and national level, she could develop into a potential national champion.
Other Wirral finishers were C. King 257, G. Bassnett 269, J. Hodgins 399, K. Hawkins 439, S. Kemp 522, and J. White 563.
Competing for Wallasey A.C. - Joanne Johnson 98th position, L. Phillips 102, C. Winstanley 200, and E. Derwent 212, enabled Wallasey to finish 19th in the team race.
The intermediate race was won by C. Kellor of Sale A.C. Amanda Holmes of Liverpool A.C. won the junior girls race in fine style from N. Watts of Swindon. Annette McGinn of Wallasey A.C. finished 86th.
National - Campbell Park - 02/03/1985 - Senior Men
Wallasey Athletic Club competed in the National Cross-Country Championships, at Milton Keynes.
Rob Howarth completed a good season by finishing 477th in the youths' race.
In the senior race, Pete Lonsdale pulled out one more good race to lead the team home, finishing 715th. Bob Brimage had a close battle with Alec Boughey for most of the race, but pulled well clear of him in the final straight, to finish 802nd. Alec came in 838th. Gordon Rowe had probably his best run of the season as he finished 948th.
The team score of 5,461 points was the best for a great many years.
